Page 45 of Fallen Angel

“Of course! I feel terrible you were looking for it and it wasn’t here.”

She reaches into her bag and retrieves the file, passing it to him. When he takes it from her hand, his fingers accidentally graze hers.

“Also, I want to apologize for this afternoon,” he says. “I realize that I maybe overstepped. It’s not my place to tell you what to do with your life. I did have to say what will or won’t work for me as your employer, but I should have left it at that.”

“Oh,” she says. “That’s okay. It was helpful, actually.”

“Really? I’m glad. Because I do feel strongly about your potential, and if I hadn’t spoken up today at lunch I know I would have regretted it.”

They lock eyes, and Mallory feels an undeniable little jolt.

“I’m glad you did,” she says. “It’s a confusing time for me.”

As soon as she hears herself say it she wants to take it back—it’s too personal. But then, Gavin admits, “It’s a confusing time for me, too.”

This is news to her. “You never seem confused. Your life seems extremely together and well-managed. So much so that being around you is making it impossible for me to accept the volatility in my own.”

He smiles. “That’s ironic. Because being around you makes it difficult for me to live with the predictability in mine.”

It’s hard to believe what she’s hearing. She never imagined he gave her a second thought outside of the office.

“What do you mean?”

He pauses a moment.

“I didn’t know you were a burlesque dancer. But I had an idea you have some sort of other life—one that you’re keeping secret. Sometimes you show up for work and there’s shiny stuff on your face—like glitter or something. And I noticed you change into other clothes sometimes before leaving here. I thought maybe you’re just a major clubber or something. I didn’t know. And I wanted to ask you but knew it wasn’t appropriate. But when I wondered where you were going, I found myself wishing I were going with you. Not for the nightlife—just to spend time with you.”

She looks at him, stunned. “I don’t know what to say.”

He shakes his head, eyes averted. “You don’t have to say anything. It’s completely inappropriate for me to be telling you this. And that’s why, regardless of what you decide to do with your legal career, it’s probably best if we don’t work together anymore.”

“You’re firing me?” she says incredulously.

She takes a step back and sits in one of the chairs facing his desk. Gavin looks as pained as she feels.

“No,” he says. “I’m suggesting you transition to another place of employment. I’ll do everything I can to help you find an even better position than you have here. I think opposing counsel in Klein v. Klein is looking for a paralegal.”

“I can’t believe this,” she says. “I quit the burlesque club tonight for this job.”

He closes his eyes for a second, frowning deeply. “I’m really sorry. This is my fault.”

He stands and starts pacing in front of the shelves stuffed with legal books. “I realize that even just having this conversation is inappropriate, but it’s a lose-lose situation for me, so I’d rather just be honest and deal with this as adults.”

“Deal with what?” she says.

He looks at her with dazzling blue eyes. “My attraction to you.”

She’s suddenly wide awake. Adrenaline races through her.

“Okay, well … I’m not going to quit.”

Gavin is surprised. He walks around to the front of his desk, facing her directly, and folds his arms over his chest.

“Mallory, please don’t make this more difficult for me than it is already.”

She stands up and moves close to him, so close she’s able to reach up and put her arms around him. She’s not sure what’s behind the impulse, except it’s for her more than it’s for him. After a long day of trying to think clearly and make difficult decisions, she’s finally exhausted her capacity for logic and is acting on pure impulse.

He makes no move to embrace her back, standing completely still.