The ARRANGEMENT

CHAPTER 4(EPISODE 2): THE DINNER

She should say it. She had six weeks, an eight-figure account, and a professional reputation that did not survive falling for a client mid-arrangement. She had every reason in the world to say the sentence that would end this in the back seat of a car instead of somewhere far more complicated.

"Don't," she said instead, so quietly it was almost lost under the sound of the engine. "Don't drop it."

Something shifted in his expression, relief, and want, and something that looked dangerously close to hope.

He didn't kiss her. Not yet. He reached over instead and laced his fingers through hers, slow and deliberate, resting their joined hands on the seat between them like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"For the record," he said, "I've broken worse contracts for worse reasons. This is the first one I've ever wanted to break."

The car pulled up outside her building. Neither of them moved for a moment longer than necessary.

"Six weeks," Alex said, finally, pulling her hand back gently, though it cost her more than she wanted to admit. "We finish what we started. Cleanly. No mess."

"And after?"

She didn't have an answer for that. For the first time in her career, she didn't have a plan.

"Goodnight, Nate," she said, and got out of the car before she did something that would make the next five weeks a great deal more complicated than a fake relationship was supposed to be.

She didn't look back to see his face. She was fairly sure, if she had, she wouldn't have made it up the stairs alone.

End of Chapter Four.