I slip on the black silk dress Ryan selected for me and apply some black eyeliner and mascara, along with some nude pink lipgloss. Happy that I borrowed shoes from Jess, I slip my feet into the black patent-leather high pumps and check myself in the mirror one last time before meeting Ryan in the hall.

He’s already waiting for me in the hallway, the dim lights from the ceiling casting a soft glow and a short shadow against the floor where he’s standing. He’s facing away from me, and as he turns toward me, my stomach erupts with butterflies. He’s wearing a fresh new jet-black suit, and his tousled hair looks perfectly and adorably out of place. My boss adjusts the links on one of his cuffs casually and then smooths out the lapels on his suit jacket.

The door to my room clicks softly behind me and we walk toward each other, his arm linking into mine.

“You look absolutely stunning, Sara.” His eyes sparkle with his honesty and innocence. I squeeze his arm against me as he puts his other hand over mine.

“I have you to thank for this amazing dress,” I say, smiling up at him.

“That has nothing to do with why you look stunning, sweetheart.”

We make our way down to the lobby of the hotel, and it actually feels like I’ve done the right thing. My feelings for him are overwhelming and blotting out the doubts I had. The desire to make myself be seen seriously, my need to parlay this internship into a good line on my resume - all of that is seeming to fall away, being replaced with my feelings for Ryan. And even though I have that nagging feeling in the back of my mind telling me that this is a temporary internship, I know that what I have with Ryan is something special, something more. And I can’t keep saying no to that.

We walk across the lobby, and I feel all of the eyes in the room on us. It throws my first days with Ryan into a sharp, new light. The first time he took me out, to the restaurant on my first day of work, I felt all of the eyes in the room on him. Now, I feel them on us, as though I’m with him rather than just beside him.

“I have to warn you about Lexi,” he says in a low voice, ignoring the people staring at us, “she tends to be a little bit high strung. She’s a little bit demanding. I know you can handle her, but I just wanted to make you aware.”

“I’m sure I can handle her,” I say. “I’ve worked for difficult people before.”

“Present company excluded, I hope?” he says, smiling down at me.

“Ryan, you’re one of the easiest people I’ve ever worked for.”

“And how about in other ways?” As we make our way through the lobby, weaving around groups of people chatting and a line of folks waiting to check in, Ryan brings me to the steps at the bottom of the small staircase leading to the bar.

I swallow hard, and I don’t know how to answer. He’s an easy boss, but he vexes me. He’s gorgeous, but I had to say no at first. I didn’t want to jeopardize my opportunity to be taken seriously. He’s easy to work for, but he continues to vex me even now.

Unprepared and unsure of what to say, I search his eyes for my answer. I want to tell him how I feel - that I’m falling for him.

My admission to myself surprises me. I’m falling for my boss.

And as I’m about to give my answer, an unfamiliar voice calls out to Ryan from atop the stairs.

“Mr. Hart,” she says in a saccharine-sweet voice, “I need some sex advice from the expert.”

Ryan loosens his touch on my arm and closes his eyes, exhaling steadily and shaking his head.

Lexi, he mouths to me as he turns to see her coming down the stairs.

Lexi is the woman I imagined Ryan with when I first met him. With a short black leather skirt, black booties and a low-cut black shirt, she is the epitome of sexed-up socialite party girl that I know would go with Ryan like leather and lace go together - perfectly, even if it looks a little forbidden and dangerous.

“Oh, and you must be the intern,” she says, rushing over to me and putting out her hand. Without thinking, I push my hand out to shake hers, and she looks me up down, sizing me up dismissively. “You’re so pretty! And I hope you’re keeping the boss happy. Would you mind going to order us a couple of drinks?” She smirks and looks away from me, flashing Ryan a sexy smile. Her teeth are perfectly straight and white, and her lips are painted perfectly in matte red lipstick. “I’ll have a whiskey sour, and Ryan, what do you want? Are you still a big drinker of Blue Label?”

He clears his throat and laughs, with a slight edge of annoyance. “She doesn’t work for you, Lexi. She works for the show. And we’re all adults here, perfectly capable of getting our own drinks.”

We walk up the stairs to the bar area, lit dimly and decked out with plush red velvet couches tucked into corners, finished with big, low, dark mahogany tables. Ryan brings us over to one in the far left corner and a bartender rushes over to take our drink orders.

“Two mojitos,” he says, ordering for both of us, and Lexi orders herself a whiskey sour.

“So, Ryan, let’s talk about sex,” Lexi says, crossing her legs toward him in the circular booth. He’s seated between us, and his arm hasn’t left my shoulder since we’ve sat down. Her words cut me, even though I know she’s talking about business. It almost feels as though she’s trying to make me feel uncomfortable, like I don’t belong here.

“Lexi, to my knowledge we have all of the details of the appearance hammered out. You said you needed to talk about a couple of things, so why don’t you talk and Sara and I will listen.”

“Well,” she responds as our drinks arrive, “I don’t know what exactly you’re planning to do for your five minutes of material tomorrow. Let me guess. Q & A?”

“No,” Ryan says, taking both of our drinks from the bartender’s tray and putting them down in front of us. “Two more guesses.”

“Ohh,” she says, winking at me. “I like games. Okay. Live sex demonstration?”

Ryan laughs sarcastically. “Pretty sure that one’s illegal.”

“Strip tease?” Lexi says, cocking her head to the side and putting the end of her straw between her lips.

“Actually,” I interject, “it’s a little presentation about safe sex.” I take a sip of my drink as Ryan smiles at me. I’ve surprised even myself that I was able to speak up.

“Ryan,” Lexi whines, “I thought this was supposed to be a fun event. Why are bringing the whole vibe down with...safety?”

“Lexi, safe sex is...well, it’s sexy. Think about it. If you feel secure and safe with your partner, think about how much more fun you can have.”

“Right,” I say. “Exactly.”

“Plus,” Ryan says, “this whole event is in collaboration with your sex education non-profit. Why do I have to remind you of that?”

Lexi rolls her eyes and takes a sip of her drink.

“I guess you’re right. Ryan, you’re so smart. That’s why you’re the expert.” She reaches out and brushes him on the arm. I try to look away, but again it’s as though she’s doing it to make me feel bad.

But I brush it off, because she does not matter. I’m here with Ryan, and I’m here as his date, not just as his intern. I lean into him and look at Lexi, but she doesn’t seem to notice me at all.