“Are you sure this office is okay?” Dante asked me after I filled out all my necessary paperwork and was introduced around the department. “It’s right next to mine but you and I will be working together a lot. You’re going to get very tired of seeing my face.”

It was torture. For as much as I wanted to believe what Alex had said about Dante, I couldn’t help but be drawn to him. Dante Ross was as a charmer.

“This office is more than adequate.” I blinked as I took in the space. Of course, it wasn’t as big as his office but it had one whole wall of windows, a leather love seat, an oak wrap-around desk with one of those ergonomically correct chairs to help support your back.

“I’d say it’s pretty nice, too.” He smiled down at me. “The love seat also folds out to a bed.”

“What?”

“Forgive me. We haven’t even discussed the most important thing.” He walked over to the door that joined both our offices. “Where to have lunch.”

I blushed as I looked at my desk. There was a laptop ready for me to start learning their procedures. This afternoon around two o’clock I was supposed to have some tech guy come in and show me the ropes on the company system. It was already eleven.

“Do you like seafood?” Dante asked.

“Yes,” I replied.

“Then I know just the place. I’ll pick you up in fifteen minutes.”

“Okay,” I responded. The entire morning was a blur. Especially since I kept waiting for there to be some red alert broadcast over the speakers that Alex had come back, storming the castle walls and screaming like a harpy. But, so far, nothing.

Maybe he was pulling some sort of flim-flam on me. Maybe he had mastered the art of manipulation in prison and was attempting to use me to… to… to what? I took a seat at my desk and let out a deep breath. I had to admit that my new office was amazing.

Upon further reflection, I decided there wasn’t anything I could do for Alex. I was brand new here. I didn’t even know the code to the ladies’ room door memorized yet.

Why did he have to kiss me? That was the question. It wasn’t just an ordinary kiss, either. It was lustful. I’d never been kissed like that before. And as much as I found Dante attractive, he was a married man. It didn’t matter how well he kissed.

“Wait a second, Nova,” I muttered. “Get a hold of yourself. No one is kissing anyone. This is your job. Don’t screw it up.”

“Screw what up?” came a female voice from my door.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I was just talking to myself.” I blushed. “I’m Nova Lyons.”

“Yes, I’ve heard you’re the new Coordinator in D&D.”

I stared at the woman waiting for her to introduce herself. She was about ten years older than me putting her in the thirties somewhere. She was wearing a tight pair of slacks and a low-cut blouse that played peek-a-boo with a lace camisole underneath. She was pretty but I got the feeling she wasn’t interested in being friends.

“That’s right. Dante hired me yesterday.” The words just sort of tumbled out of my mouth. I felt like the new girl at school being grilled by one of the popular girls. This was ridiculous. “What is your name?”

“Sarah Towny. Well, you should know that Dante has the tendency to change his mind quickly. I’ve known him for a while.” Sarah looked around my office. “We’ll have to do lunch some time and I’ll tell you all about it.”

Just then Dante reappeared in the door that separated our offices.

“Nova? Are you ready… Sarah? I see you’ve met Nova. I hope you aren’t scaring her with stories about working late and coming in on the weekends.”

Sarah batted her eyes and smiled widely.

“Not yet,” she joked.

“That reminds me, I’ll need you stop by my office before five. We actually do have a few scheduling issues I need to go over.”

“Not a problem,” Sarah replied then turned to me and patted me on the shoulder as if we’d suddenly become best buddies. “Welcome, Nova. I’ll be seeing you around.”

Just as quickly as she arrived, Sarah left. I got the distinct feeling that she was running back to some coven of secretaries to report what she found out so far. Office politics were not new to me. They came with every job I’d ever had from my first gig at McDonald’s when I was sixteen to now.

“She might be a little jealous,” Dante whispered.

“What? Why?”

“She put in for your job but didn’t get it,” he said sadly. “She just didn’t have the experience you have. Besides, it’s important to keep the flow of fresh faces and ideas coming into this place. I don’t mind promoting from within as long as the recipient is deserving. I can’t just do it because we are friends, know what I mean?”

“Of course.” I nodded. It made perfect sense to me.

At lunch I was surprised to find that it was just Dante and I seated at a cozy table for two. Usually, the new person gets taken out to lunch with a couple of coworkers so they can find out more about you. I might have been green but I wasn’t still a seed.

“I love the raw oysters at this place,” Dante said after ordering a martini for himself and a Coke for me. “But I think I’m in the mood for salmon this afternoon. Have you ever been salmon fishing?”

“No,” I replied as I sipped my drink. The more Dante talked the more I was convinced that Alex had been lying. This guy might have been a bit eccentric, maybe a little weird but he was a gentleman. He told me about fishing off the coast of Maine, about skiing in Aspen, and about how he wanted to spend a summer at the Crater of Diamonds in Arkansas.

“I know I probably wouldn’t find anything but wouldn’t it be fun! I’d really rough it, too. Sleeping in a tent with a campfire and sleeping bag under the stars at night,” Dante mused.

“Would Mrs. Ramsey like to do that too?”

Dante cleared his throat. “Mrs. Ramsey hasn’t been well for awhile. She wouldn’t be able to make the trip even if she wanted to.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that,” I said, feeling like I’d really stepped in it. “I didn’t mean to pry.”

“It’s okay. Most everyone in the office knows. It’s only fair you do too.” He stared at his martini glass. “I fell in love with her the minute I saw her. She was married then to Hugo Ramsey. I had so much respect for that man. He taught me everything I know.”

“Really?”

“Yes. He was a good friend. It broke my heart when he died. A heart attack. He didn’t take care of himself. Then there were all the problems with his son.” My heart began to race when Dante talked about Alex. I listened. “It was probably a blessing Hugo didn’t see what happened. But it broke Florence’s heart. We’d only been married a couple of years and he was sentenced…”

“I’m sorry, Dante. I really didn’t mean to pry.”

“I’m sorry, too. I didn’t mean to unload on you that way. You are just so easy to talk to.” He leaned his chin on the palm of his hand and looked at me. “Has anyone ever told you that?”

“I’m kind of an introvert,” I admitted. “I like to focus on one thing at a time. I never really carved out a social life. There wasn’t really any reason for it until now.” What was I doing? I was flirting right back and didn’t even realize it. I didn’t even want to. This was dangerous territory and I wanted to get up and go back to the office, sit at my new desk and eat the peanut butter and jelly sandwich I’d brought from home.

“Well, you’re going to have plenty of opportunities to spread your wings, Nova. I think you’re going to find this suits you.” Dante’s voice was low. Like he were sharing a secret with me.

Our food arrived and despite the weird feeling that everything Dante had said held a hint of seduction in it, I was famished and ate heartily. By the time we strolled back into the office it was almost three-thirty.

I apologized to the IT guy who had been waiting on me. When he saw me coming back to my office talking with Dante, he nodded his head and shrugged as if to say oh, so that’s why you’re late. He explained almost everything about the computer system until five o’clock. By then, I was happy the day was over.

“See you tomorrow, Dante,” I said through our shared door.

“If I were you, I’d suggest a hot bath, fuzzy pajamas, and a glass of wine before bed. Tomorrow, we work.” He smirked just as Sarah walked into his office. “Close the door on your way out.”

I nodded then pulled the door shut. I stood there for a second and listened but I couldn’t hear anything but mumblings. What did I expect to hear? A fight? Lovemaking? My mind was exhausted and what Dante did suggest sounded wonderful. I went home by bus.

With the hot water and bubbles in the tub, soft music playing and candles on the counter, I relaxed. Part of me couldn’t help but fantasize about Dante. He was strong, intelligent and gorgeous. But he was married. Still, a fantasy didn’t hurt anyone.

When I got out of the tub feeling relaxed and warm, I found a note slipped under my door. I was sure it was from Richard saying something stupid like hope you like your new job or good night, sweetheart.

My heart gushed over when I saw it was from Alex. But I couldn’t believe what it said.