11. Cora

The elevator music has never been more annoying than it is the following Friday morning. I've lived with Griffin for the last few days, but I may as well be living with a ghost.

I don't know what I expected when I agreed to stay with him, but I certainly didn't anticipate feeling so… lonely.

The elevator dings, and the doors slide open as I reach the top floor. I step out and glance toward Griffin's office.

He's already sitting behind his desk with a highlighter in hand.

It"s the same thing he's been doing for the whole week while he avoids me.

Kaleigh appears in the doorway of her office, her jacket half-on and papers spilling from her hands. "I'm going to be late to court one of these days. I need a new assistant. Mine forgot to put the latest case on the calendar."

I hand her the coffee I"d bought on my way here. "Take this and try not to rush too much. It's pouring out, and the roads are slick."

"Thanks. I don't know how the hell I'm going to get through the day. At least it's Friday. I will go home after court and work the rest of the day there with a large glass of wine."

Laughing, I nod and shift my purse higher on my shoulder. "I know what you mean. I have some unpacking to do, and then I have to think about what to do with the first full weekend I've had off for a while."

"One of these days, you're going to have to show me this new place you moved into. We can have a housewarming party or something."

"One of these days." I will put off telling her the truth about where I live for as long as possible.

It was bad enough telling Sophie where I'm living now. I don't need someone at work to know what's going on between Griffin and me.

I hold her papers long enough for her to pull her jacket on and flip up her hood. She takes the papers and the coffee, striding for the elevator.

"You are a lifesaver, Cora!"

Chuckling, I head for my desk and drop off my purse.

Griffin doesn't bother to look up, even as I step into the doorway of his office. He is glued to the work in front of him, but his tense shoulders suggest he knows I'm in his room.

"So, is this how it's going to be?" I shut the office door behind me, not wanting the rest of the law office to hear our conversation.

He sighs and reaches for his coffee, not looking up to meet my eyes. "Is this how what"s going to be?"

"You force me to move in with you and then spend the rest of your time avoiding me. You're gone before I wake up, and you don't come home until you're sure I'm asleep."

He puts the cap back on the highlighter and looks up. "Is there something wrong with that? I have work to do and a deadline to meet."

"Oh please, Griffin, don't be ridiculous. This has nothing to do with work and everything to do with avoiding me."

I cross the office and round his desk, perching myself on the edge of the desk beside him. My pencil skirt climbs slightly higher up, revealing my thighs.

As soon as his gaze drops to my legs, memories of the last time I was sitting on his desk rush back to me… I can hear his low groans and my breathless moans in my head.

But those thoughts are gone as soon as they come. I have more important matters to deal with right now. Ones that don't involve reliving the best orgasms of my life.

Griffin leans back in his chair, crossing his arms. "I don't know the right answer you're looking for, Cora. I just thought you'd want some space after moving in with me, so I gave it to you. I've also had important merger contracts to review."

"First, you fuck me on your desk. Then, you insist that I move in with you. I agree, thinking that maybe this might be good for us. Maybe get to know each other and stop fighting all the time."

Dark bags circle beneath his eyes, highlighted by his frown. "I didn't think you'd want to argue with me after I asked you to move in," he said.

"You told me to stay." I tilt my head back and look at the ceiling, trying to cool the frustration and hurt coursing through my veins before this conversation turns into another argument. "I'm tired of always arguing with you and avoiding each other. I thought staying with you would give us another option."

"And what option do you want?" His voice is strangled, as if he has to force the words out. "Because I know exactly what I want from you, but I don't think you're on the same page."

My entire body warms at the look he gives me. There is an accusation there, but of what I'm not entirely sure.

Maybe it's the accusation that I'm a coward.

I know I am. I could have tried to fix things between us a long time ago.

I've been secretly attracted to him since I started working for him, and maybe I could have at least tried to become his friend.

Instead, I've wasted too much time focusing on the past and holding onto an anger that I thought I had overcome long ago.

I remember the first time I laid eyes on him in many years, the day he walked into the office looking like a model straight out of a magazine.

His suit hugged his toned body in all the right places, and his chiseled face exuded confidence and charm.

Even then, I couldn't help but be drawn to him.

But perhaps it was the night he asked me to dance, both of us tipsy and needing an escape, that I realized there was something more between us…

And when he kissed me on the dance floor, it was like everything else faded away.

I'm aware that admitting my feelings would mean risking everything, and I'm not ready to take that leap. But now, his absence is affecting me.

It's like the more he pulls away, the more I find myself thinking about him.

Griffin gives a sharp nod and returns his attention to his work. "That silence tells me all that I need to know. I thought giving you space would give you time to think about what's happening between us, but it's clear that you don't care."

I stand and stride over to the windows, taking a moment to gather myself.

The scene below is a lively tapestry of urban life from the office building"s window.

The bustling street is a river of activity, with people of all ages and backgrounds moving with purpose.

I see some of our own associates rushing by with trays of coffee, and interns follow close behind with boxes of files to work on.

If I had taken a job elsewhere, I'd be among the bustling crowd on the streets right now.

I wouldn't be standing in my boss's office trying to figure out how to tell him how I feel… without ruining everything.

If luck wasn't on my side, I might ruin any chance of maintaining a civil relationship with Griffin.

Or, even worse, I could jeopardize what might have been the most significant relationship of my life.

I want a roadmap with clear directions, but I only have a foggy path ahead. I really wish someone could just tell me what to do and how to feel.

It's like my mind is a tangled mess, and I need help unraveling it to find the right way… if there is one.

Taking a deep breath, I realize I need to tackle this sooner rather than later. I can't keep going in circles, wondering when things will change.

Clearing my throat, I turn back to him and plant my hands on my hips. "What is this, Griff? What are we doing?"

"What do you want it to be?" His gaze penetrates deep into my soul, and his voice is unwavering.

"I spent so long thinking that you hated me. I thought we"d be civil at best, but then you completely changed the game."

Griffin gets up and walks toward me. His hands twitch at his sides like he's holding himself back from reaching out. "I told you I don't hate you, Cora. We went over that."

"Then how do you really feel about me? We both run hot and cold with each other, Griff, and I just want it to stop. I'm confused. I want to know where we stand so I can figure out what to do with the rest of the pieces of my life."

Griffin stuffs his hands into his pockets. "I don't hate you. And I don't want a divorce either."

"But… we shouldn't even be married, to begin with. We were drunk, and we made a mistake."

He shrugs one shoulder. "I don't think it's the worst thing. We can stay married, and no one could say anything that could get us in trouble if we're dating."

"Wait… You want to go on a date with me?"

My pulse races, my heart threatening to slam its way out of my ribcage. For a moment, I worry that he can hear how loud my heart is beating.

Butterflies erupt in my stomach as the walls start to close in around me. The room is too warm for my liking, and everything in me insists that I make a run for the door.

I can't, though. I need to figure out where things are headed between Griffin and me.

I need to know if he wants the same things I think I want.

He shakes his head, and my heart sinks. "No, Cora," he continues. "I don't want to go on just one date with you."

The butterflies die, and the room goes cold. I nod, my body numb as I turn for the door. "Well, that answers that. I guess I should get back to work."

A warm hand closes around my wrist and tugs me back before I can take too many steps away. "I want many dates with you. I want to take you on as many dates as it takes to have you fall for me like I'm falling for you."

"Griff…" I swallow hard, trying to banish the lump in my throat. My heart picks up speed, racing like a runaway train. "Are you serious?"

"I am." He drops my wrist and sucks in a sharp breath. There is hesitation in his eyes as his gaze remains locked on mine. "When you came to work for me, I was attracted to you. How could I not be? But then I started getting to know the person you've become, and I'd hate myself for not at least trying to make you fall for me."

"And what if it doesn't work between us?"

I don't know if I can do this again. One of the biggest mistakes I've ever made was letting the wrong man in and giving him the power to hurt me.

Although, there is a little voice in the back of my mind that tells me things could be different with Griffin.

I don't think he would hurt me the way that others have. The way that Victor did.

Griffin steps toward me, his fingers tracing my jaw before his hand falls away. "I guess hurting each other is just a risk that we're going to have to take if we want to be together."

He glances at the office door, making sure that nobody is watching us. The others must be in their offices, as nobody stands in the hallway.

If we're going to do this, we'll have to be careful not to get caught at work.

Even though no policies are preventing us from being together, it would cause a scandal within the company.

I could still lose my job, and Griffin and his family"s reputation would be at risk.

I roll my bottom lip into my mouth before exhaling. "When do you want to go out?"

A slow smile spreads across his face. "Tomorrow."