It had been two weeks since I’d left Mia’s apartment. Two weeks and I’d managed not to send a text or leave a voicemail. However, my patience was wearing thin and it was only a matter of time before I did one or both.

When I’d left her apartment that day, my plan had been to give her time to think about us and how good we’d been together and how we’d only get better. Now, after two weeks? I was beginning to think I had vastly underestimated how much time she needed.

A horrible thought struck me. What if she’d moved and I didn’t know? With her mother gone and her business closed, she might have decided to leave Boston altogether.

Fuck. Why hadn’t I thought of that before today?

I looked at my watch and decided I’d leave the office as soon as possible and drive by her apartment to see if I spied her car in the parking lot. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to leave as early as I would have on any other day because I had a meeting starting soon.

As much as I wanted to drive by Mia’s apartment, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested in seeing how this meeting went. The email had arrived a few days ago, the sender indicating an interest to meet with me about a potential partnership and signing off as M. Opa. I’d never heard of this Opa or of their company, but, I was interested.

Sara buzzed my phone ten minutes before the meeting was to start. “Mr. Butler, your two o’clock meeting is here.”

Her voice sounded a bit off. I didn’t say anything, though, right before I opened my mouth, I remembered hearing about her boyfriend breaking up with her. So, wisely, I simply replied, “Thank you. Please send them back to my office.”

Within a few seconds, the sound of heels tapping down the hall could be heard. I felt like an ass, because I’d assumed I’d be meeting with a man. I listened as the steps grew closer and rose from my chair as they neared the door.

There was a quick knock and before I could answer, someone stepped inside.

It took me a few seconds to process that I knew who it was.

“Mia?” I asked, half in shock at seeing her in my office. Why was she here?

She smiled, but the left side of her mouth twitched a bit. It was the only noticeable indicator she felt even a tiny bit nervous. “I was afraid you’d turn down the meeting request if you knew it was me,” she said. “Or even if you didn’t, I was afraid you might not take me seriously. I thought it best this way.”

It clicked at that moment that she was my meeting and I was so glad I kept to myself the question about what she was doing in my office. “I’ll admit,” I said as we moved toward the table in my office. “I was not expecting you at all.”

Why had she requested a meeting to discuss being my partner? The last time I’d brought it up she’d shot me down almost before I had the words out of my mouth.

“Before we get down to business, I want to tell you something,” she said and I wasn’t sure if it was her tone of voice or the way she held herself, but there was something different about her. Something that made her look a lot more confident in herself. It was a very odd thought to have because, honestly, she’d never appeared to have lacked it before. But for some reason today, she could practically bottle it up and sell it.

Which is what she’s doing now, you moron.

“Of course,” I replied, while at the same time telling myself to pay attention to what she was saying and not to focus on how she looked, which was stunning in a smart looking light green suit, or to remember how she felt, or to try and guess if she was wearing garters. It took a lot of strength not to look under the table.

“I wanted to thank you for sending my contact information out to all those companies looking for consulting work.”

“All what companies?” I asked because I had no idea what she was talking about.

Her smile faltered. “The companies that called me and needed me to work for them. Almost all of them mentioned my glowing recommendation.”

I shook my head and her mouth formed an ‘o’ of surprise.

“But then how would they get a recommendation?” Her self-confidence slipped a notch and while I felt bad about that, I didn’t want to lie to her. I refused to lie, no matter how uncomfortable it was. It was better than the alternative.

“I’m not sure, Mia.” I sighed and decided it was time to confess. From this moment on, she would always get the entire story from me. “I’m glad to hear that you’ve had work the last few weeks, but I never would have called and recommended you to any of my competitors.”

“You wouldn’t?” she asked, sounding upset.

I hated the way she sounded and how quickly she changed away from the confident woman she’d been when she’d walked into my office.

“No.” I smiled, but she still looked confused. “How could I convince you that you’re miserable and unfulfilled unless you’re working for me if you’re perfectly content when you’re working for someone else?”

“But if it wasn’t you,” she said, and I could almost see brain working through the possibilities. “Then who was it? It had to be someone.”

I’d been considering who it could have been as soon as she mentioned someone had given recommendations from her job here. As difficult as it was to believe, there was only one possibility. “Piers,” I said.

“No possible way.” She shook her head. “He threatened me if I didn’t take the deal he offered. No way would he give me a glowing recommendation.”

“I can’t imagine who else it could be.” Truly, there was no one and I was shocked he’d done something nice for her.

“Let’s find out for sure,” she said. “Call him.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You want me to pick up the phone and call him?”

“That is typically how it’s done. I mean, feel free to use smoke signals, just know I’ll need an interrupter.” She spoke with a smile and the heaviness in my heart lifted.

“It’s not that,” I told her, knowing she probably wouldn’t know my current relationship with Piers. “He might not answer my call. I haven’t spoken to him since I fired him.”

No, she didn’t know. The look of surprise on her face told me that.

“You haven’t?” she asked.

“I made it perfectly clear how serious I was to him.” I shifted closer to her on the couch, just enough so I could feel her body heat. “Did you really think I was going to be able to overlook everything he did to you? Is that the type of man you think I am?”

She licked her lips and glanced down at her lap. “No.”

Fuck, the sight of her tongue on her lips. But I pushed those thoughts from my head. It was enough for now that she didn’t think badly of me. It didn’t make the past go away. It didn’t right our wrongs. But it was a start. I smiled. “Now let’s get on with the meeting. You want to be my partner?”

And just like that, the self-assured and confident woman who’d walked through my door earlier was back. I don’t even try to hide my joy.

I listened as she filled me on what had been going on and my excitement grew as she detailed her recent inheritance.

“That’s wonderful news, Mia. Not that she passed away, but that because of her generosity, you don’t have to worry about money like you were before.”

“True,” she admitted. “But it won’t last forever and even if it did, I’m not one to sit around and do nothing. What I’d really like to do is be your business partner. If you’re still thinking about having one,” she said and I sensed a hint of hesitation.

My heart began to beat faster, but I told myself to slow down because we were a long way from any sort of agreement. “As you’re aware, I was thinking about trying to find a partner. The business is getting to be too much to handle on my own. Especially with the Georgia expansion and definitely if I want to move forward with my plans for the international division. However, I was unable to find someone who met all my requirements. Until receiving your call, I had about given up on ever finding a partner.”

“And now that you have had my call?” she asked.

I couldn’t hope. I shouldn’t hope. That’s what I told myself anyway. Not that it did any good. Mia was in my office again. And she was talking about becoming my partner. How could I not hope? “I would very much like to become partners with you.” I hadn’t meant for it to come out in a whisper, but it did.

“What type of partner are you talking about exactly?” She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and her fingers trembled ever so slightly.

She wasn’t asking what I thought she was, was she?

There was no possible way. And yet, she had that look in her eye, the one that made anything seem possible. I started to hope again.

“What type of partner are you offering to be?” I asked, trying to match her nonchalant tone.

“You are such an ass,” she said, in mock outrage.

“Good to know some things never change, isn’t it?” When she didn’t reply, I added, “I would like a work partner to stand with me and help me make our company the one that everyone talks about because it’s so fucking good. Someone with experience, to challenge me and to motivate me and who I can do the same for.”

She smiled and nodded. Her response made me bold.

I moved closer to her and stroked her cheek, sighing as she leaned into my touch. “And I want a partner outside of this office, who will build a life with me. Who knows that I’m an ass sometimes, but who wants me regardless. Someone I can love gently all night or fuck good and hard as the mood strikes us.”

“Oh, yes,” she said softly.

Encouraged by her positive responses, I took her hand and entwined out fingers. “I once thought it impossible for one person to fulfill both roles, but when I look at you, I feel that it could happen.” I dropped my voice, “Is that what you were asking?” I somehow asked even with my heart in my throat.

“Yes,” she managed to get out before I pressed my lips against hers.

For the last few weeks, I felt as if I’d been floating, drifting aimlessly from one task to another. Existing, but not really living. Or perhaps it was better described as if I’d been living in black and white. Her kiss made everything vibrant with color. It sounded ridiculous, even thinking it in my head, but that’s what she did to me.

She made everything better. Simply by being her.