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“I asked you to,” she repeated slowly. She stared around in confusion before making a low moan of horror. “Oh God, I was dreaming. Wh-why was I dreaming?”
“You were asleep in my office when I came in this morning,” he said.
“I was asleep in your… oh shit!” She gave him a terrified look. “I am so sorry, Mr. Dawson. I didn’t mean to do that. Please don’t fire me. I’ll never do anything like this again. I wasn’t feeling well this morning and thought if I rested my eyes for a minute, it might help. I’m so sorry. I finished the work you left for me. Please don’t fire me – I am begging you for a second chance. I know you don’t give second chances, but I promise if you - ”
“Jane, stop,” he said.
She trailed off and blinked back the tears as she gave him a look of pure misery. “I – I’ll gather my things and leave.”
She tried to walk away, and he tightened his grip on her arm. “I’m not firing you.”
“You’re not?”
The look of cautious hope in her eyes made his stomach twist. “No, I’m not. How about this – I’ll forget you fell asleep in my office if you forget that I was incredibly inappropriate and kissed you.”
Her face flushed bright red. He had a feeling that her horror at realizing she was sleeping in his office had made her momentarily forget the kissing.
“Jane,” he prompted when she said nothing, “do we have an agreement?”
He released her arm as she nodded. “Um, yes. Thank you, Mr. Dawson. I promise it will never happen again.”
He wondered if she meant the sleeping or the kissing and was dismayed to realize he hoped it was the sleeping. He shook off the little beat of pleasure that went through him at the thought of kissing her again. What was wrong with him?
“Good,” he said briskly.
Her face still bright red, Jane said, “I’ll grab your coffee for you.”
“It’s noon,” he said.
“Wh-what?”
“It’s noon. You’ve been sleeping all morning.”
“Oh no,” she said in a horrified little voice. “I slept all morning?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you wake me?” she asked.
He shrugged. “You looked like you needed the rest. If you’re still not feeling well, you can go home.”
“No, no,” she said hurriedly. “I feel much better.”
She didn’t look much better – the dark circles were still under her eyes, and her hands were trembling noticeably – but he nodded.
“All right. I don’t have as much work for you today, so I shouldn’t need you to stay late.”
“Okay.” She inched toward the door.
“But I will need you to work through lunch,” he said.
“No problem,” she said. “No problem at all.”
She watched as he sat at his desk and opened the large brown paper bag the deli had delivered a few minutes ago.
“Sit down,” he said.
She sat and grimaced with embarrassment when he pulled out the soup and sandwich, and her stomach growled loudly. “I’m sorry.”
