And the fact that I was still thinking about touching her was the reason she had to go.
“I’m not a standup guy,” I said, my voice low and rough. “We both know that. That’s another reason why you’ll be better off with Laura.”
“Fine,” Lily said, clipping her syllables. “But if you think that’s going to solve the problem, you’re wrong.”
I didn’t say anything as she turned on her heel and walked out. Of course it would solve the problem. It would take a few days, but eventually, the old principle of out of sight, out of mind would take effect. I turned back to my computer, trying to ignore the shape of her in my peripheral vision.
Just a few more days, I told myself.
* * *
Lily disappeared at lunch. I told myself I was glad. But when I saw her sitting in the cafeteria with a guy from the media rights advisory team, my fingers curled into fists again. I knew Devon just well enough to know I didn’t like him. I made a mental note to fire him the next time he so much as forgot to return a phone call.
Lily was laughing at something he was saying, and the slant of sunlight she sat in gilded her golden skin and hair. She looked luminous, and Devon couldn’t keep his eyes off her. I’d planned to grab a quick bite here, but now I decided to go out.
I was back at my desk with my sandwich when Lily came back from lunch. Angie, Maureen’s temp, was still out, so the two of us were effectively alone. Lily had a small smile on her lips, and her cheeks were flushed the way they’d been after I kissed her the first time. Had she let that prick Devon kiss her? I imagined the two of them alone in the elevator, his hands on her, and my whole body turned to stone. Forget waiting for a missed phone call, I’d fire him now.
Our gazes caught, and I was glad there was glass between us. She jolted slightly when she saw me at my desk. She’d expected me to still be out the way I usually was. Then the smile dropped from her lips. She raised her eyebrows—half challenge, half question.
My finger itched to press the intercom button and call her in. I’d tell her that if she so much as passed Devon in the lobby, he’d never work in this town again. But if I took the leash off my temper long enough to do that, there was no telling what else I might do if I had Lily alone again.
A long moment stretched between us, and I had a feeling she knew exactly what I was debating. She was waiting to see which side would win out–the one that couldn’t resist her or the one that had to.
I was waiting too.
But before either side could win the tug of war, the door behind her opened and Angie came in. Lily broke eye contact to look over at her and smile. I kept my eyes on the back of Lily’s golden head and wondered how many times we’d find ourselves back in this exact situation.
And how I would continue to keep my hands off her.