Free WorkIt by Marilyn Campbell Page A

she considered how he could fix her problem and she had to take a few
steps back and turn away from him before replying. “Actually, I got the
impression you were hoping I’d quit. I thought that was why you were barking at
me all the—”
    “What? Why on earth would I want you to quit?” He grasped
her upper arm and turned her back toward him.
    Cory was so stunned that he had touched her—was still
touching her—that she barely heard the words that followed.
    “That would be like hoping to lose my right arm.”
    His hold on her gentled and his thumb moved up and down over
the crook of her arm causing a field of goose bumps to rise. Her whole being
was suddenly focused on that small spot. The way his expression softened told
her he noticed the response and was somehow pleased.
    He added a slight movement of his fingers so his whole hand
was now caressing her skin as he continued. “I can’t imagine working every day
without you being here. You’re not only smart and organized and a step ahead of
me half the time, but you…” He appeared to be searching for the right words but
instead of completing his thought he withdrew his hand and shook his head.
    Something in his voice struck a familiar, emotional chord
within her and she placed her hand on his forearm. Even through the shirt
sleeve she felt the heat of his body beckoning her to come closer. “I…what?
What were you about to say?”
    “It’s not important.” He started to turn away but she
tightened her hold.
    He met her gaze and, for the first time, she thought she saw
a reflection of her own unrequited desire. There was only one way to find out
if she was right. “I wasn’t completely honest a moment ago. I am leaving
because of you. Or rather, because of something I want from you…but can’t have.”
    “That doesn’t make sense,” he said with a frown.
    She felt the muscle beneath her fingers tense but he made no
attempt to reclaim his arm.
    “I don’t remember you asking me for anything. Why would you
say you can’t have it?”
    “Because…” She closed her eyes and took a slow breath. She
wanted to answer him with an explicit demonstration of what she wanted from
him. One step and she could press herself against his lean body, test the
firmness of his butt in her hands and discover if he tasted as good as he looked.
    She controlled the urge by reminding herself that he’d never
done anything to suggest he was attracted to her despite the electrical vibe
currently passing between them. “I never asked because if you turned me down or
gave me what I wanted just to keep me from quitting, well, that would be much
worse than my not asking at all.”
    She’d never tried to hide her feelings from him. He had just
never really looked…until that moment. Slowly his expression relaxed and she
could tell the instant her vague explanation made sense to him.
    Holding her gaze with his, he cocked his head and arched one
eyebrow. “What if there was also something I wanted from you?” His hand
tentatively covered hers where it rested on his arm.
    Her pulse rate raised a notch. Was it possible? Could he
want me for more than my administrative skills? “You never said anything.”
His mouth curved into the grin she had come to love and her lips parted as
though they knew she was about to be kissed.
    “There are some pretty strict rules concerning what I’ve
been thinking about and if I did anything to offend you, not only would I feel
horrible but the ramifications—”
    “ Ramifications? ” By now she was pretty sure they were
both thinking about ramming something of his into something of hers but first
they had to stop talking about what they weren’t saying to each other. “After
all this time, you should know I’m not that easily offended.”
    “Perhaps, but then I’ve been very, very careful
around you. Now it looks like I may have been too careful. Maybe a little test
would help set some acceptable boundaries here. Tell me, Ms.