“You work so hard.”
“For you, I’m trying to find ways to cut back,” he said.
“It’s okay. I like that you’re passionate.”
“I want to see you that way, too,” he responded.
I smiled against his chest. “I see you have a new receptionist.”
“New receptionist and new problems.”
“How come?”
“The old receptionist, Clare, is threatening a wrongful termination lawsuit. She claims Arnaud came on to her several times, and she turned him down, so that’s why we fired her.”
I lifted my head to look at him. “But that’s not why. I was there.”
“I know. She called to let me know she’s going to hire a lawyer to sue for sexual harassment.”
I started to balk when I realized who I was talking to. David’s reputation hadn’t materialized out of thin air. There was a very real possibility he’d slept with her. “Did you—”
“Never,” he said. “I never touched her. I’m not that fucking stupid, and neither is Arnaud.”
I believed him, but Arnaud? My creep radar went haywire in his presence. “You don’t think there’s any chance he tried?”
“Arnaud and I have done business together for a long time,” David said. “We would never have gotten this far without being honest with one another. He knows I wouldn’t allow that shit in my office. Too risky.” His chest rose and fell with a sigh. “I did ask, though, just to be certain. He says he kept things entirely professional.”
“Huh.”
“What are you thinking?” he asked.
David’s work was his life, and Arnaud was a member of his team. But Arnaud was a pig, I could tell. Still, I proceeded cautiously. “Don’t disregard her just yet. Maybe she’ll drop it if you guys take it seriously and apologize.”
“Apologize for what?” he asked. “She’s pissed off that I fired her, and she’s trying to get back at us. I don’t like to indulge that kind of behavior.”
I glanced up at him. “If that were true, why wouldn’t she accuseyouof sexual harassment instead of Arnaud?” I asked.
He rubbed his eyebrow. “Good point.”
“Do you really want to go through the hassle of a lawsuit?” I asked. “One that would likely end in a huge settlement and a mark on your company’s reputation?”
“No.”
“So acknowledge that it’s possible she’s telling the truth. And, honey, I’m sorry, but . . . the way you fired her wasn’t very nice.”
He grunted and looked up at the ceiling. I ran a finger over each of his eyebrows and then over his lips, still amazed that I was lying in his bed and that I was allowed to justenjoyhim. He caught my hand in his and kissed my knuckles.
“I don’t want to talk about them while I’m in bed with you,” he decided.
I resettled my head on his chest. “What do you want to talk about then?”
“I’ll probably regret bringing this up, but was it too bad at the clothing store today?”
“No,” I said honestly. “I decided I’d better get used to running into women you’ve slept with.”
His chest rose as he laughed. “I’m sorry. If I’d known all along I’d end up here, I would’ve remained a virgin.”
I pinched his arm. “Liar. So long as I’m the one who gets to keep you, we’re good.”
