Page 97 of Last Night Was Fun

“Why? So you can do a victory dance about proving me wrong?” she said flatly.

“The opposite actually. I wrote it for you to level the playing field, so to speak. Since you can’t beonthe field, I figured out how to approximately quantify what I learned from that experience. Now you can have the same advantage.”

Emmy stared at him, astounded. When she’d told him to write her an equation, it had mostly been a taunt because she didn’t think it was possible. But he took the challenge in a direction that had her heart primed to explode. And her blood on fire.

“That might be the sexiest thing anyone has ever done for me,” she said, and grabbed a fistful of his shirt to pull him toward her.

His smile grew. “So, is math your kink, then?”

“When you do it, yeah.”

His mouth landed on hers when she yanked him close. She wrapped her arms around his neck and indulged in the feel of his lips moving from her mouth to her jaw and down her throat. It was far more potent than the wine. They went at it for long enough that she nearly forgot what they had been talking about.

“But really though, how’s this going to work?” she asked.

“Seems to be working pretty fine right now,” he mumbled to her flushed skin.

She softly moaned when he traced his tongue across her collarbone. “I mean at work. I don’t want to go from being the only girl to the only girl who’s also sleeping with her co-worker.”

At this, Gabe unsuctioned his face from Emmy’s neck. He pulled back and gave her a hard look, knowing what she meant. One that said he’d had the same thought and was frustrated on her behalf all the same. “Of course not. I don’t want that either.”

She could already see it, the perceptions people would have of her. Even if it wasn’t true, she’d never shake the suspicion of having slept her way to advancement. All it would take was a whisper and she’d have a permanent reputation. He, on the other hand, would probably get a congratulatory slap on the back. It was wildly and infuriatingly unfair.

They held each other for a quiet moment, their breath mingling and hearts beating with the obstacle between them finally acknowledged.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” Emmy said.

His lips spread into a little grin. “I am thinking many, many things, Emmy Jameson.”

She grinned back. “Tell me the important ones.”

“Okay. I think you look great in that shirt. I think I want you to spend the night. And I think we were idiots for ever thinking we could leave this in Mexico. What are you thinking?”

She smiled again as a flush warmed her cheeks. “I think I’m going to steal this shirt. I think I do want to spend the night, and I think I agree. Complete idiots.” She looped her arms around his neck again and pulled him into another kiss. It fizzled all the way down to her toes as he held her close.

“So, what are we going to do?” Gabe asked when they stopped.

“Flee to Mexico and never come back.”

He softly laughed. “I’m serious.”

He was too close and too cuddly for her to answer seriously yet. “Well, judging by your inability tokeep your hands to yourselfat work.” She jabbed him in the ribs with each word. “And seeing that you’re a constant distraction—!”

He flinched and laughed like it tickled. “Hey, I wasn’t even doinganything in that meeting today. I was just sitting there paying attention, which couldn’t be said for you.”

“Do not underestimate your appeal while being studious, Olson.” She jabbed him in the ribs again, and he stumbled back a step.

“So, all I’ve got to do is talk about math and look smart, and you’re a sure thing.”

“I’m a simple creature.”

“You—” Gabe said, and grabbed Emmy’s dangling foot. He pulled her leg out straight and then used it to reel himself back in by gripping higher and higher until he got to her thigh. He hitched her knee around his hip and pulled her against him once more. “—are anything but simple, Emmy Jameson.” He finished his sentence and brushed her mussed hair out of her face. He looked right in her eyes. “You’re the boss. Whatever you want to do, I will follow your lead on this one.”

Emmy gazed back at the open vulnerability on Gabe’s face and felt her chest lift. Something her sister had said weeks ago about them jumping together flitted through her mind. Despite the challenges that might lie ahead, shedidwant to make it work. And she could see on his face he did too.

“I think we have to go to HR,” she said. “Come clean. If we’re going to do this, it has to be on the record. I’m already in an uphill battle as one of the only women in the department, and I don’t want any rumors or assumptions.”

He nodded. “Okay.”