“Are you sure you’re all right, boss?” Emma whispered.
Jo opened her eyes. She nodded, Emma’s hand still on her face.
God, Emma looked so beautiful, her brows furrowed, her eyes full of concern and shining like dark honey. She brushed her thumb over the apple of Jo’s cheek before sliding her hand back to tuck Jo’s hair behind her ear. Jo swallowed. Emma let out a breath and Jo could feel it, soft across her face. She blinked slowly, and when she opened her eyes again, Emma was even closer, too close. Jo should’ve known better, Jo should’ve pushed her away, should’ve leaned back, but she leaned forward instead, her nose brushing against Emma’s and—
Jo’s desk phone sounded shrill, too loud.
It rang again before Jo forced her eyes open. Emma was on the other end of the desk by that point, fingers twitching at her sides. Her face was bright red.
“Yes?” Jo answered the phone.
“I wanted to let you know your father is out of the building and won’t be allowed back without your say.” It was Mason, the security guard.
Jo breathed. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, ma’am.”
Jo hung up her phone.
Emma was still there. Jo could see her throat work as she swallowed.
Jo wanted to—she wanted to talk about this and wanted to ignore it in equal measure. What she wanted more than anything was for her phone not to have rung.
“You should eat your lunch before it gets cold,” Emma said. “I’ll be at my desk if you need me.”
She turned to leave and Jo couldn’t—she couldn’t let her go.
“Emma,” she said.
Emma looked back at her, eyes apprehensive. Jo looked away.
“Thank you,” she said. “For bringing me lunch.”
“Of course, boss,” Emma said softly.
She closed the door behind her when she left.
When Jo blinked, her eyes were wet.
—
At the end ofthe day, Emma hovered at the door to Jo’s office. It was only five o’clock, but Jo wasexhausted. Emma looked at her, looked away.
“Is there anything else, Ms. Jones?” she asked.
Jo thought about when Emma had been mad at her, how she stopped calling herbossfor a week.
“Emma,” Jo said. She wanted to apologize. Wanted to thank her. Wanted to kiss her. She sighed. “No, thank you. I’ll see you in the morning, Ms. Kaplan.”
16
EMMA
Emma unlocked her apartment door.
She didn’t remember the drive home. She didn’t even remember where she had parked her car. Everything was on autopilot: keys on the hook on the wall, shoes toed off and left by the door. In the kitchen, she got herself a glass of water, took one sip, then set it on the counter.
She almost kissed her boss.