Charming Co-Worker - Jeannine Colette Page 0,2

thought.

I should have worn the practical black wrap dress I have in my closet, but when I saw this one in the store, I knew he’d love it. At least, I hope he does.

Knowing it’s now or never, I inhale a deep breath and make my way toward him.

Hey, Branson.

What do you say you and I …

I was thinking we should …

Wait. What am I going to say to him?

“Katherine!” Branson sings as I approach. His smile beams from ear to ear, showing those glistening, pearly whites. “I’ve been looking for you, love.”

Did I mention he has a British accent? Yeah, add that to the list of things that make me melt on a daily basis.

My eyes widen as I smash my lips with a smile. “You needed me?”

He lays a hand on my arm and pulls me toward a group of people he’s conversing with, singling out one man in particular. “I want to introduce you to Mr. Vargas. He’s the chief of operations at corporate, and he’s been asking about my very apt assistant.”

Mr. Vargas extends a hand, and I take it, shaking it as he cups our joined hands with his other. “I was telling Branson what a wonderful job you do, keeping him on schedule. His last two assistants didn’t manage so well. And you’re always so pleasant on the phone.”

Mr. Vargas’s compliment makes me stand up taller.

Branson drops his hand from my arm yet keeps his place beside me. “I’m chuffed with this one. She’s been compiling the data from the Nielsen research we accumulated and is going to put on quite the presentation for us,” Branson boasts, and I feel like leaping out of my cherry-red heels. “She’s going places in this company.”

“A compliment from Branson Ford is as good as any. You stick by him, and you’ll be at the top for sure,” Mr. Vargas says.

I take a step closer to Branson and look up at him with a dreamy smile. “I have a great teacher and am taking notes every day.”

When his piercing gaze meets mine, I know this is it. Those sapphires are sparkling as they look back at me, and I feel the zing down in my toes. Tonight’s the night I’ll tell him how I feel. I’m going to do it. I’m going to put it all on the table and tell the man I’ve longed for from just twenty feet away for over twenty-four long months that he’s the man of my dreams.

“Ahem,” Mr. Vargas lets out a cough, getting our attention. As we look to him, he bows away. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go grab another glass of champagne.”

He leaves, and it’s just Branson and me standing in front of the windows. The view is magnificent with a straight shot of Columbus Circle, overlooking the foot of Central Park and down Fifty-Ninth Street, decorated in holiday lights as the snow flurries from the sky.

I don’t look out the window though. Because the man standing right here is more magnificent, and I can’t take my eyes off him.

“Branson,” I say as he says at the same time, “Katherine.”

I giggle like a schoolgirl for no reason and shake my head. “Sorry, you go,” I apologize for interrupting him.

He grins, and it has me pushing up on my toes. “No, ladies first,” he says.

My heart is beating wildly in my chest as my nerves race through my body. I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. I want to say so many things, and yet I can’t think of one.

A comment I heard just a few minutes ago rings in my ears as my mouth opens again, and I utter, “What do you say you and I get out of here early tonight?”

My eyes widen, and my stomach drops as I realize I just said that to my boss. I want to die. I gasp and cover my mouth in mortification of what just spilled out, but to my surprise, he doesn’t seem offended.

In fact, he’s smiling. His eyes gleam as he looks straight at me with an expression of relief. His mouth quirks up to the side as he says, “I was going to say the same thing.”

My heart is now in my stomach, my belly in a twist as butterflies flutter about. “Really?”

“Katherine,” he starts as I swallow in nervous anticipation.

This is it.

This is the moment he’s going to tell me he wants me to get in his car and go somewhere romantic.