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I mean, had there been moments when things had been charged between us, maybe even heated? Yes. Was I literally using him as the blueprint for a romantic hero? Also, yes.

Could what was growing turn into something physical between us? Yeah.

But it could never be what I wanted.

What I needed.

As he turned away to fetch my umbrella, I turned and ran home by myself.

I tried to put it out of my head, but the swirling thoughts refused to let me rest.

I did the only thing I could.

I sat down at my computer and started to write it, get it down, get it out and onto the page.

Only then could I drag myself to bed, determined to put the whole thing behind me.

But when I opened the door to go to work, my umbrella was hooked around my doorknob.

He’d followed me home after all.

I mean, duh.

It was absurd to think I could have outrun him. He’d simply let me think I had. Then he came right up into the building and left the umbrella to remind me of my humiliation.

Great.

That was just great.

Well, I was just going to have to do everything in my power to avoid him. Even if that meant staying at work until the light came up so he couldn’t walk me home.

“Um, no. Turn back around right now. You’re not wearing that.”

At the sound of Tess’s voice, I turned on my heel to find her standing there in a mirrorball dress that caught and starburst the light in a million different directions. She had paired that with sky-high stilettos and dramatic makeup. But she went uncharacteristically understated with her hair, pulling it into a merciless high pony.

“Um. Why are you so dressed up?”

“Mags, really, I’m worried about you.”

“What?”

“I mean, if you think you can wear that dowdy skirt and oversized top to the office party, I have seriously failed you as a friend.”

“The… office party?”

Oh, God.

I’d forgotten all about that.

How had it snuck up on me so quickly?

“Come on. March your pretty little butt back here and let me fix… this tragedy.”

I had no choice but to follow her instructions. You did not get between a demon and her desires. Even if her desires were to crimp and prime and straighten you to oblivion. Then stick you in a push-up bra and punishing heels just for fun.

All I wanted to do was hide in my locked office so I didn’t have to run into Silas.

But with not only all the radio hosts and staff coming to the party, but likely several of the owners, there was no way I couldn’t show my face.