Page 29 of What I'm Looking For

This stops me mid-step. “Excuse me?”

He leans in close. “Don’t make fun or I won’t tell you the story.” The low vibrations of his voice zip around inside me, waking up every single one of my erogenous zones.

Facing forward again so he can’t see my face, which is surely bright red, I continue down the stairs. “I’m not sure I want to hear this story.”

His laugh echoes in the stairwell. “Yeah, I’m not sure you should.”

WILL

It’s a short walk from Kate’s office to the Commons. After we pass through the wrought-iron gate, leaving the noisy traffic of Tremont Street behind, I glance over at her. “So, I’m sorry if I kind of left in a snit the last time I saw you. That was bunk.”

Her face catches the light as we step out of the shade, making me want to trace its shadows and curves. Especially her temptingly kissable lips. She takes off her severe suit jacket revealing slim, toned arms.

“Will?”

“Yeah?”

“I said, I did wonder if I said something wrong that made you angry.”

“Sorry. I was, uh?…”Back to earth, Will.“Well, yeah you did. But it’s not you, it’s me.”

She stops in the path and faces me. “Did you come to my office to break up with me? I mean, we only had one—I don’t even know if it was a date!”

I run a hand through my hair. “No, no. I’m just—there’s a reason why I’m an actor and not a writer.” I laugh, but she obviously isn’t seeing the humor. “Words often fail me, especially when it’s important.”

She crosses her arms. We’re in the middle of a path and lots of other people are out enjoying the late afternoon sun, so I take her elbow and steer her over to a shaded bench. Truthfully? I’m not really sure why I’m here. I don’t think dating is smart when I have so much on my plate, and I’m still not sure I can deal with her working in finance, but I haven’t been able to get her out of my mind. So when Jay mentioned that Steve and Kate’s office was so close to his, I somehow ended up here. It didn’t hurt that Jay also said that Kate had been looking for my phone number.

She clears her throat. “So, what’s important?”

Brevity is the soul of wit, Hamlet says. “Okay, so I like you. I mean, we seem to have opposing views about a lot of things but—I like you. And I’d like to see you more. I do have a busy schedule and I don’t know how?—”

She holds up a hand. “I get it. I work twelve-hour days, at a minimum. And I’m starting to travel more for work.” She takes a deep breath, which makes me smile. “But I like you, too. And I would like to see more of you. So there.”

“So there.”

I nod, and just enjoy the view. Deep-set brown eyes streaked with gold dominate her heart-shaped face.

“And our values may not be as far apart as you think.”

I’m doing my best to listen, but her pouty lower lip makes it hard to concentrate on the actual words.

“On a work trip recently, I saw for the first time that there are real costs to the work I do. That was disturbing.”

When Kate gets going, it’s like someone’s lit a fire behind those eyes. Her pale cheeks pink up, and her voice gets more expressive.

“I still believe that our economy does a good job of fostering innovation through competitive capital investment. Sometimes that creates problems, like people losing jobs or pollution. But sometimes it solves problems, like with drugs that save lives and more efficient ways to grow food and… and fabric that you can run in when it’s cold that wicks the sweat away from your skin so you don’t get overheated or chilled. Oh, and—well?…”

Something has tripped her up and made her cheeks flame red. “What?”

“I don’t think I can talk to you about this.”

“Why not?”

“It’s… female… organs… related.”

I laugh. “Listen, I may have grown up with brothers, but I live with two women right now.”

“You do?”

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