Corner Office Confessions

Chapter 11: Monday Morning

Everything was different on Monday, and nothing had changed at all.

Nerisa sat at her desk exactly as she had every morning for weeks, except now she couldn't stop replaying the terrace, the kiss, the way Nathan had looked at her like she'd cracked something open in him he thought was sealed shut for good.

He hadn't texted. He hadn't called. And when he finally walked past her desk at nine sharp, he barely glanced her way.

"Ms. Smith." Clipped. Professional. Like Saturday night hadn't happened at all.

Something in her chest sank, but she kept her face neutral. "Mr. Vance."

He disappeared into his office and didn't emerge for hours. By lunch, she'd convinced herself she'd imagined the whole thing — until Marla appeared at her desk with a folded note, expression carefully unreadable.

*My office. 6pm. After everyone's gone. — N.*

Her pulse kicked up despite herself.

At six, the floor was empty, the way it always was when Nathan wanted privacy. She found him standing at the window again, same position as the day they'd met, like the city was the only thing steady enough to hold his attention.

"You've been avoiding me," she said, closing the door behind her.

"I've been trying to figure out how to do this without destroying either of our careers." He turned, and the mask from that morning was gone, replaced by something tired and honest. "I'm not good at this, Nerisa. Any of it."

"Nobody's asking you to be good at it. Just honest."

He crossed the room slowly, stopping close enough that she had to tilt her head to hold his gaze. "Then honestly — I haven't stopped thinking about Saturday since it happened. And it terrifies me."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know how to have this and not ruin it."

She reached up, resting her palm against his chest, feeling his heartbeat unsteady beneath her hand. "Then we figure it out together."