Snuggled back under the blanket, Delaney thought about Ivan, about what he’d said to her. She knew what loneliness was like but had never for a second imagined he understood that feeling. He wouldn’t let her go with him to check the weather. She couldn’t believe that she was stuck in her office building with Ivan.

Of all the lame-ass things to end up doing.

She pushed some hair out of her eyes and saw the light coming from the hallway.

“It’s just me, Delaney. Fuck it is cold.”

“How is it looking?” she asked, sitting up.

He put the light down. She couldn’t believe they even had a flash light but it was there as proof.

Their only source of light until the power came back on.

“It’s not looking good. The snow is coming down thick and fast. I think we’re going to need to go to a couple of different levels, see if we can find some more blankets,” he said.

The blankets they had found so far weren’t enough. They were going to get ill if they didn’t go hunting.

“The elevators are still out. We’re going to have to take the stairs,” she said, climbing out from the blanket. The moment she did, the cold hit her hard.

Whatever warmth the building had, it was gone.

“We’re not going alone.” He took her hand. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

She smiled and was charmed that he didn’t want her to get hurt.

His hand was so much larger then hers. She tried not to think of his hands running up and down her body, but she had loved the way he touched her.

It was a big mistake, huge.

One she wanted to repeat again, even though they’d promised each other just this once.

Would it be so wrong to do it again?

Ivan took the lead and she had no problem following him as they walked to the stairwell. There was no heating in the stairwell at any time so it was like walking through ice.

They got to one of the upper floors to start searching.

Releasing his hand, she started looking in drawers and cupboards for anything that could help keep them warm.

“Oh, wow,” she said.

“What is it?”

“Not much. Only, I don’t want to have a clue who this desk belongs to because it contains lube and a dildo.”

Ivan laughed. “Want me to tell you?”

“Hell, no. I don’t want to know. After all this I’ve still got to work here and there’s not going to be any real chance of that if I’m seeing a guy or a girl with a cock up their ass.”

“Good point. You think it’d make them squirm so they’d have to wriggle it around.”

“I don’t even want to think about it,” she said, closing the drawer. “Do you think we’ll even find anything?”

“We found blankets and a flashlight. You never know what people are hiding. Besides, I’m totally bringing this up at the next business meeting,” he said.

“What?”

“We’re the only two people in the building but this could have easily happened with everyone here. Now, with more than two people, they would have helped with the heat, but provisions? There is nothing here. I want to work for a company that is prepared for just about anything.”

“You know, that makes so much sense.”

“Don’t go stealing my ideas, honey,” he said.

She burst out laughing. “Please, I’m not going to be stealing your ideas. Even if they’re good ones. I’ll shock everyone at the meeting anyway.”

“How will you do that?” he asked.

“Completely agreeing with you. To be honest, the fact we’re going through this right now, I don’t imagine anyone going up against your ideas. They’re solid.”

“Yep, of course they are. That’s because they’re mine. Bingo.”

“You found something?” she asked, walking over to him.

“Yep, look at this.”

She walked over and he’d found a supply closest. It had things for decorating, painting and blankets used for spillages.

“We can’t be picky at a time like this.”

So with their bounty, they made their way back down to their part of the office.

They pulled the blankets over them and with each one, Delaney hoped it would keep them warm. The weather didn’t look any better, in fact it looked worse, and without any heating, they needed all the warmth they could get.

“It must have been left over when they painted the stairwell,” she said.

“Yeah.”

Once they were done, they both climbed beneath them.

Ivan wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. He kissed the top of her head and she closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of his hold on her.

“I can’t wait to see the look in their eyes when you tell the board you agree with me.”

She laughed. “You know they’re going to be shocked.”

“Yes.” He held her a little tighter and she felt safe, warm, comforted. “I was thinking about something.”

“What?”

“The promotion.”

She groaned. “Let’s not talk about that. I don’t want to even think about work right now.”

“How do you feel about working together?”

“Together?”

“There’s nothing in the rule books that states they can’t promote two people. We’re both damn good at what we do, and they would be fools not to keep us around.”

She tilted her head back to look at him. “You’d be willing to share a promotion with me?”

“I’m sharing my warmth. I don’t hate you, Delaney.”

“I don’t hate you either.”

“See, we’re making really good progress tonight. What do you think?”

She licked her dry lips.

“How about we discuss this in the morning?”

“The morning?”

“When we’re not so cold and can think.”

“You’re expecting me to change my mind?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know what to think.”

“I’m not going to change my mind but I’ll do what you want.” He kissed the top of her head and she felt an answering stir of heat within her body. She didn’t want him to stop kissing her, not ever.

Don’t want things you can’t have, Delaney.