A Mutually Beneficial Secret: A Spicy Secret Office Relationship RomCom (The Unexpected Book 3), page 5
“What if you’re not in the mood?” he asks with a deeper tenor to his words.
I gulp and slowly peek over at him. There’s a darker ring around his light-gray eyes that holds me captive for one too many seconds. “The mood?” I finally ask.
He nods and—thankfully—leans a little further back in his chair. “When I was editing full-time, I had to be in the mood for certain genres in order to give the author my best work. I’m just wondering if your mind is the same.”
Clearly, not.
“All of the genres that I’m given to work on are ones I enjoy, so it hasn’t been a problem. I guess if it became one, I’d have to figure something out.” The thought makes my stomach churn. I couldn’t imagine not enjoying what I do.
“Very well.” He reaches for the pad of paper I didn’t even realize he’d set on the corner of my desk and pulls a pencil from his inner suitcoat pocket.
I try to see what he’s writing, but I can’t glean a damn thing, thanks to the muscled arm in my line of sight.
Maybe if I pretend he’s not here, this will go a lot better.
I swivel my chair to face my computer screen and bring up my email. While that loads, I grab my to-do list and give it a quick once-over.
There are three books in my queue to be edited. One is a development edit for an author named Gina who I’ve only worked with once before, but not for edits. Then, the other two are line edits for authors I’ve only ever heard of.
So far, communication between me and each of them has been easy, but I can’t deny that every time I send constructive notes back to the authors, I wonder how much they’ll hate me.
A lot of them can’t handle being told their book babies aren’t perfect, which I get. They pour their hearts and souls into these beasts, and someone saying it’s not right has to cut straight to the bone. That fear is the very reason I haven’t finished writing a single manuscript. Even if I eventually do…I doubt I’ll ever be as brave as these authors to share my work.
Gina promised me she has thick skin and asked that I really tear the book apart, so I’ve been a little more straightforward with hers. I just hope she wasn’t lying and my thoughts don’t ruin her day when I finally send them.
Outside of the edits, I also have communications with agents that I need to respond to, followed by new submissions to sort through.
“What’s that?” Colin asks, and I jump in my seat.
Shit. I’d actually almost forgotten he was in the room.
His hand flinches as if he wants to reach for me, but at the last second stops and settles it back on the desk. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
I ignore his apology. “What’s what?”
He points to my computer screen, and my eyes follow. “Is an author giving you problems?”
There’s an email toward the top that’s titled “I love to hate you”, and it’s from Michael, a Sci-Fi romance author whose book I edited while I was working from home.
I click on the message and laugh when I read the first line.
Piper,
When I got your notes back, I deleted the email and told my agent you had no clue what you were doing. She forwarded me her copy of the email and told me to read it again, have a good night’s rest, and read the words for a third time before I decided to really hate you.
Well, I did decide.
I hate you for being right, but I love you for the same reason. Thank you for your insight and really taking the time to understand Mira and Flynn. Their story is so much better because you didn’t pull any punches, but you also weren’t an asshole which is appreciated by the way.
I look forward to sending you the next book and it’s coming along nicely thanks to your advice.
All the best,
Michael Reeves
“Do you get emails like that often?” Colin asks, seeming to be genuinely curious.
I shrug and mark the email as unread, so I remember to go back and reply when I don’t have an audience. “A few respond that way, but I’ve only been doing this for six months now. I think Michael’s was the fourth book I edited.”
Colin’s pencil taps against the pad of paper still in his grip. “Hopefully nobody is ever disrespectful or inappropriate when replying.”
I let out an awkward chuckle. “Hasn’t happened yet, but I’m sure it will someday. Hazards of the job.”
“Of course, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with them.” His mouth turns down. “You should tell me if anyone ever crosses a line they shouldn’t, and I’ll handle the situation myself.”
The protective tone in his words does funny things to my stomach. I’m sure he doesn’t mean them to sound heroic, but hell, I can’t help hearing them that way or watching the way his mouth moves while he speaks and wondering what other things he might be able to elicit from me…
“So, what’s next?” he finally asks, interrupting my wayward thoughts.
With a sigh—mostly from frustration with myself—I turn back to my computer. “You get to watch me take notes and read the emails I’ve received since yesterday.”
“Great.” He moves his chair another inch closer.
I think this man is trying to kill me with his presence. Seriously, if he gets any closer, I just might die. Then, my headstone would read some bullshit like “Here lies Piper Lucille Fitz. A hot mess who died from sexual tension.”
Yeah, Kenzie would absolutely do something like that to me. Maybe I should think about a will… Might not be a bad idea.
First, I have to survive these meetings with Colin.
How can he act as if everything is completely normal after the way we dry humped each other on the dance floor and how intimately our tongues became acquainted?
Maybe it’s a British thing. Maybe kissing and dancing isn’t a big deal to them.
Or maybe he’d had more to drink than I realized and has no clue that we kissed.
Oh, God. What if I say something and he thinks I’m a psycho?
That alone is enough for me to force the memory of New Year’s night to the dark recesses of my mind and focus on work like I’m supposed to be doing.
There are a few emails from agents I’ve never heard of, soliciting their author’s books to me. Most of them won’t ever see the light of day, but at Alliteration we try to give the benefit of the doubt for new submissions.
I forward all of those emails to the reader group email. They’re our first line of defense for books and agents we don’t currently have a relationship with, a Godsend that takes hours of work out of my week. They sort through them and prioritize chapters however needed. I’m rather thankful I don’t have to worry about that process.
“Do you think the process for submissions works efficiently?” Colin asks, staring right into my eyes when I turn back to him.
My breath hitches, and it takes a second longer to answer than I would like. “I don’t really know any different, so I’m not sure. I don’t feel like we’re constantly late on anything, which tells me that something is working.”
He raises a brow. “But?”
“But there’s nothing wrong with change, either. I guess we’ll find out once you’re done sitting with each of us.”
Colin says nothing more, and I go back to doing my job as best I can, considering his nearness. The bounce of his knee, the intensity of his stare, even when it’s not directly on me, the smell of his woodsy aftershave... All of it is like sensory overload, but I manage to get the rest of my morning things completed before opening Gina’s manuscript.
You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.
How could I have done this to myself? No, the fates couldn’t be that cruel.
The comment I last left marks where I ended and is right at the start of a sex scene. Am I really going to read deliciously written porn with this attractive man next to me?
Absolutely not. If I thought I was going to die sitting next to him, I might explode from the expertly detailed sex scene that awaits me.
His thick cock pulsates inside her tight pussy…
Dear lord. What am I doing right now?
I needed to focus, and not on sex or how attracted I am to the one man in this city I can’t have.
Yes, I can do that. I have to.
What the hell was I doing before? Oh, yeah. Bypassing the porn. Right.
Given Colin doesn’t know my process, I quickly scroll past my comment and find myself at the start of another chapter that isn’t nearly as awkward to read.
He points his pen at the screen. “There were several pages without comments. Does that happen often?”
Shit. I have no idea how to answer that and take a drink of my water while I flounder for words.
“Some scenes I like to marinate on. Give them a read through and then come back to them once I’ve finished the rest of the book. Helps my notes incorporate the bigger picture, you know?”
For a total lie, it isn’t half-bad. I mean I do go back to some notes and leave more details about how I felt in the moment and then once the book was done, but I don’t ever skip entire scenes like that.
Colin makes more notes, and I begin my job. Quickly, I’m immersed in a fantasy world filled with epic magic, detailed world-building, and suspense that has all other thoughts in my mind vanishing by the line I consume.
I’m several notes and a dozen pages in before Colin taps me on the shoulder and nearly gives me a heart attack.
My hand covers my chest, and I turn toward him. He’s much closer than I expected, and my eyes fall directly to his lips. My tongue darts out, wetting my own, and I take a deep inhale. Our proximity makes my heart race and I’m not even sure what’s happening.
“Piper?” His eyes rove over me, branding my skin everywhere they go.
“Huh? I mean, sorry. You scared me. I kind of forgot you were here again,” I stammer and attempt to move further away from him, but I’m blocked in by my desk.
His hand reaches forward and pushes a hair back that was stuck to my lip. “I see that. Maybe I should come back this afternoon when you’re through some of those chapters?”
“I’ll be doing this all day. I don’t know how informative observing me will be until I’m done with the book,” I say, trying not to melt in my seat from his closeness.
He finally backs up. “Very well. I don’t want to be overly intrusive. When will you be done with the book?”
I laugh without meaning to. “Done, done? Or done with this read-through and set of comments?”
His head cocks to the side. “Both.”
Since he doesn’t seem to know how I was trained, I detail my plans for this book. “I’ll be done with my first round of comments late today, as long as no fires pop up. Then, I’ll print the book, take it home, and make more additions with a slower read-through. After that, I’ll add everything to the electronic copy and send that to the author. Then, I’m done until they have questions or are ready for line edits.”
He frowns. “Do you always take the books home to work after hours?”
“When I was working from home and wasn’t with my friends, I’d find myself picking up the books to keep working. I truly enjoy what I do, so it doesn’t always feel like work, if that makes sense.”
Colin reaches for his notepad and buttons the front of his suit, now that he’s standing. “Makes perfect sense. I’ll see you tomorrow, Piper.”
As he walks out of my office, shutting the door behind him, I fall back into my chair.
Why did that last bit feel like a threat instead of a confirmation?
Chapter Eight
PENIS READY
Colin
Fuck. I was only at Piper’s desk for a little over an hour, and my cock is hard as a rock while walking back to my office. I’d thought pushing her buttons would be fun, but the idea has completely backfired on me.
At least my time with Piper won’t be just for my torture. It should also be good for the team, if I can survive the first few days being so close to that alluring woman. Getting to know the other editors’ processes will help to streamline the way we do things now that everyone is together, but… Shit. Maybe I should have saved being so close to Piper for last.
Well, it’s too late for that now.
Once I’m logged into my computer, I see that I have an email from Steve. He wants an update on how my meeting went yesterday. A bit annoying that he doesn’t trust me to handle my staff, but I reply anyway, detailing my plans for the next several weeks.
By the time I’m done typing the email, I feel better about the whole situation. Yes, being around Piper is difficult, but the main purpose behind all of this should work swimmingly.
I might not be the most social person, but I know how to supervise and get shit done. This will be the best way to garner respect from those who haven’t been in the office and to cement the relationships I’ve already been building with the others.
I go about my day, and before I know it, it’s more than half over. I’ve been going through emails from some of the readers about potential manuscripts and assigning them to the other editors for another pass before we make official offers on anything.
“Your toasted chicken sandwich, Colin,” Sandy, the department assistant, says as she hands me a white bag.
The smell of toasted focaccia bread fills my senses, and I groan. “I didn’t realize I was hungry until you walked in. Thanks for bringing this to me.”
She smiles and brushes a few strands of silver hair behind her left ear. “Do you need anything else?”
I’m already opening the bag when I say, “No. Thank you for asking.”
She disappears without another word, and I let out a happy sigh. One of the biggest adjustments when I first moved here was the food. I’ve slowly gotten used to the greasier and heavier style cooking, but when I found a sandwich shop that uses focaccia bread, I nearly wept with joy.
The bread is still warm from being toasted, and I quickly take my first bite. With my mouth full, I reach for a napkin before the special sauce they use can drip down my chin.
As I’m cleaning my face, my boss Steve walks in. “Lunch time, eh?”
I nod and swallow a bite that should have been chewed a bit longer. “Seems like it.”
He leans against my doorframe, and I’m slightly grateful he’s not getting too comfortable. “I know I already came by this morning, and I don’t want to sound like a broken record or an overbearing boss, but after reading your email, I just wanted to come convey in person how glad I was to read your plans. I’ll admit that I was worried for a while when you remained stand-offish. Alliteration is all about working as a team that’s actually more of a family, and we want you to be front and center of the editors. So, thank you for stepping up now that you have your whole group under you, and please know we appreciate the efforts you’re making now.”
I want to ask if he thought I wasn’t making an effort before, but I hold my tongue. As long as he’s happy now, I don’t need to dredge up the past.
“Glad to hear it,” I say since I’m not sure what he expects from me. His managing tactics aren’t anything I’ve worked with before.
“Alright. Well, I’ll let you get back to things. Let me know if you need anything from me. In the meantime, I’ll back off while you’re getting to know your team.”
Nothing would make me happier, I think but definitely don’t say out loud.
I take another bite of my lunch and wave as he walks out.
Now, if only I could figure out how to handle this situation with Piper, things would be dandy.
The following day, I get the email I’ve been anticipating from Piper. She’s done with her first round of edits on the manuscript she’s been working on, so it’s time for me to return to her office to see how she handles the next steps.
My heart speeds up, and I place my hands on the metal desktop in front of me. I take a deep breath to get my shit together. I shouldn’t be this smitten with a woman after having only kissed her. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but something has to change.
Maybe it’s time I said something to her. Lay everything out instead of pretending that night didn’t happen.
The more I think about that option, the more I think it’s the best solution, but that doesn’t make it any easier after having worked with her and kept my mouth shut.
Then again, she hasn’t said anything, either.
I grab my notepad and pencil, then give my head a solid shake. “I’m a grown man. I can talk about kissing a woman and not lose my shit.”
Without allowing myself to continue overthinking, I open my door and head toward Piper’s. She’s only four doors down from me, and I’m there in mere seconds.
Her office is open, and I hear music playing softly from inside.
When I step through the doorway, her head is bobbing and her lips are moving, but no words are coming out. I smile, observing her without her knowing, and something warms inside me.
Damn it. I can’t do this. She’s my employee. One I’m not allowed to date, according to the legal documents I signed when I took this job. I know I said I didn’t care before, but that was possibly an understatement.
I knock on the frame, and her head jerks toward me. “Oh. I didn’t think you’d be here so quickly.”
My palms are sweaty, and I switch the notepad to my other hand before answering. “You said you were done. I thought I’d head right over so you weren’t left waiting. Do you need more time?”
She shakes her head and pushes back in her chair. “No, you’re fine. Have a seat.”
I close the door behind me this time. Normally, I would prefer it open because people like to talk about what they don’t know, but if I’m going to have a much-needed conversation with this woman, then I don’t want anyone to overhear.
The thought occurs to me that I could ask her to meet me after work, but I dismiss it quickly. That would only be asking for more problems if someone saw us.
Piper eyes the closed door before turning back to her computer screen. “Do you want to see every step, like how I print the pages, or just the overall process?”
