I step out of the bathroom with my phone in hand, feeling a slight vibration deep in my bones.

“We alone?”

I look up to find Max lying on my bed. His pants are pulled up but the zipper is still wide-open. Bare chest and sloppy hair.

“Yeah,” I say, giving a soft smile. “We’re alone.”

He pushes up onto his elbows. “You okay?”

I lean over him. “I’m fine.”

We kiss once. He tries to pull me down for more but I take a quick step back.

“I still have some chapters to get through,” I tell him. “Save it for later.”

Max falls to the pillows and curls his arms behind his head. “Okay, okay.”

“I think I’m making progress, though,” I say, moving back to the couch to find my pants. “There just might be some hope for my promotion yet…”

He murmurs an acknowledgment and goes silent, his eyes flicking upward to stare at my ceiling.

I step into my pants and pull them up, waiting for him to look back at me but he doesn’t.

“Hey, Max?”

“Yeah?”

“You don’t want me to get this promotion, do you?”

He finally looks at me and shakes his head, obviously hesitating. “I want you to be happy,” he answers quickly. “If getting this promotion does that, then, of course, I want you to get it.”

I cross my arms. “But?”

“No buts, Phoebe.”

“Then, why do you go stiff every time I mention it?”

“I don’t,” he says.

I stare at him until he finally caves.

“Okay…” He sits up and clears his throat. “The only part of the whole thing that might make me a little stiff is… that I’d lose you.”

My mouth sags. “What?”

“Three weeks ago, I wouldn’t have cared, but now…” He sighs. “It took me nearly ten years to find you and you were right across the city from me the whole time. I don’t want to have to end things with you before they ever really begin.”

“Max…” I speak slowly. “You’re not going to lose me.”

“Thad flies through New York all the time, just as often as he’s in LA. He’s there right now, for Christ’s sake. Nothing would change between you two but you and me…” He pauses, his eyes falling to the floor. “Once a month, if that. We’ll spend our nights trying to schedule time together over the internet. Sexting whenever we get around to it. Webcam dates with remote-controlled sex toys.”

“They have those?”

“Yeah.”

I tilt my head. “Hmm…”

“I just…” He exhales. “You’re the best thing in my life right now, Phoebe. I hate it when I’m away from you for just a few hours at work. I can’t imagine being away from you for days at a time. Just another reason for me to respect and admire Thad Hemsley. He makes it look so cool and easy.”

“Wow…” I blink. “You’ve thought about this a lot already.”

“No, I—” He stands up. “Yes, I have. But don’t make this decision around me. If you get the promotion, I want you to take it. I demand you take it. Okay? I want that on the record.”

I nod. “Consider it recorded.”

“Thank you.”

“But… may I approach the bench?”

He smiles. “Motion granted.”

I step closer and reach around him, locking my fingers together behind his back. “The fact that this has even crossed your mind at all means so much to me.”

“Why?”

“I used to sit in the cafeteria, gazing at you, and thinking how awesome it would be if you just acknowledged my existence in the hallway. Now, you not only acknowledge me, you actually want me in your life… like, all the time.”

He nods. “I really do.”

“Then, Max, do you really think I’d let a little distance get in the way of this? Of what I’ve always wanted? Jobs come and go. A girl only gets one shot at her dream guy.”

“I’m your dream guy?” he asks.

“Yeah, Max. You are.”

He raises an amused brow. “Not Thad?”

“Thad is…” I smile, “something else.”

“But I’m your dream guy?”

I scold him with a stare. “Whatever happened to no petty jealousies?”

“I just want to get the facts of the case on the table.”

“He’s got you beat in other ways.”

His grin drops and I crack up. “What ways?”

“Sorry, counselor.” I lean closer. “I plead the fifth.”

We kiss, our mouths opening slowly with each soft peck. His arms wrap around me, pulling me up until the tips of my toes barely graze the floor.

He breaks away but his lips still tickle mine. “So, what do I have to do to get you on this bed?” he asks.

I grin. “Give me one hour.”

“One hour?” he whines.

“Sixty minutes of peace and quiet,” I say, “and I’ll give you the rest of the night.”

He hums. “Your argument is solid.”

“It’s more of a plea bargain,” I quip. “Take it or leave it, Monahan.”

“I’ll take it.”

“Good.” I step back, slipping through his grasp. “Because I’ve fully exhausted my courtroom lingo.”

He laughs. “I’ll teach you some more.”

I point a finger. “Later.”

“Objection.”

“Overruled.” I bounce on my toes. “Oh! Might know a few more, after all...”

Max falls back onto the bed with a wide, but silent, grin, doing as he agreed he would. One hour of peace while I get some work done.

I sit down on the couch, still feeling that deep vibration from my head to my toes. I’m not sure which man is responsible for it more tonight.

Too good to be true? Maybe. Probably.

But I’m going to enjoy the storm while it lasts.