Page 37 of Executive Benefits

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“Hi...” I reached over, helping Julia out of her red coat as she walked through my office door.

The color reminded me of the last time we were together when she slipped out of my bed before I even woke up, with a friendly text thanking me for the wonderful night.

I cleared my throat and moved to hang her coat up as she said, “Thank you,” for helping her.

I sat down at my desk, and the image of fucking her on top of it popped into my mind. I smiled around the daydream and tried to act like a normal human being. “How’s it been?”

“It’s okay. I have a few new clients, so that’s keeping me busy. Along with the stuff for Gray’s, of course.” She wouldn't look me in the eye. Instead, she moved around and started fiddling with her briefcase. “The interior designer sent over these preliminary drawings for you to look at.”

She turned her gaze to me and brushed hair from her face. “I assumed you didn’t look at the emails, correct?” She pulled out her laptop and stood, bringing it with her.

“Is that a dig at my age?” I said, happy she was teasing me. Maybe I hadn't blown it.

“You’re the one who’s fixated on your age.” She walked around my desk and set her laptop down. She flipped it open, and the screen popped right to her email. I didn’t want to look while she was searching for the right file, but seeing the nameJaredbrought up a red flag. I thought that was the guy who’d trashed her name.

But the subject line “I’m sorry,” hit me deep in the gut. I looked down at Julia, wondering if she had forgiven him. As much as I’d hate to not be with her, I also didn’t want to have another guy involved, either. I wasn’t built for that kind of stress—it would turn into jealousy faster than I wanted it to. It had already sparked when she brought him up the first time, even though she wasn’t with him.

I’d never been a jealous person. I’d had enough confidence in myself where I knew I’d be okay, no matter what. But the stuff with Kendra was fresher than I wanted to admit.

I tried to shake off the fear that crept into my stomach, but I didn't get all of it loose. She clicked on an email and her phone vibrated. “I have to get that,” she said. I refrained from running my hand up her thigh because she was in a skirt again, and I wondered—hoped, maybe—that she was wearing it just for me.

Julia pointed to the screen. “The screen is touch sensitive. You can tap these arrows” —she pointed to either side— “and it will take you through the carousel of images the designer sent over.”

Her phone vibrated again, and her irritation spiked to a huff and a scowl. She snatched up her phone and looked at the screen.I did my best to concentrate on the pictures, but it didn’t work well.

“I’ll be right back,” she muttered, not waiting for me to respond, and she walked out of the office without another glance in my direction.

I sat back in the chair wondering what to do and succumbed to the idea that maybe she wasn’t as into me as I wanted her to be. Despite the fact that she said she was falling too hard, too fast, if she was going to run from it, should I try to chase her?

I rubbed my forehead and leaned forward, starting to look through the images the interior designer sent over. There were a lot, and it hit me that she did just say she was getting busier with clients.

Maybe I was reading too much into it. Maybe she was still interested, and maybe I wasn't too old for her.

I heard grumbling as she came back into my office. She had a scowl on her face and her posture was rigid now. It made me wish I would've run my hand up her thigh to pull a smile from her lips before she had to deal with whatever that was. It had upset her.

“Everything alright?”

“Oh, uh, yes.” She waved her hand through the air and placed her phone down. “Sorry about that. I had to take a call.”

I wanted to ask her about the call, but I bit the question back. She was obviously in a weird headspace and didn’t want to share it with me. Or maybe she needed me to ask anyway.

I scoffed. I was totally out of my depth. I had to focus on now and then wait until I had a better understanding of what to do.

“Did you find anything you liked?” Julia asked.

She brought a chair next to me and sat down. Her thigh brushed against mine and I was instantly hard. “I’m having a little trouble focusing here,” I said.

Julia turned her gaze to mine, and a question rode over her face. She cocked her head, waiting for me to continue. I didn’t like the clueless look she had, because I knew she wasn’t clueless. My eyes flicked to the laptop screen, then back to her.

Dammit, I was out of my depth with this. I closed my eyes and shook my head, trying to clear out the lusty fog. “Ah, these are just examples, right?”

“Yes.” She scooted her chair closer and leaned over. I got a whiff of her strawberry scent and practically lost it. “These are samples the designer has done, and they are examples of what the interior designer would want to do.”

“I’m sorry, I can’t concentrate with you so close.”

I pushed my chair back and stood, walking around to the other side of the desk. She looked at me with confusion. “You’re not returning my texts. You’re obviously perturbed about something, but you’re not telling me, so I’m assuming it’s me. I want to bend you over my desk again, but I also need to get the interior design shit situated. Honestly, this is driving me crazy.”

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