My Boss’s Secret by Taryn Quinn

Twenty-Five

After a weekend of debauchery,fun with pets, not fun with pets, and an eye-opening dinner with April’s Grams and her much younger boyfriend Roger—how a twenty-nine-year-old man was named Roger, I didn’t know—I was hardly well-rested for Monday’s meeting with my best friend about his job.

Or my job.

Actually, neither of our jobs if it played out the way I hoped.

First, I had to drag my attention away from watching April dress and do her makeup.

Yes, in this short amount of time, I had devolved to become a man who was so twisted up, he even found exfoliation creams fascinating when applied by his woman.

There was also the matter of her curvaceous ass sticking way out as she examined her face in the mirror. A curvaceous ass that starred in many of my fantasies lately.

And there I was, off again. Hard-on number 50 in the past week. Who needed Viagra when you had April Finley around?

Still, I didn’t want her to assume we’d be performing vertical sex acts throughout our relationship. At least beyond the first half dozen years or so.

“We have to have a chat about expectations.”

April switched beauty implements to outline her already perfect eyes in smoky gray stuff. “Hmm?”

“Just because a man performs stupendous anatomical feats once, you can’t expect him to do it all the time. A man needs regenerating time. Especially a man in his mid-thirties—don’t poke out an eye,” I muttered, grabbing her eyeliner before she stabbed herself from laughing.

“Yeah, well, I think I dislocated my jaw. There’s a technique to blowjobs, and I ain’t got it. But I appreciate you reacting as if I do.”

“I came twice in like 20 minutes on Friday. That isn’t supposed to be possible.” I only preened slightly.

“Beginner’s luck.” She shrugged and stepped back, tilting her head to examine herself in her bathroom mirror. “What do you think? Do I look appropriate to be the boss’s saucy girlfriend?”

How about the boss’s saucy wife?

I did not ask that question. Even as a man who was embracing a new, possibly bonkers side of life, I wasn’t ready to go whole hog and propose after such a short amount of time. Even if I was sure she held the key to my sexual satiety from now until the end of eternity, amen, we didn’t have to rush.

Other than the baby we may have made or could still make at any moment, but who was keeping score?

Oh, and other than the living together thing.

And the one other aspect that would be revealed in due time today.

I didn’t know what the hell I was doing. For a guy who’d plotted and planned every step of my career and everything else, I had shot completely out of my comfort zone. I was riding a Thrillcaster of my own making, but the best part was that April was strapped in at my side.

Of course she could slam on the brakes at any time. And she might after what I had in mind for today.

Hey, I was thinking outside the box. That was a good thing, right?

Sure, baby harvester.

“You look incredible. I want to take you back to bed.” I grabbed her waist and lowered my mouth to hers.

Before I could kiss her, she grinned and placed her fingers against my lips. “We’re already running late.”

“For the very best of reasons.”

“Even if I had to take a second shower since you thought the first was a chance to get me dirty again.” Playfully, she shook her head. “Gotta say, I don’t think there’s any birth control that could withstand you.”

“From your lips to…” I pointed upward.

A series of parrot-style bellows emerged from the bedroom and I rolled my eyes. “I’m going to call my pet sitter to stop by today. I thought he could handle a few hours on his own getting used to the place, but he isn’t happy to be sequestered away from his new love.”

April snorted. “Isn’t it odd for a bird to like a cat that much? They usually threaten to eat birds.”

“Not in this case.”

Kit-Kat had taken one look at Santiago and galloped for the nearest closet. He’d immediately let out a piercing cry and stationed himself outside said closet for hours.

“She just doesn’t know what to make of a horny bird pursuing her. Or any bird pursuing her.”

“The more she runs from him, the more he wants her.” I tapped my chin. “Hmm, my bird isn’t unlike me. That’s disturbing.”

April shifted back to the mirror and started dusting some powder on her cheeks. I coughed as some flew in my direction, but she didn’t seem to notice. “What are we going to do about our living situation?”

I leaned against the counter beside her and resisted kissing her neck so I didn’t get powdered again. “It’s a consideration.”

“You’re not freaking and rethinking since I put it right out there in a forceful manner?”

“I like you forceful.”

“You are a pervert.”

“Already noted. Maybe we should build a place. Find some land just out of town so we can have some room. How do you feel about that?”

The brush in her hand clattered into the sink. “It’s really that easy for you?”

“Babe, I have a lot of money. It’s fairly easy, yeah. Minus the required permits and building schedules and such. Those are pains in the ass, and pretty much why I rented an apartment in the first place. Also, it’s been just me and my loud nuisance. Now it won’t be.”

“I didn’t mean the financial part. I mean, it’s a big step. Far bigger than just endless sleepovers. Which would be fine with me, too, except we have pets and—”

“It’s not fine with me. We’re building a family. Families need to be together. You, me, the kooky pets.” I took her hand and kissed her knuckles. “I can’t ask for anything more.”

“So, when Grams comes over for dinner again, I get to tell her now we’re moving in somewhere together. On top of the ‘hey, who needs condoms’ conversation I did not want to have, but apparently, you did, because I’m still blushing.”

“I’m willing to bet a woman with a boyfriend nearly forty years younger than she is can understand living however you want.”

“Non-traditional for the win.”

“What’s more traditional than falling in love and making a family? I’m gonna say that’s as true blue as it gets.”

She smiled up at me and linked her fingers behind my neck. “I see why you’re such a good lawyer. You can persuade anyone.”

“Yeah? So, how do you feel about one more shower?”

Grinning, she kissed me, soft and sweet. Although I would’ve definitely pressed my advantage if my phone hadn’t buzzed with a ringtone I’d nearly deleted a hundred times.

Damn sentiment.

She eased back. “Do you need to get that?”

“No. Now where were we?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Is that Key?”

“No. Worse. My father.” I grabbed the phone and meant to swipe away the call. Instead, I accepted it.

“Bishop? Is that you, son?”

My hand clenched at my father’s deep baritone. I hadn’t talked to him for so long. This man that had once been as much a friend to me as a father was now practically a stranger.

“I can talk to him.” Her voice was barely a whisper. “Tell him never to call again.”

Her expression was so fierce. She was so ready to defend me, to take up sword and shield in my honor, even if she didn’t agree with my shutting him out. Not that she’d detailed her feelings exactly, but I was willing to bet. She was so kind-hearted. So longing for family in her desire to build a cozy home with her crafts and decorations.

And I was a shark now wearing a onesie, because I was going to do this for her—and maybe for myself too. Besides, if he went too far, I’d just hit the trusty X and make him go away again.

“Hi.”

“Bishop? Oh, God, it’s really you. Son, you don’t know how good it is to hear your voice.”

“It’s—it’s good to hear yours too.”

April smiled at me and turned toward the bathroom door, but I caught her hand in mine and tugged her against my side. I didn’t have secrets from her. That was one of the mistakes I’d made the first time. Sectioning off pieces of my life so Rina never questioned my decisions. Spending more time on cases rather than dealing with potential problems. Focusing on the future so I didn’t have to handle the present.

Not again. April might get sick of being privy to every damn thing, but she was getting the option to be as involved as she wanted to be.

“How have you been?”

“Good.” Hearing myself, I let out a laugh. “Let me correct that. Now? I’m fucking awesome. I’m in love with the most amazing woman on the planet, and we’re making a life together.”

April curled her arms around my waist and laid her head on my chest. She made me feel like freaking Superman. What had happened with my father in the past couldn’t touch me—touch us—if I didn’t let it.

“But before her, I was in hell. A lot of it I did to myself. But not all of it.”

“No, not all of it. I’m sorry. I made mistakes. A lot of them.” He released a long breath. “You’ll find someday if you’re lucky enough to have a child that no one hands you a rulebook. There’s no standard for how to face a situation as a family. That goes for a marriage too.”

“I get that. More so now than I did then.”

“But that doesn’t mean I didn’t screw the hell up. I tried to do what I felt was best. Your brother always struggled so much more than you did.”

There was no stopping my laughter. “Key? He aced everything on the first try. Had a million friends, a thriving business, even swimming trophies. The only athletic medal I ever got was in ninth grade track.”

Then he’d taken the woman I’d proposed to. I didn’t think of her as my wife or even my fiancée anymore. As far as I was concerned, only one woman deserved those monikers, and it wasn’t Rina Kent.

“And he’s divorced at thirty-six and without his business and his home and rebuilding from the bottom all over again.”

I frowned down at April, who mirrored my expression.

“I didn’t know all that, but even so, what does that mean? That because he lost everything doesn’t mean he—”

“Made mistakes,” my father said quietly.

“Still making excuses for him, I see. Nice to know some things will never change. How about mom? Is she making them too?”

“No. Your mother hasn’t spoken to him for the same amount of time you haven’t. She feels like she lost both her sons on the same day, if you must know.”

April braced against me, but if anything, her grip on me tightened. She understood me and my reactions so well already. And above all, she wouldn’t let me face this alone.

“And what? Now I’m supposed to feel guilty?” Before he could reply, I kept going. “Worst of it is, I do. I feel guilty for cutting him out of my life when he hurt me more than anyone ever has. Or ever could. At least I thought so then. Now I get that Rina was just a waystation for me. Just a rest stop. She wasn’t the whole journey by a long shot.”

April massaged my hip, over and over. Reminding me silently she was there.

She would always be there.

“No. You aren’t supposed to feel anything except how you do. I won’t judge you for that. I’m just asking for you to do the same. Especially when it comes to your mother. Her heart is broken over you two boys. And she won’t reach out to him if you don’t make peace with her. She just won’t.”

My throat tightened until I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get the words out. “I need time.”

“You’ll have it. This was more than I ever expected. Bishop, I love you. We both love you so much.”

“I’ll be in touch.” I managed to end the call and then faced myself in the mirror, my breaths already coming quick and fast.

“Motherfucker,” I muttered as the now familiar spots lingered at the edges of my vision. “It’s happening again.”

“What—oh. Oh, okay.” I could hear her breathing quicken almost to match mine as she rubbed my back. “We’ll get through it. I read something online—here, wait.” She yanked open a counter drawer, jabbing me in the leg. She grabbed a roll-on bottle, flicked off the cap, and jammed it under my nose. Actually, in my nose. “Try this.”

Lemons. Strong lemons. My head swam and not just from the panic attack. “What—”

I gave up and sniffed that perfume roller like it was my job. I didn’t know why she wanted me to, but I needed to do something so I didn’t focus on the throbbing of my heart throughout my body.

“Scent can reroute panic. Interrupts the neural pathways or something like that. It’s supposed to be peppermint, I think, but I only have that kind. I’ll get it. Don’t worry. Ry and Lu can get me some from the—oh, baby, sit down.” She shoved me toward the toilet, just getting the lid down before I sank onto it heavily. She pushed my head between my legs and something about the moment was just so pathetically hilarious that I wheezed out a laugh.

But then it made it even harder to breathe, so I started counting in my head in time with the particular breath patterns my doctor had suggested.

Throughout, April stayed close, stepping back to give me room to pace. Saying nothing when I stalked out of the bathroom and down the hall to the craft room to draw up the window and stick out my head. The fresh air on the brisk fall day slapped me in the face, exactly what I needed. I closed my eyes and hauled in great big breaths, the sounds of April arguing with either feline or parrot soothing me even when I didn’t have the oxygen in my lungs to tell her so.

She was already my heart, literally beating outside of my body.

After it started to ease, I sank to the floor and just sat for a minute. Then two. Then I reached over to pick up a frilly band thing that had obviously fallen off the sewing machine. “Are you sewing your own bridal garter?” I wondered aloud.

If so, I’d probably better propose soon. I didn’t want her to have a garter with no place to go.

“What? No.” She let out a baffled laugh as she came over to grab a bottle of wine off her sewing table. “It’s for this. Housewarming present for Ry, since I know she’s going to shack up with Preston soon enough. Though, hmm, if it’s big enough for my thigh, I may have to go back to the drawing board.”

I laughed too and then stilled her with my hand at her hip so I could just lean against her legs. She sifted her fingers through my hair, yet again easing me without words.

“You make it better. You make everything better, including me. I don’t think I deserve you, but God, I’m going to try. I swear to you, April Finley.” Swallowing hard, I gazed up at her. “On my life.”

“I believe you. You do the same for me.” She knelt down next to me, still brushing her hand over my hair. “We can call Preston, say we’re playing hooky.”

“Nah, I’m okay. I’ll get there. I can’t stay home and make these go away. They don’t work that way.”

“Is there anything that can help?”

“Reframing my brain.” I smiled weakly. “In lieu of that, being patient with myself. Learning not to go so goddamn hard.”

“What about writing legal briefs in bed at four a.m.?” she asked innocently as I slid her a look. “Just wondering.”

“Even sharks in onesies relapse.”

“Not even going to ask about that one.”

I sighed. “My doctor also referred me to a therapist, said there was medication that could help. I haven’t gone that route yet. But I’m considering it.”

“It’s a lot to think about.” She pursed her lips. “You could just quit your job.”

“Yeah, that was on the docket.”

“Not to take Preston’s. He’ll find someone. You know he will. And you could even assist as an adjunct attorney or whatever it’s called. But you don’t have to take the job. You don’t need any job if you don’t want one.”

I stared at her. “What the hell would I do all day? Make wreaths?”

“Sure, if you wanted to. Or you could oversee that house you want to build. Or you could, I don’t know, write a legal thriller. Or just retire, Mr. Moneybags.” She poked my belly. “There’s no shame in choosing to walk away. You’re just making another choice.”

“But I don’t want to leave Preston in the lurch.”

“You won’t be. He’s leaving too. Besides, he’s your best friend, and you know he’d care most about you being happy and healthy. Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish.”

I frowned. “I can’t believe I’m really thinking about this. I used to be an—”

“Apex predator, yeah, yeah. Now you’ll just bite into other things, subject to change.” She wiggled her brows.

I cocked my head as I tucked her hair behind her ear. “Sure this isn’t you not wanting me to be your boss?”

“Absolutely sure. I’d actually grown to kind of love the idea. Assuming you respect the boundaries and don’t act like an overbearing dick.” She beamed. “I can so say that word now.”

I was still stuck on not being an overbearing dick. “You definitely can.”

“But I figure if it doesn’t happen right now, we can always make it happen at home.” The look she gave me tried and failed to be lascivious, but it made some of the heaviness in my chest lift just the same.

“I still need to talk to the managing partners at my current firm. They could sweeten the deal. Up my percentages. Make it harder to walk away.”

“So? You don’t need any more money. What you need is your health and happiness.” She circled her arms around my shoulders. “You can just say no. No more.”

“It feels too easy.”

“Sometimes easy is the best answer.”

Which was exactly what I intended to tell Preston an hour later once we were sitting opposite each other in the conference room at Shaw, Shaw, and Shaw, LLC.

I didn’t plan to start with that, of course. I wanted to give him time to run through his spiel first.

“Yeah, so I appreciate you considering this gig, but we’re going a different direction.”

I blinked at him like a teen fresh out of high school trying to get into Kohl’s. “Gig? Direction?”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.” He braced his forehead on the heel of his hand. “She’s contaminated me with her lingo.”

“Come again?”

“Ryan referred to April’s position as a gig when she was about to start here.” His fond smile would’ve made me smirk if I wasn’t pissed he’d fired me before I’d even accepted the damn position.

Not that I was going to, but still. What bullshit.

“Let me get this straight. You invited me to take a position and now you’re taking it back before I even spent a few hours here?”

“Well, we’re a week behind schedule.”

“You’re the one who closed the damn office on a whim. Though you forgot to inform Dex, since apparently, he was working last week.”

“His choice,” Preston said lightly. “And I only decided to close it because you were having…a situation in your personal life and Ryan told me I should.”

I rested my chin on my fist. “Interesting. You sound entirely—”

He pointed at me. “Do not say it, my friend. Do not even think it. I saw how you and my assistant looked this morning when you walked in here together. You were cuddled so close, I wasn’t sure how you were both still walking.”

“I was going to say ‘in love’ but I can’t imagine what you thought I would say. As if I would ever refer to you being…whipped in a certain way.”

“You would say it because you’re a jackass, and April’s out of earshot.”

A quick rap sounded on the connecting wall. “Wrong. I’m in the records room.”

If Preston had laughed any harder, he would’ve needed to lie down with a cold compress.

“Also, if we’re talking about being pussy-whipped, that means it’s very, very good.”

“No arguments there,” I called back.

Preston stared at me and pulled out a sheet of paper, writing quickly in his slashing handwriting.

What did you do to my assistant?

I grinned and shrugged. “Now back to firing me.”

April thunked a box loudly next door, which I assumed was in disapproval, but sometimes a thunk was just a thunk.

“I’m not firing you. You never accepted the job. In fact, you never tried out the job and looked at so much as one legal brief for this firm. You don’t need this job.”

I narrowed my eyes at the wall between the rooms. “Did you talk to a gorgeous blond recently, per chance?”

Another thunk. Apparently, that was a new communication technique, similar to Morse code except with cardboard.

“Not about that particular aspect, though I did talk to my assistant about things that pertain to her.”

“Hmm.”

“I also talked to a man of average attractiveness with brown hair, depending on his hours on the beach or usage of hair dye.” Preston withdrew his phone from his inner jacket pocket, swiped a few times, typed, and slipped it back in his pocket as the door opened.

Dex strolled in, hands in his pockets, pecs bulging in his Ant-Man T-shirt under his designer suit jacket. “Hey, man. I didn’t sleep with April, just so you know.”

In the adjoining room, there was a high-pitched sneeze.

“Thank you for the bulletin. I already knew that.”

Dex rattled something in his pocket. “Good, good. So, yeah, I’m going to be taking over this candy stand.”

I exchanged a glance with my best friend. His shrug was almost imperceptible.

“Issac’s okay with this?

Dex leaned a hip against the conference table. “Issac is golfing, his main preoccupation now, other than schtupping his caddy.”

“His caddy?” Preston coughed.

“Yeah, her name is Felicia. Coincidental? I don’t think so. His admin Courtney just quit, so I doubt we’ll see him around here again other than to collect his degrees off the wall.”

I locked my hands behind my neck. “Yeah, this place is a hotbed of something.”

Dex dropped into the chair at the end of the table with an exaggerated sigh. “That won’t be the case anymore. We’re condensing the staff considerably, between natural attrition and disgust at being dumped.”

I frowned. “Who’s disgusted at being dumped?”

“That would be Courtney, our father’s admin.” Preston held up a hand. “Don’t get me started. I made sure she had a generous severance package.” He lifted his voice. “And speaking of generous severances, April, would you join us, please?”

More thunks next door and then the door closed in the next room.

I leaned toward Preston. “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

His expression was implacable as always. “Me too.”

“The all-knowing Preston always has all the answers.” Dex tapped his fingers on the edge of the table. “Question is, is he asking the right questions?”

April opened the conference room door and stuck her head in. “Yes?”

“Please come in and sit.” Preston indicated a seat at the table.

She shut the door behind her and walked to the table, giving me a long look as she sat at my side. I reached for her hand and she slipped hers into mine, causing Dex to positively cackle.

“So sweet. I can’t bear it. All this young love around here. Hope the pheromones aren’t catching.” He tilted his head toward April. “Hey, since your one bestie is occupied with PMS, what about your other one? Lunestra, is it?”

“Luna and she’d kick your ass.”

Dex rubbed his hands together. “Ooh, even better. Let me get the digits.”

“She’s very taken.”

“She’s also a witch,” I put in, “and would freeze your balls off if you pulled your usual shit.”

Dex clutched his chest in mock disapproval. “Bishop, my man, I can’t believe I’m hearing this from you. A guy falls in love, and suddenly, he becomes a changed man.”

“Try it. You might even grow up a little.”

Preston shook his head and shuffled papers in his folder. “Doubtful. Now, if we can move this along, I have a meeting with a client in half an hour.”

“Why don’t you sum up the finer points then?” I suggested. “Repeat how you’re firing me before you even hired me for the record.”

April cut me a glance. “What?”

“No one is being fired. Just as I explained to April, we’re making a lot of changes around here. Since the personnel is shifting, we understand some of our support staff may not be onboard with the changes, so I wanted her to know if she chooses to leave, she’ll be granted a hefty severance package as well as placement assistance into a future position.”

“You can always work for me.” Dex smiled widely. “My admin is staying part-time, but I’ll likely need more help depending how things go. I’m also hoping to bring on another lawyer on a part-time basis. Bishop isn’t looking to work part-time.”

“You know that, how?” But he was right.

Part-time would make sense as I figured out what to do next. I wasn’t much for the fate stuff under normal circumstances, but maybe there was something to it. I was more the sort to either go too hard or not go at all and take a step back. Half measures weren’t my style.

“Tell me I’m wrong.”

“You’re not wrong. I’m happy to help out here and there on a case if I’m needed, but I know of someone who’s looking for a new opportunity who’d probably be a better fit than I am.” I shot Preston a dark look. “And who hasn’t been fired here already.”

“I didn’t fire you, you ass. I want you to choose your work, not feel like it’s your responsibility to help me out or because you’re picking the lesser of two evils.”

April’s fingers tightened on mine.

I nodded. “Yeah. Guess you’re getting wiser in your old age.”

“Funny. We’re basically the same age.”

“I’m younger than both of you, however.” Dex jerked a shoulder as we glared at him. “Just pointing it out.”

“If you ever want to start over working shoulder to shoulder on something we’ll build ourselves, you let me know.” Preston stood and motioned for me to rise as well, then gave me a quick one-armed hug. “Until then, thanks, brother. I know you’d upend your whole life if you thought I needed you to, but I don’t. This is Dex’s firm now.” Preston looked skyward. “Heaven help the clients of Shaw, LLC.”

“I’m ready to tackle a new adventure.” Dex grinned. “Look-out, divorcing townsfolk of Kensington Square and beyond. You’re in for a wild ride.”

I shifted my hold on April’s hand to her thigh. “So, I guess I’m not your boss anymore.”

“It was nice while it lasted,” she said seriously, her lips twitching at the corners.

“I’m not sure I was ever technically your boss.”

“But we thought you were—or on the way to becoming my boss—so that’s all that matters.” She leaned in close to whisper in my ear. “Earlier offer still holds.”

Again, she tried the lascivious look that only made me laugh before I framed her face in my hands and kissed her.

“I’m out of here,” Dex announced. “Good to see you, Stone. Glad I was never tempted to sleep with you, April, although you’re a damn fine assistant.”

Her brows drew together as she pulled back from me. “Thank you. I think.”

I held out my fist for a bump as Dex passed us. A moment later, the door shut behind him.

My best friend cleared his throat. “I’ll follow his example as soon as I know what direction you’d like to go in, April.”

April tangled her fingers with mine. “I’m staying here for now. Dex could use some help with the transition, and of course you too. You’ve got a couple more months here, right?”

I wondered if he could hear the slight tinge of nerves in her voice like I could. Already I knew her so well. She’d become so brave in going after more, in keeping her mind open to possibilities, but the April she’d been such a short time ago was probably clinging to the shore.

Whatever she wanted to do, however fast or slow she wanted to go, I would be right by her side. Loving her through it, just as she was loving me.

Thank God.

“I do, yes. Closing out my cases is a process, not to mention shifting the ongoing ones to Dex and whomever he chooses to bring in.”

“I know someone he might want to talk to. Eli’s a fine attorney. I’ll have him call Dex, set up a meeting.”

“Your referral will go a long way, I’m sure. Thank you. I appreciate it. In the meantime, I’ll be more here than I’m not, April. And even after I’ve left, I’ll still be available if something comes up. Dex is my brother. This firm was a big part of my life for many years. I don’t foresee I’ll ever truly cut the cord.”

She nodded, smiling tentatively. “So, I’ll be here for a while then. In a couple months, I’ll reevaluate as necessary.”

Preston nodded. “Your loyalty is something we treasure. We always have. Well, I always have. Dex will learn the importance of a good admin in keeping a business running the way it should.”

I turned my hand over to grip April’s. “What about you? Won’t you need an admin?”

The tips of my best friend’s ears went red. “I have a candidate in mind. We’ll see how it goes.”

April and I exchanged a look as Preston scooped up his file and headed to the door. “Ryan,” she mouthed while I nodded.

“Dinner later this week?” he asked from the doorway. “The four of us.”

“Are you going to cook?”

“Hell no. We’ll get takeout. Denny’s has a good sandwich.” The door shut behind him.

April dissolved into giggles. “Denny’s? Really?”

“The guy’s in love. Or he’s lost his mind. Seems like basically the same thing.” I grabbed the arm of her wheeled chair and rolled it over closer to mine. “Come here often?”

She glanced around. “I’ve actually never come here. But Ry and Preston defiled the records room.”

“Hmm. I do have a fondness for conference tables. But I don’t even work here.”

“So? I do.” She rose and shrugged out of her sweater before strolling over to the door and flipping the lock.

And when I swiveled my chair to face her, already loosening my tie, her suggestive expression was exactly on point.