Page 84 of Here & There

“You dressed up!”

“It’s ridiculous.”

“Then I look ridiculous too.”

It’s only when I turn around, damp tie already soaking through to my chest, that I take in what she’s wearing.

The high, sleek ponytail would do me in on its own. But her clothes…Jesus fuck. She’s wearing a skirt suit. The material hugs her curves in a way that hurts to look at. The blazer’s unbuttoned to reveal a silky blouse with the kind of buttons that look like they just need the slightest twist of a man’s fingers to open. And the way it’s tucked into the skirt just right, revealing the soft roundness of her lower stomach?

“Yeah,” I say.Is it hot in here? I’m fucking sweating.“You look completely ridiculous.”

She laughs, then comes over to fix my tie.

With her this close, I really start to sweat. I look down so I’m not staring at her face, but, of course, that only gives me a perfect view of her body.

And the suit.

I’ve loved seeing her at home, in sweaters and jeans, tank tops and those stretchy leggings. But seeing her like this? I was serious about the Sears catalogs. Sure, I looked at the underwear pages. But it was the skirt suits that really did it for me. Still do. Blame all the high-powered women Dad worked with in my teens, I guess.

When I look back to her face, Shelby’s concentrating on my tie, her tongue sticking just slightly out between her teeth.

Her face is only inches from mine. I could lean forward and kiss those plush lips. I could take my thumb and forefinger and grasp that tiny little shiny teardrop zipper pull I know rests at her hip.

I could watch the skirt fall to the ground, then lift her up onto my desk and?—

Shelby clears her throat. Her eyes are big on mine, her cheeks rosy as if I spoke those words out loud.

“All done,” Shelby says. Only it comes out more like a croak.

Wait, issheflustered?

She takes a step back. “I, uh, absolutely judge my clients on what they wear the first day we meet,” she says. She raises a hand to her collarbone, then seems to think better of it. “It says a lot about how attached they are to their business, and the number one thing that indicates our partnership will be a success is passion for their business. It’s clear you care about your business, Mac. Though, of course, I already know that.”

All the words come fast enough that, for the first time this morning, I relax. Just a little.

“Hey, Shelby?” I ask.

“Yeah?”

I run my hand over the back of my neck. “I’m nervous as fuck.”

Shelby doesn’t say anything for a moment. Then she grins, letting out a nervous, beautiful laugh. “Really? I thought it was just me. Then I thought that was ridiculous because we’re kind of like…friends now, right?”

Friends?

Her smile falters. “Aren’t we?”

“Yes,” I manage. “Friends.”

Cal is my friend. Chris and Lana are my friends. Hell, even Fred is my friend. I’ve got friends coming out of my ears. Shelby being my friend is not nearly enough.

Her smile comes back. “Do you want to try something weird?”

Like closing that door and fucking you on my desk?Making a meal out of your pussy? Would that be weird?

I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me right now. I didn’t come in here this morning anticipating having these thoughts. It’s the suit. It has to be.

“Like what?” I say, hanging on by a thread.

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