“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 ismyold 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’smyresponsibility 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 ratherawkward 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 belooked 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?”
