choice it would take her life from simple and smooth to difficult and bumpy.
Just make it to Friday. Maiya closed her eyes. Friday was an eternity away.
Chapter Eight
The next morning, Ryan stood at his kitchen window, coffee mug in hand, peering out at the wooden play gym he’d built for his son.
Jacob would be home on Friday.
Fatigue weighed heavy in his body, as if he’d been up all night on baby patrol. Suspended somewhere between semi-sleep and complete consciousness, he dreamed of Maiya. At one point, he rolled over in bed and swore her scent was on his sheets.
Maiya would go home on Friday.
Heaviness settled in his chest, and he rubbed the spot. One day wasn’t much time. A befuddled mess of confusion filled his mind. What did he think? He’d get her in bed for a one-night stand and then move on? There was way too much on the line to be playing around like that.
He’d see her today, or maybe he wouldn’t. Of course, he could avoid her altogether and work from home. Coward. He coughed, and then downed the last of his coffee. He needed to be a man about the situation. No sex with Maiya—no nothing with Maiya. The heaviness in his chest increased and he cringed. Did he really want nothing with Maiya?
He rolled the question around in his mind on his drive to work, tasted it with his tongue. It was bitter. If he was honest, he wanted something with her. But what with a woman like her though? The idea terrified him.
So much to lose. So much to gain. But…what if?
The office buzzed with loud voices and random phones ringing. Ryan walked to his cube, glancing into his neighbors’ cubicles along the way. Family pictures, plants or little cartoon jokes pinned to the gray cloth walls decorated nearly all of them.
Ryan had no personal pictures displayed. No one at work even knew he had a child. Landing this job, and all the opportunity it offered, including the salary, had been exactly what he needed for a fresh start. Call him old fashioned, but he didn’t want his being a single parent to limit his chances of rising in the ranks. Companies were far more understanding where women were concerned in regards to single parenting. It was less of an oddity these days for men; still, he didn’t want to risk it.
He stared at his bland cubicle walls while his PC started up. A few business certifications and awards were pinned up, and a calendar displaying various racing Porsches—the calendar being the one thing showing even a hint of his personality.
Ryan Donnelly: all business, straight-laced, reliable and, most of all, in control.
“Hey.”
He swiveled in his chair and met Maiya’s gaze. “Good morning.”
“Morning. We have a meeting in conference room six-sixty-four.” She leaned forward into his cube, both arms spread out and braced on the portable walls of the entrance.
His skin went tight, tingling all over. Were her eyes this light yesterday? He stood and stepped up to her. “When?” He studied her irises. Today they looked pale hazel with flecks of green and gold surrounding the pupil. “God, your eyes are beautiful.”
“Thanks.” Her lips quirked into a meek smile. “In ten minutes.” Raising her hand, she adjusted his tie.
Snatching her hand, he cupped it between both of his and kissed her knuckles. “Have dinner with me tonight?”
“Ryan, stop.” She looked down the hall stretching to the left and right behind her. “Someone’s gonna see.”
She tried to pull her hand away but he held fast to it. “Say yes.” He kissed her fingers again. “Please?”
“Ryan, come on.” Maiya pinned him with a stare and lowered her voice. “Nothing good can come from this.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.” He tilted his head to the side. “Come to dinner with me. We’ll talk.”
“I’ll think about it.” She tugged her hand free. This time he let her. “I’ll see you at the meeting. Don’t be late.”
Maiya hurried away from Ryan’s cube, praying no one had noticed them together.
Just make it to Friday. Maiya closed her eyes. Friday was an eternity away.
Chapter Eight
The next morning, Ryan stood at his kitchen window, coffee mug in hand, peering out at the wooden play gym he’d built for his son.
Jacob would be home on Friday.
Fatigue weighed heavy in his body, as if he’d been up all night on baby patrol. Suspended somewhere between semi-sleep and complete consciousness, he dreamed of Maiya. At one point, he rolled over in bed and swore her scent was on his sheets.
Maiya would go home on Friday.
Heaviness settled in his chest, and he rubbed the spot. One day wasn’t much time. A befuddled mess of confusion filled his mind. What did he think? He’d get her in bed for a one-night stand and then move on? There was way too much on the line to be playing around like that.
He’d see her today, or maybe he wouldn’t. Of course, he could avoid her altogether and work from home. Coward. He coughed, and then downed the last of his coffee. He needed to be a man about the situation. No sex with Maiya—no nothing with Maiya. The heaviness in his chest increased and he cringed. Did he really want nothing with Maiya?
He rolled the question around in his mind on his drive to work, tasted it with his tongue. It was bitter. If he was honest, he wanted something with her. But what with a woman like her though? The idea terrified him.
So much to lose. So much to gain. But…what if?
The office buzzed with loud voices and random phones ringing. Ryan walked to his cube, glancing into his neighbors’ cubicles along the way. Family pictures, plants or little cartoon jokes pinned to the gray cloth walls decorated nearly all of them.
Ryan had no personal pictures displayed. No one at work even knew he had a child. Landing this job, and all the opportunity it offered, including the salary, had been exactly what he needed for a fresh start. Call him old fashioned, but he didn’t want his being a single parent to limit his chances of rising in the ranks. Companies were far more understanding where women were concerned in regards to single parenting. It was less of an oddity these days for men; still, he didn’t want to risk it.
He stared at his bland cubicle walls while his PC started up. A few business certifications and awards were pinned up, and a calendar displaying various racing Porsches—the calendar being the one thing showing even a hint of his personality.
Ryan Donnelly: all business, straight-laced, reliable and, most of all, in control.
“Hey.”
He swiveled in his chair and met Maiya’s gaze. “Good morning.”
“Morning. We have a meeting in conference room six-sixty-four.” She leaned forward into his cube, both arms spread out and braced on the portable walls of the entrance.
His skin went tight, tingling all over. Were her eyes this light yesterday? He stood and stepped up to her. “When?” He studied her irises. Today they looked pale hazel with flecks of green and gold surrounding the pupil. “God, your eyes are beautiful.”
“Thanks.” Her lips quirked into a meek smile. “In ten minutes.” Raising her hand, she adjusted his tie.
Snatching her hand, he cupped it between both of his and kissed her knuckles. “Have dinner with me tonight?”
“Ryan, stop.” She looked down the hall stretching to the left and right behind her. “Someone’s gonna see.”
She tried to pull her hand away but he held fast to it. “Say yes.” He kissed her fingers again. “Please?”
“Ryan, come on.” Maiya pinned him with a stare and lowered her voice. “Nothing good can come from this.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.” He tilted his head to the side. “Come to dinner with me. We’ll talk.”
“I’ll think about it.” She tugged her hand free. This time he let her. “I’ll see you at the meeting. Don’t be late.”
Maiya hurried away from Ryan’s cube, praying no one had noticed them together.
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