“Okay. I think you’re arrogant.”
He nodded. “I’ve heard that before.”
“And cocky.”
He nodded again.
“And you’re clearly a flirt. You’ve got all the women in the office whipped—”
He cut me off, “Do I have you whipped?”
I tisked loudly. “Absolutely not.”
“Anything else?”
I collected myself. “You’re obviously very good at what you do,” I said. “And you seem very professional—like me—and I’m sure we will become very good colleagues.”
“I’m sure we will,” he said, folding his arms and leaning against the doorway in that cool, relaxed I-don’t-give-a-crap way.
“Um . . . I have to go now. Early meeting, you know. Need my sleep.”
His demeanor changed somewhat. “Right. I’m really sorry for waking you. The landlord—what a flaming weirdo that guy is, by the way,” he said, suddenly seguing and I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I thought he was going to strip search me when I came into the building.”
“He’s pretty mad, wait until you come to the next body corporate meeting . . .” I stopped myself mid-sentence. I didn’t want to encourage more conversation.
“I bet!” Ben smiled again. Nothing melted this time but it did give me a very warm fuzzy feeling. “Anyway, he said the neighbors were a gay couple, so I assumed there’d be no children staying in the second bedroom.”
“Nope,” I said as I continued to walk towards the door, “I’m the child.”
“Well, sorry again, Sera.”Stop saying my name. Stop saying my name.
I gave him one last little nod as I walked into the corridor.
“Sera,” he called after me. “Please close the door behind you.”
“Sure,” I called back without turning around.
“And Sera . . .” he called again. “Go out with me?”
I stopped dead in my tracks as his words stunned me into some strange silence. I paused for a moment before swiveling around and looking at him.
“What did you say?”
“Dinner? I’m a really good cook.”
I shook my head involuntarily. “Sorry? What?”
“A date. Go out with me?” He smiled again—more warm fuzzies.
“I don’t think so.”
“Why not?” He started walking towards me again, but this time I didn’t move—couldn’t move—my feet felt like they’d frozen into the floor. He walked all the way up to me, stopped and then placed his body casually against the wall in another lethal lean.
“Why not?”
“Well, firstly, you’re my boss, and secondly, I don’t date.”
“I don’t believe that.”
