Chapter Seventeen

Amy had mixed feelings going into work on Monday. She was floating on clouds because her new car had been delivered the night before, and she loved driving it. It was an exhilarating feeling, controlling the beautiful machine and knowing she’d never have to fight the crowds on public transportation again. There’d definitely been a few times of terror on the bus when she’d been approached by some less than respectable people.

She was terrified, on the other hand, of the work environment when stepping through those double doors. Was Lucas going to cause a scene? Was he going to send her packing? Could he fire her? He couldn’t let her go just because of their physical relationship.

Lucas could, however, fire her for not being good enough at her job. She was already nervous about how well she performed at work. She parked the car and headed inside. She’d just have to see how the day went. There was nothing she could do about it, so she’d have to do what she could and go from there.

The elevator doors chimed and opened to Tom’s smiling face. “I was wondering when you were going to get here. I’ve been bouncing in my seat for a half hour,” he said with no time for hellos.

Amy sighed. “Hey, Tom. If you’ve been bouncing in your seat for a half hour, then you were here an hour early because I’m a half hour early,” she replied. He threw an arm around her shoulders and led her to his desk.

“Okay, Amy, time to spill. What happened? You totally ditched me this weekend. The way the boss was acting on Friday night, I didn’t even know if you’d be here this morning,” he whined.

“Everything’s fine, Tom. The boss and I just had a little misunderstanding. I promise I’ll fill you in later, but I need to get started on my work before the aforementioned person walks in and has a reason to fire me for being a slacker,” she said while walking to her office.

Tom trailed along with her. “You’re here early. You can’t get into trouble for chatting with me on your own time.”

“I don’t think any time we’re in these offices is our own. Please, just let me get to work, and we’ll go out for happy hour tonight, I promise,” she said, pushing him out of her office.

Amy was busy at her desk when Lucas came in two hours later. It must be nice to be the boss and show up when you feel like it, she thought with attitude, and then regretted it immediately. She wasn’t some high school ex-girlfriend who was going to think petty thoughts. What he did on his own time was his business, definitely not hers.

“Ms. Harper, I need you to come in here, please,” he said over the intercom, making a cold sweat break out on her brow. She wiped her forehead and grabbed her notebook, locking her knees tight so they wouldn’t tremble.

With as much composure as she could fake, she stepped through their connecting doors and approached his desk. He was on the phone, with his back to her, as he peered out his window at the spectacular city view.

She waited several minutes, too nervous to sit down, but very unsteady on her feet, as her entire body wanted to shake.

Finally, he hung up the phone and turned in her direction, his face a blank mask. She blinked as their eyes connected. She thought she detected a surge of fire in his eyes, but he blinked and it was gone, making her think it was nothing more than her imagination.

“Have a seat. I need to dictate some files for you to type up,” he said in his most professional tone.

She shakily sat as she got ready to take notes. He started speaking, and soon she was engulfed in work, not having time to worry about anything other than correctly jotting down his words.

“Thank you; that will be all. I’ll be out of the office the rest of the day, so email them to me by closing tonight.”

Lucas sat in his chair and turned back to his computer to type something, dismissing her. She sat a moment longer, then finally got up and walked to her office.

She slumped in her chair, then let out a relieved breath. It looked like he really was going to act as if nothing had happened. She was both relieved, and irrationally, a bit hurt.

She immediately began typing his letters, and the day quickly passed. He left before lunch, finally giving her a chance to breathe. It wasn’t easy to do when he was only a thin door away from her.

The rest of the day passed with no more incidents. Lucas communicated with her strictly through email and by the time five o’clock rolled around, her mood had considerably lifted.

“My computer’s shut down, the phones are switched over, and if you don’t do the same, I’m going to be forced to carry you physically from the room,” Tom said as he walked into her office and sat on the desk.

“How do you ever get a job when you’re more interested in running out the door than doing actual work?” she teased him.

“Honey, I get the jobs because of my bubbly personality. Everyone wants me to answer their phones,” he replied with a suggestive wink.

“You’re just what the doctor ordered, Tom. I need loud music, deep fried food, and lots of soda,” Amy said as she turned off her computer.

Tom jumped off the desk and took her coat before she could. He held it out, and she smiled as she slipped her arms inside. He was such a great guy. It really was too bad he was gay. She’d love to have a man like him in her life.

Well, if she was dating, that is.

“Thank you, Tom. You’re a peach.”

“Tell that to my ex. He said I was flirting way too much. I told him there was a big difference between flirting and being friendly. Some people are just over-the-top jealous. Who has time for all that drama?”

“Amen. Now, let’s go before Mr. Anderson shows up with an all-night project,” she said with a laugh, but she wasn’t far from the truth. The man seemed like he could work day and night, not even stopping to eat or sleep.

“Honey, the only all-night project Lucas would have in mind wouldn’t involve me, unfortunately. You, on the other hand, could probably burn his midnight oil anytime,” Tom taunted.

Amy smacked his thick bicep before resting her arm in his and following him to the elevator. It opened quickly and they made their way from the building.

They arrived at their favorite place, early enough to still find a seat. After putting in an order, Tom stared at her expectantly.

“What?”

“Don’t play stupid with me. I’ve been waiting all weekend long. You conveniently had to eat lunch in the office today, so now I want all the gory details. Don’t you dare leave a single thing out,” Tom demanded.

Amy contemplated lying to him, but since she couldn’t lie worth beans, she knew she’d be wasting her breath. Besides, she really did need someone to talk to, and she knew her secrets would be safe with him.

“Okay, but be warned, it’s a long story …” she said. He just raised his brows expectantly and rested his chin on his folded hands, letting her know without words but nonetheless dramatically that he had all night.

Amy spilled it all — from the fireworks between them, starting the very first day, to the exceptional sex, and finally to the scene in her apartment. Tom stared at her in shocked, wide-eyed delight.

“Say something,” she demanded when he continued sitting there with his mouth hanging open.

“Oh, my, my, that was hot with a capital H. I’d have killed to have been a fly on the wall when all those sparks were going off. How in the world did you make it to the ripe old age of twenty-four without losing your innocence in the backseat of some teenager’s muscle car?”

“Out of everything I just told you, that’s the question you have for me?”

“Well, yeah. I can’t believe you were a virgin. Did it hurt?”

Amy might have found the conversation weird with any other person, but she was already used to Tom’s no-holds-barred attitude. He didn’t hold anything back, not ever.

“Yes, for about two seconds, then it was just … I don’t even … well, incredible,” she sighed.

“Oh, my,” Tom answered, picking up the drink menu to fan his face. She couldn’t help it; she laughed, really laughed, for the first time in weeks. She should’ve called Tom on Sunday and had him come over. She would’ve felt much better coming into work the next day.

“Thanks, Tom. I needed to get that off my chest, and I really needed to laugh,” she said as her eyes stung with emotion.

“I love you, Amy, and I’ll be there for you anytime, day or night. Now, you have to remember that for when I show up on your doorstep at three in the morning with my own broken heart.”

“My door will always be open,” she promised.

“Apparently, you slut,” he said with a laugh, taking any sting from his joke. “I’d give a million dollars if Lucas would press me against a wall.”

“You don’t even have a hundred dollars, so you’re out of luck.”

“You like to crush my dreams, don’t you?” he said as he flopped back in his seat.

Their food arrived and they continued to banter. By the time they left, it was getting late, and Amy arrived home in a much better mood than when she’d left that morning. She began feeling optimistic that her world would smooth out. She fell asleep with a smile still on her face.