Chapter Fourteen

T he Right Honorable Miss Bernice Namath

I waved good morning to Mrs. Paul in the bookshop before unlocking the front door of the T.J. Moran Publishing House. Humming under my breath, I took the front staircase, a hop to my step. My conversation with Ash and our subsequent kiss playing in an endless loop inside my head. I tucked the key into my fabric bag and entered the quiet reception space. No matter how enticing his kiss, I couldn’t carry on an affair with him. It was rather shameful to even think about it. However, since I never intended to marry, why should I be obligated to remain chaste?

Cheeks fiery and other parts of me tingling in a very unladylike manner, I removed my hat, sticking the pin into the simple felt toque. My high-fashion apparel had been sold off for a more practical wardrobe. Hanging my cloak and hat on the coat tree in the corner, I couldn’t help the smile that formed at what happened after Ash had broken the peg on the wall.

A sound from the other room drew my attention. I stared at Moran’s door, guilt washing over me. Just yesterday, I had flirted with him, and now I was thinking of Ash in a romantic fashion. My newfound freedom was going to my head, or maybe it had more to do with being courted by a charming man. Except he wasn’t courting me. I had put an end to it before it could begin. But that kiss...

Moran’s door opened, and he stepped into the reception area. His gaze settled on me and my pulse hummed for a different reason—or perhaps the same reason but a different man. The usual circles were gone from beneath his eyes, and he looked rested and relaxed.

“Good morning,” I said.

“Good morning. Come into my office, please.”

The fact that he said please told me his mood was light. For a man who claimed to be crotchety, he tended to be relatively easy-going. I grabbed my notepad and pencil, following in his wake. His office looked much cleaner than it had during my interview. He stood behind his desk, motioning for me to sit in the chair across from him. Confident I would remain employed, I shook my head. “I beg your pardon, Mr. Moran, but that chair is very uncomfortable.”

He frowned and tilted his head, studying it as if he’d never seen it before. “That is my old chair. I found it very comfortable.”

“And yet you bought a new chair. Therefore, how comfortable was it?”

A smile cracked his lips, and he nodded. “You have my permission to buy a new chair for my office.”

I eyed his chair and then recalled the one in my office, which was less than stellar. “Would it be acceptable to purchase a new chair similar to yours for myself, and then we can put my current chair in the reception area here instead?”

“Is that chair not comfortable? It was my father’s and, well he never said anything. However, he never said anything about many things.”

What an odd statement to make. But then Moran wasn’t exactly traditional, to put it nicely. His auburn hair brushed away from his face, the brown suit complemented his eyes. For once, they weren’t bloodshot, and I had a hard time holding his gaze. He really was an attractive man when he wasn’t scowling. “I’m sure it was perfectly acceptable at the time. But since I will be tasked with sitting for long stretches while typing, it behooves us to purchase a comfortable chair for me.”

His brows beetled together. “For today, I’m afraid you must sit in that chair. Unless, of course, you would prefer my chair. That would be the gentlemanly thing to do. However, you are not a lady, and I’m not a gentleman, so I don’t think we have to play by those rules.”

“I will suffer sitting in this chair today. I wouldn’t wish you to give up your seat for me, no matter how kindly offered.” Had I not become used to his offhanded remarks, I might have been insulted. I was born a lady. My father had been the seventh Baron of Namath, and I came from a long, illustrious line dating back to Elizabeth the First, a woman I admired greatly. Of course, I couldn’t admit to my birthright without there being many questions that I certainly didn’t want to answer. I sat down and adjusted my skirt.

“Is that sarcasm I hear?” A smile played around his enticing mouth. He gripped the edge of his desk with one hand, the other settling on the arm of his chair. Either the chair was faulty, or he hadn’t yet mastered how to keep it balanced. He settled into the chair and rolled it closer to the desk.

“A touch.” I really shouldn’t stare at his mouth, but I couldn’t help myself. I was a woman first and, apparently, without any filter on my thoughts. “I would like to consider myself a lady, if not by birth but by manners.”

“I had this very conversation with Ash last night.” He lifted a stack of papers, his desk still cluttered with manuscripts he’d forbidden me to touch.

My ears perked up at the mention of the other man. Ash had said what happened would stay between us. He’d obviously visited with Moran after leaving my flat. Since Moran didn’t seem upset, Ash must have kept his word. “Did you indeed?”

“Yes, he told me about the incident with the man in the alley and rightly chastised me for allowing you to walk home alone in the dark.”

“It was very kind of him to see me home.” I remained non-committal, my leg beginning to shake. It was up to Moran to carry the conversation lest I do something foolish like stick my foot in my mouth again.

“Ash is very conscientious about safety. He deals with society’s dregs, and it would be a pity if something happened to you due to my negligence.” Frown lines etched his forehead.

“While I appreciate your concern, it isn’t something that you need to worry about. Would you have the same concerns if I were a male employee?”

His stunning eyes drifted down my face to my chest before he seemed to catch himself.

My nipples pebbled beneath my shirtwaist, and my pulse hummed a quickened beat. My mind screamed to say something, but I remained quiet. He glanced up again and jerked in the chair, nearly tumbling out of it. “No, I wouldn’t. That’s exactly the same argument I had with Ash. But as he pointed out, you’re not a man, and therefore, it is partially my responsibility to ensure your safety.”

“Again, that’s very kind of you, but I’m your employee. It’s my responsibility to get to and from work however I deem appropriate. While my salary is generous, I don’t want to waste a single sixpence on unnecessary expenses when I am perfectly capable of seeing myself home.” My upbringing said not to mention the salary part, but we were having a frank discussion, and I didn’t want to hold anything back. While I valued the job, I wasn’t willing to give up my independence because of antiquated expectations.

“Once again, we are in agreement.” He tapped a finger against his desk and nodded. “Well, this puts me in a rather awkward situation. If I say that I will leave you be, then I will leave you open to possible harm. If I don’t, you could accuse me of being insensitive and disrespectful to your position.”

I sighed, refraining from rolling my eyes. “I understand both points of view, and I will confess that if it was someone other than myself, I would think you were doing the right thing.” It pained me to admit, in a roundabout way, that I was stubborn and had too much pride. I liked to think I was a modern woman who believed that by insisting on equality, I needed to be autonomous.

“You are quite independent. There is nothing wrong with that. Were I in your shoes, I would be the same way. There’s something very disconcerting about having to depend on others.” His earlier good mood seemed to lessen a bit.

Since walking through the door the first time, I sensed his loneliness. Perhaps he was speaking from personal experience. I had learned never to assume anything anymore.

“Indeed, there is.” I rolled the pencil on my hand, the lump in the chair seat digging into my hip. Moran continued to impress me with his modern take on equality. There was something secretive about him like he wasn’t used to sharing his feelings with others. Except for Ash. He seemed to be comfortable with the other man. Of course, they’d been longtime friends so it was understandable.

A long silence followed my statement, my gaze moving over the manuscripts that littered his desk. I itched to organize them—and perhaps see for myself what they contained if the opportunity arose.

“I propose you allow me to have Timmy escort you home nightly.” Head down, he averted his gaze, his attention on the stack of papers. “His mother is sickly, and he and his siblings often go hungry. It will give me comfort to know you will be looked after, and it’ll give me an excuse to slip him some extra coins.”

I stared at his bent head. My first instinct was to say no. Except once his statement sank in, I hesitated. “Do you need an excuse to slip him some extra coins?”

“He is a proud boy who knows the value of hard work.” Moran glanced up at me between furrowed eyebrows. “Many people down on their luck just need the dignity of work.”

My heart went out to Timmy and to Moran for his generous spirit. I would have never expected this from the guarded man I first met. “I can understand that. You wish to do good by him but not let him know it was you?”

“Exactly. He should be delivering a manuscript today. I recommend you offer to hire him. I will reimburse you. I will be out of the office for most of the rest of this week. Please feel free to lock the door when I am not here with you.” With a tip of his head, he indicated that I should begin taking notes. “I have a list of things for you to do.”

Pencil poised, I began to write what he dictated in shorthand, each symbol reflecting a word or phrase. He told me what he wanted to pay Timmy, and although I still had reservations about having an escort, I understood that I would be helping someone out. Truth be told, I would feel safer not being by myself, especially after seeing the man in the alley. A part of me hoped Ash would take on the task, but I couldn’t depend on him if I shunned his attention. It wasn’t fair to string him along when I did not intend to allow him to court me.

I resisted the urge to lift my fingers to my mouth, my lips tingling with the memory of his kiss. He had said he wanted to continue to see me, and perhaps I might change my mind. What would an affair with him look like? I barely had time between work and raising the girls to have any time to myself. Even if I wanted to have an affair, I wasn’t sure where to begin.

“Read that back to me,” Moran said.

The unexpected request caught me off guard, and I gripped the pencil, praying I hadn’t missed anything while woolgathering. I read my writing, eyeing him to see if I had committed the cardinal sin of not paying attention.

“Excellent. I have something for you.” Moran lifted a handwritten sheet of paper and scooted it across the only part of the desk that wasn’t cluttered.

I inspected the sheet, skimming the bold script. Several author names were scrawled across the page, a few I recognized. A smile tilted my mouth. “These are some rather famous authors.”

“Indeed. Every quarter, I meet with them to discuss upcoming projects or review my notes for their pieces. I need you to schedule appointments with each of them. There are seven names, and we sometimes talk for hours, so don’t schedule more than one meeting a day.” He steepled his fingers across his flat belly, the chair behaving itself for the moment. “Today is Tuesday, so schedule the first one for Monday next.”

“Very good.” I tried to keep the eagerness from my voice. Fate had placed me in the perfect position. I loved reading, and would get the opportunity to meet MH Roth, my favorite gothic novelist. Up until recently, everyone had thought a man had written her books. “I will send a letter forthwith.”

“That will be all for now.” Moran sat upright once more. Long lashes framed his amber eyes, and I lowered my gaze, unable to hold his regard for too long.

I clutched the notepad to my chest and exited into the reception area. Thus far, my second morning with Moran was nothing like the first. He was properly clothed, which was a bit disappointing, to be sure. I chortled under my breath at the memory of his naked chest. Would Ash have an equally impressive frame? The heat in my cheeks increased with the raciness of my thoughts. My pussy flared to life, and I tried to scrub the lusty notions from my mind. I had a job to do, and lusting after my employer wasn’t conducive to my end goal, which was to open my own agency and be my own woman, independent of anyone but myself.