myself I was going to take things slowly,” Randi murmured, “And here you go screwing up all my plans.” Her fingers trailed down Elan’s chest as she kissed Elan back, eager and ready.
Suddenly, Elan scooped Randi up into his arms, her head resting against the curve of his neck. She sighed. Elan had certainly being keeping a part of himself under wraps. He carried her to the bedroom and gently placed her on the bed. She looked up at him with half-closed eyes, happy to let him direct the proceedings as she kicked off her shoes. Her recent encounter with Joe was completely forgotten, and for a few moments, so was Lee.
Stretching out on the bed beside her, Elan gently ran his hand down Randi’s side, as he looked into her eyes, propped up on one elbow. “Oh we can take this as slow as you want,” he said softly, as his fingers trailed over her bare skin. Randi stroked his handsome face with one hand; his grey eyes were liquid with desire. A moment of professional clarity inserted itself, though, and Randi cleared her throat, trying to find her voice.
“Is this a good idea?” she asked. “You are my boss, after all.”
He idly played with a piece of her auburn hair, “I don’t meet many single women, you know, especially beautiful ones that can understand my job…and me.”
It wasn’t an answer, and Randi pressed, “Elan, believe me, it’s been way too long since I felt inclined to do…this.” She brushed his hair with her hand, “But workplace romance, you know, it can be a recipe for disaster. We don’t even really know each other yet.”
Sighing, Elan rolled to his back and stared at the ceiling. “Stop being so damn reasonable. Maybe we’d both be happier doing something that seems irresponsible and stupid.”
Sitting up, Randi looked at her hands in her lap, trying to figure out what she should say, what she should do. “You’re an attractive man Elan, and smart and accomplished. I like all of that. But we’ve got to work together, so let’s not rush this. Let’s give things a little time and make sure that we’re not jumping into bed because I had a scary experience and you had a shot of liquid courage.”
“Will you at least make me tuna noodle casserole?” Elan sat up and gave Randi a resigned smile.
Randi laughed softly, “You bet. One white girl tuna noodle casserole coming up.” She found a worn denim shirt in her closet and slipped it on. “At least the casserole baking will cover up the way I smell. I haven’t even showered off our run!”
‘I thought you smelled amazing, but I’m not so sure about me,” Elan joked, sniffing at an armpit.
“Go have a shower while I put the casserole together, and then I’ll jump in while it’s baking.”
He nodded, “Sounds like a plan.” He ran a hand over her shoulder, “That’ll give me a chance to calm down.”
Randi expelled a heavy sigh as she we went back to the kitchen. Tuna noodle casserole was going to salvage the moment. She bustled around the kitchen, getting things together, reminding herself that she had made the right decision. If she and Elan were meant to be a couple, things would hold.
Randi turned up the Stones as she clattered dishes and silver, never hearing the big green truck that rolled into her drive. Suddenly her dinner prep was interrupted by a knock on the screen door. Startled, she turned to see Lee standing under the porch light.
“Lee!” was all she managed to say, and at that moment a shirtless Elan came out of the bathroom, toweling
Suddenly, Elan scooped Randi up into his arms, her head resting against the curve of his neck. She sighed. Elan had certainly being keeping a part of himself under wraps. He carried her to the bedroom and gently placed her on the bed. She looked up at him with half-closed eyes, happy to let him direct the proceedings as she kicked off her shoes. Her recent encounter with Joe was completely forgotten, and for a few moments, so was Lee.
Stretching out on the bed beside her, Elan gently ran his hand down Randi’s side, as he looked into her eyes, propped up on one elbow. “Oh we can take this as slow as you want,” he said softly, as his fingers trailed over her bare skin. Randi stroked his handsome face with one hand; his grey eyes were liquid with desire. A moment of professional clarity inserted itself, though, and Randi cleared her throat, trying to find her voice.
“Is this a good idea?” she asked. “You are my boss, after all.”
He idly played with a piece of her auburn hair, “I don’t meet many single women, you know, especially beautiful ones that can understand my job…and me.”
It wasn’t an answer, and Randi pressed, “Elan, believe me, it’s been way too long since I felt inclined to do…this.” She brushed his hair with her hand, “But workplace romance, you know, it can be a recipe for disaster. We don’t even really know each other yet.”
Sighing, Elan rolled to his back and stared at the ceiling. “Stop being so damn reasonable. Maybe we’d both be happier doing something that seems irresponsible and stupid.”
Sitting up, Randi looked at her hands in her lap, trying to figure out what she should say, what she should do. “You’re an attractive man Elan, and smart and accomplished. I like all of that. But we’ve got to work together, so let’s not rush this. Let’s give things a little time and make sure that we’re not jumping into bed because I had a scary experience and you had a shot of liquid courage.”
“Will you at least make me tuna noodle casserole?” Elan sat up and gave Randi a resigned smile.
Randi laughed softly, “You bet. One white girl tuna noodle casserole coming up.” She found a worn denim shirt in her closet and slipped it on. “At least the casserole baking will cover up the way I smell. I haven’t even showered off our run!”
‘I thought you smelled amazing, but I’m not so sure about me,” Elan joked, sniffing at an armpit.
“Go have a shower while I put the casserole together, and then I’ll jump in while it’s baking.”
He nodded, “Sounds like a plan.” He ran a hand over her shoulder, “That’ll give me a chance to calm down.”
Randi expelled a heavy sigh as she we went back to the kitchen. Tuna noodle casserole was going to salvage the moment. She bustled around the kitchen, getting things together, reminding herself that she had made the right decision. If she and Elan were meant to be a couple, things would hold.
Randi turned up the Stones as she clattered dishes and silver, never hearing the big green truck that rolled into her drive. Suddenly her dinner prep was interrupted by a knock on the screen door. Startled, she turned to see Lee standing under the porch light.
“Lee!” was all she managed to say, and at that moment a shirtless Elan came out of the bathroom, toweling
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