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I rushed to catch up with her. ‘With whom?’
‘Rick, of course. He was sure you wouldn’t dare.’
I scoffed, irritated. ‘Dare? Why wouldn’t I dare?’
She shrugged and went straight into my office as I trailed behind her.
‘After the first week, I knew you wouldn’t stay away from each other for too long. Either he was tracking every move you made, or you were sending him longing looks whenever you thought he wasn’t looking.’
Appalled, I froze before I could sit in my chair.
‘I was not.’
Gayle just stared at me, and I shook my head.
‘I wasn’t. Trust me. Sure, I like looking at him. He looks good. But I wasn’t sending longing looks his way.’
She huffed and took her phone out of her back pocket. ‘Could’ve fooled me. I’m heading upstairs if you need anything from me?’
‘Nope. Not at the moment.’
‘Anyway, I’ll be out of the office, running after a few other things. Make sure you miss me.’ Gayle studied me with an arch to her eyebrow. ‘Anything else?’
I smiled. Grinned even. Feeling the happiness slowly rise from somewhere deep in my chest again. Was this going to be constant whenever I talked about William? ‘He was tracking my every move?’
Gayle grinned back at me, her eyes lighting up. ‘He stood no chance. Trust me. Whenever we were in his office talking about something, if you happened to walk by, his eyes followed all the way to wherever you were heading. Then if he saw you talking to someone, he’d ask me who the guy was and what he did. And if I told him you weren’t interested in them he’d frown at me and change the subject, as if I’d said the most ridiculous thing in the world. Then the meetings… let’s not even talk about how he was hypnotized when you spoke.’
With every word out of her mouth, my lips stretched wider.
‘He likes me.’
Gayle let out a laugh. ‘I’d say so. God save me from new lovebirds. At least I get to reap the benefits.’ She rested her elbows on my desk, trying to look as innocent as Gayle could manage to look. ‘So… you kissed someone after years and years and years. How do you feel?’
‘Incredible,’ I whispered, leaning towards her. ‘I…’
There was a soft knock on my open door.
‘Am I interrupting something?’ William asked softly, eyes on me.
I stood up and Gayle straightened.
‘Not at all,’ she replied before I could get out a word and passed him on her way out. ‘Talk to you soon, Charlie.’
William walked towards me. ‘I bought you lunch.’
‘Oh, but I didn’t order lunch.’ I watched as he opened the paper bag and took out a cold sandwich – one of my absolute favourites for lunch – and a small box of still hot French fries.
‘I know.’
‘Parmesan truffle fries?’ I asked, my hands going for the food immediately.
‘Your favourite,’ he murmured, his voice a caress. ‘How was your call with Nora? Everything good?’
‘Yes, it was good. We’re both excited to work together.’ I refused to think how I would leave him behind. ‘Did you eat your lunch?’
He nodded.
My eyes moved to him, I couldn’t help it.
He took another step towards me, closing the distance between us just a little more. It was intoxicating, the way he was taking me in.
‘Too close, William,’ I muttered. ‘I can’t think when you’re too close.’
‘So, it’s not just me,’ he said quietly. ‘That’s good. Will you have dinner at my place tonight? I’ll cook for us. With Pepp, of course. Or I can take you out again.’ He skimmed the back of my hand with his knuckles and pulled back far too soon.
We were the worst at trying to keep things under wraps at the office until we figured out what we wanted to do with each other.
‘Your place would be good,’ I rasped out. I could have him all to myself.
‘Sorry to interrupt you guys, but Douglas wants to see us three. I’ll come and get you in five. I have to deal with something else first.’ Gayle said from my door, then quickly disappeared down the hall.
‘A meeting?’ I asked into the quiet.
‘Not a scheduled one. Eat your lunch, then we’ll go. He can wait.’
I grinned. ‘I really like it when you’re bossy. It makes me a little tingly.’
‘Yeah?’ His eyes burned into mine with a world full of promises. ‘What else do you like?’
I lowered my voice, my body facing his as if he were a magnet to my heart. I clenched my hands so I wouldn’t plaster myself to him. ‘I like it when you bring me lunch when I’m too busy to take a break. I like that you think of me even when I forget to think of myself.’
His jaw clenched. ‘Give me one more.’
I swallowed, hands itching to touch and feel. I could give more than one.
