Once my Memorandum is finished, and I’ve proofed it three times—because if Lorraine catches a comma out of place, I’ll get an ass-chewing—I print it and head to the copier for one last round of copies. One for Lorraine, one for me, and one for Matt, just because I know it will piss Lorraine off that I think I need to copy Matt on this.
As the papers are shooting out from the copier into the collection bin, my mind wanders. Of course, I think of Matt. I wonder what he has planned this weekend, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was obsessing on the possible fact that he could be hooking up with someone else. Although we’ve been very clear and honest about giving into our attraction to each other, we never talked about us being monogamous. Matt has no need for loyalty to me because I’ve not asked for it, and my stomach churns over the fact that he might be screwing someone else tonight.
Someone prettier than me. Smarter than me. Sexier than me.
Sighing in longing and frustration, I don’t notice the man standing next to the copier.
“Legal research gives me the same feeling,” he says, assuming my sighs have more to do with the law than love.
Looking up, I see a very handsome man. He stands about six foot with dark blond hair and warm brown eyes. Dressed casually in jeans and a polo shirt, he leans one arm on the copier and pulls my copies out. Scanning it briefly, he says, “Piercing the corporate veil, huh? Dry stuff.”
Nodding, I give him a smile in agreement. “Yup. Just spent a lovely seven hours on this puppy. I’m not entirely sure I’m not in a coma right now. Am I talking okay?”
Laughing, he hands me the copies and says, “You’re talking just fine. I’m Cal Carson, by the way.”
He sticks his hand out to me, and I give it a shake. “McKayla Dawson, first-year associate and relegated to the law library on weekends.”
I take the copies from him and slip them in my briefcase. Standing up, I look back at Cal. “So, what type of law do you do?”
“Corporate and insurance defense,” he says, with about as much enthusiasm as a man getting ready to have his teeth drilled. “But I’m thinking of a career change. You?”
“Oh, a little of this, a little of that. Whatever my boss tells me to do, actually.”
“Been there, done that,” he commiserates. “It will get better over time.”
We both start walking out of the library together. “Didn’t you have copies to make? I just assumed you were waiting for me to get done.”
“Nah… I just saw you standing there and thought I’d introduce myself. Say… if you want me to read your memo, I’d be glad to. I just gave a symposium on this very subject.”
“Really?” I ask, grateful to have another opinion. If I’m wrong about something, I can get it corrected and save myself from a Lorraine Special Tongue Lashing. “I don’t want to bother you or anything.”
“It’s not a bother and certainly no hardship to help out a beautiful woman,” he says, his eyes showing a tad bit warmer than they were before. I blush prettily because his words are nice, and I’m in a Matt funk.
“Okay… how about I buy you a cup of coffee across the street, and you can take a gander at it?”
Cal takes my elbow as we exit the law library. “I’ll agree only if I buy the coffee.”
“But that doesn’t seem fair.” I laugh. “You have to do work and pay for coffee.”
“Trust me,” Cal says. “Being able to spend half an hour in your presence is payment enough.”
I look at Cal in a different light right now. He’s clearly flirting with me, and I like it. It’s been so very long since someone has done that. Not even Matt has taken the time, because he knows I’m a sure thing. He knows without a doubt that I’ll drop trou when he crooks his finger at me.
But this is different. Since Pete, no one of the male persuasion has caused me to blush or made butterflies dance in my stomach.
Giving him a blinding smile, I say, “Okay… I accept your offer of coffee. Lead the way.”