6

My heart was still flying by the time I sat down at my desk. I pulled off my blazer and fanned myself with my leather-bound notebook.

What was I thinking racing down those roads? It was reckless of me but calling me childish went too far. My body reacted to the insult far more deeply than I would have imagined. My mother's face had replaced his, and for a second, I wanted to cry. Fortunately, I retreated quickly enough to recover before any further emotion leaked from me.

My office was the second door off the main floor foyer. It was convenient, if a little loud, and often disruptive since the lunch room was directly across from my office.

Our building was mainly constructed of glass with domed windows comprising the majority of the roof, and glass walls were the most common barrier between rooms. It felt a bit like a fishbowl, but most people minded their own business. And all the offices had a large window to the courtyard out back, which was nice.

While the firm, Simon and Feldstein, was one of the largest and most prestigious law firms in the country, this office was one of their smallest ones, handling only their New York clients.

"Knock, knock."

Calvin stood at my door, wearing a navy blue suit and tie. "You were a little late this morning. Everything all right?"

While Calvin's words would seem kind, I knew the question was his way of warning me that tardiness would be noted.

Even though Calvin held the same position as I did, he had been with the company for two years, which, in his eyes, made him my senior.

I simply smiled in recognition of his remark, "Everything is fine, thank you."

He sucked on his teeth and looked around. "I see you haven't put up any pictures yet. No fiancé or family? You're not living some secret life, are you?"

I forced my cheeks to widen but wondered if the smile had now turned into somewhat of a grimace. "Nope," was all I said and kept my eyes down, staring at my to-do list.

He tapped on the door twice and left.

I looked up and narrowed my eyes as he slithered down the hall. Christina, in the office next to me, caught my stare. She nodded at me. I didn't think she liked Calvin either, but she hadn't said as much. She also didn't hang out with him in the lunchroom. She lunched with three other associates, at the same level as her. The hierarchy in this office was something I felt immediately when I started a few weeks ago. It reminded me of my high school; it mattered where you sat and with whom. And just like in high school, I preferred to sit alone.

A little while later, a figure in the reflection of my screen caught my attention, and I swiveled in my chair to face it. I immediately recognized his 6'2" frame and brawny silhouette. He crossed the courtyard behind the office building where many people sat in the summer for lunch. It was too cold now, and only smokers braved the weather at this time of year.

Jake ran his fingers underneath the tables, seemingly satisfied. He walked closer to the building and stared up at the cameras. While placing his hands on his hips, he ran his tongue along the top of his lip as he assessed the security system.

He had full red lips. The kind that would make a woman jealous.

His eyes moved across the building to the window in my office, and then they were on me. I could make out their color even from several feet away. A gray-blue, like the ocean in winter. His nose was straight and long, and his jaw wide.

I blinked as a Roman statue came to mind and then realized that I was still staring at him and him at me. Neither of us had looked away for several seconds.

"Nikole," Christina called, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"I'm so sorry. I thought you heard me come in when I knocked."

Had she knocked? My brain was someplace else. Rome, perhaps.

"It's all right. How can I help you?"

"Do you have the Black & McQuaid file?" she asked.

Black & McQuaid. The name sounded familiar.

"Yes. I do," quickly remembering the notes I'd transcribed last week. "I can email it to you."

"Thanks," she said, and her gaze drifted to my right. "Who is that?" she asked, a smile growing on her lips.

I looked over my shoulder, in case someone else was in the courtyard, but it was still just Jake with his biceps threatening to bust the seams of his shirt when he stood with his arms crossed like that. It took an enormous amount of effort not to roll my eyes.

"That? Um… that is…"

She stood patiently as I fluttered around, looking for the right title for Jake.

"He's… um…"

No one in this office knew who I was. If they recognized the last name, they hadn't linked it to the governor. Besides, Adams was a popular last name, and I looked nothing like my mother. I hoped for at least six months before people figured it out or some photographer posted a picture. I wanted my work to prove itself before anyone questioned whether I got the job because of my connection, and not my merits.

"I…um…he…"

She tilted her head, waiting for my response, but my pulse raced as my thoughts emptied.

"Never mind, he's leaving. He's probably some new client's security detail. Do you think it's a celebrity?"

I shook my head and was just about to explain that he was with me, but only for a couple of days, when I spotted Jake walking through the front doors.

He strode past Mary, the front desk receptionist, and headed upstairs. I blinked. Where was he going?

I shrugged. Probably to check on the cameras upstairs.

Christina folded her arms across her blouse and watched his retreat.

"He's got a nice ass," she said, as though we were discussing the weather.

I raised an eyebrow at her and she simply shrugged and walked out, shouting, "Don't forget to send me that file."

I pursed my lips as I watched her go. That was unprofessional. I wouldn't appreciate someone mentioning my body parts. It was one thing to hate on the guy, but to lust after him? That was rude.

I sat at my desk and located the file. It took a few minutes to download and send it. While I waited, my knee bounced and my thoughts kept straying back to Christina.

Was she interested in Jake? Mmm.

I didn't like the idea of him showing up for her, parking his truck, and bringing her flowers. Was he even a bring-her-flowers-on-a-date sort of guy?

I snorted.

Of course, he wasn't that guy on a date. He couldn't even show up for one.

Speaking of the devil, I spotted a pair of black dress pants and black shoes and immediately recognized them. Besides, no one else around here jogged down the steps.

He wasn't even out of breath when he reached my office. He simply motioned to the exit with his head. "C'mon, let's go."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, shaking my head.

"You're moving offices. I spoke to your boss, he wasn't too happy about it at first, but I gave him no choice."

I watched his lips move, but my brain couldn't quite process what he was saying. He had spoken to my boss and convinced him to move me. "Why?"

He sighed and his gaze flickered above my head to the window for a second. "Because this spot isn't safe."

Looking around the room at the glass wall around me, the electronic doors at the front entrance, and the cameras at nearly every corner of this building, I clutched my forehead. "Are you out of your mind? This place is well-secured."

He folded his arms and stared at me. "No, it's not. Now, let's go."

"I'm not going anywhere." I pulled my chair closer to my desk and started reading an email.

He sighed. "I won't tell you how to do your job if you don't tell me how to do mine."

I ignored him. He was punishing me for this morning's chase. "This has nothing to do with safety. You're just angry with me."

I didn't look up to see his reaction, but tension grew in the room. My back stiffened, but I glued my eyes to the words in that email. "If you think some spoiled woman with a huge ego would incite me to make petty decisions, you're even more arrogant than I thought."

"Spoiled!... Arrogant!" I sputtered, reciting his words back at him. They sounded even worse coming from my mouth. "How dare you?"

"Oh, I dare to say a lot more. You think you know more than I do about security. You think you can drive like a maniac and risk people's lives for some stupid show of resistance and not be called spoiled and arrogant for it. That only confirms my assessment of you."

Heat crept up my face, and my cheeks burned. My chest tightened and every rotten emotion I could feel erupted in me. I was humiliated, angry, insulted, and most of all, contrite. Despite his harsh criticism, I couldn't help but see some truth behind it. Would he understand if I told him that I hated it when people controlled me? Would he even care? Judging by the tightness of his mouth, I'd say no.

I inhaled slowly and steadied my knee so I could speak rationally to him and not punch him in the stomach, which I wanted to do very badly at that moment. "I can't go upstairs."

He crossed his arms."Why not?"

My knee trembled, and I steadied it with a hand. "Because the second floor is for management and partners."

Shrugging his shoulders, he simply said, "So?"

I felt childish saying it, but here it was. "There is a hierarchy in the office. I've been here less than a month and if I move to the second floor, people will start to ask questions."

"And?"

Was he really this obtuse?

"And I don't want them to find out about my mother, or worse, think that I'm sleeping with one of the partners."

His jaw twitched at the last part. "No one would think that."

I pulled back. "Well, that was frank." I had suspected he didn't find me attractive, but saying it strongly like that hurt.

He pursed his lips and tilted his head. "A bunch of lawyers wouldn't make accusations like that. Isn't that called defamation or something?"

"I didn't say they'd say it, only that they'd think it."

"And you care what people think?"

"Yes, I do. Especially when it comes to my career."

I placed my forearms on the desk and leaned forward. "I'm not questioning your line of work. I'm simply telling you that I won't be moving offices. Find another way."

We held each other's gaze while the seconds ticked by. His jaw flexed, and I was starting to think he did that when he was angry or frustrated. Glimpsing the candy jar at my desk, I pushed it closer to him. "A peace offering?" I suggested.

He looked at the sugared sweet and after a moment stepped forward to open the glass lid and take two. He popped them both in his mouth and replaced the lid.

It remained askew, so I fixed it before fixing a smile on my face. "Thank you."

He nodded once and walked away.

Smiling at my accomplishment, I resumed reading my neglected email. I'd only been working for five minutes when my phone rang. It was my boss, Marty Williams.

"Hello, Mr. Williams. What can I do for you?"

"Ms. Adams. I expect you to be upstairs in your new office in fifteen minutes." Then he hung up the phone.

I held the receiver to my ear until the dial tone became deafening.

Sucking in a defeated breath, I looked around my office. Correction, it was no longer my office.

Calvin was right, I hadn't personalized it and I had nothing really to pack up except for my laptop and a few pens. I stacked everything together and carried it out.

I felt everyone's eyes on me from their fish bowls, but I wouldn't hang my head. I'd done nothing wrong. The less of a scene I made, the better. I plastered on a smile and walked briskly to the stairs. I wished I could jog them as Jake had done, so I could appear nonchalant about the move, but that was impossible in these shoes. Who was I kidding? It would be impossible in any shoes unless I held onto the railing for dear life.

At the top of the stairs, Jake stood with his arms by his side, staring straight ahead. He just needed a pair of sunglasses and he would look the part of the Secret Service.

Regrettably, I hadn't asked Mr. Williams which one was my new office, so I reluctantly approached Jake. "Which one is mine, asshole?" I ground out.

His lips twitched, and his eyes danced. "First one to the left."

I walked past him and set my laptop on the desk. I hadn't been upstairs since my first day when Mr. Williams called me into his office to introduce himself. I'd noted how the walls upstairs weren't made of glass but dark wood panels instead. I had hoped to make it to this floor one day, just not like this.

It will all be over soon. It had to be.

"Jacob," I called.

He appeared at my door in seconds. "Yes, Ms. Adams." He stood rock still.

"This isn't over."

He directed his gaze at me. "Respectfully, ma'am, yes it is. You agreed to follow my rules. When you broke them, I had no choice but to go above you."

"You can't fuck with my career. Or with me. I won't let that happen."

He stretched his fingers and wet his lips. Then, he stepped closer until only the desk separated us and he whispered, "I don't plan to…" he began, but paused and scanned my face, his eyes roaming to my neck and back. "At least—I don't plan to fuck with your career, Ms. Adams."