He might be able to afford to visit her all the time, but her budget wouldn’t allow her to do the same. And she couldn’t really accept him paying for her travel all the time. As much as she’d love spending weekends in fabulous New York City.

No, it had been a flawed plan all along. Not that she’d really planned it. Her heart just sort of decided it would all work out.

Her heart? Was she really falling for the guy, or was it just the lustful stirrings of her need to be dominated by someone so powerful and authoritative, so sexy and muscular?

Ah, the allure of an older man.

She leaned back in her chair and sighed. Her coffee mug caught her eye. Bold black letters proclaimed HAPPINESS IS FINISHING YOUR DAILY WORD COUNT above an image of an adorable kitten, fast asleep, with a quill pen lying between its paws. Adam had bought her that cup when she’d confessed to him that she had a secret yearning to be a novelist. He’d been super supportive and had had this mug custom-made for her. Because of its constant reminder on her desk, she wrote a little bit every day, even if it was just a couple hundred words over her lunch hour. She hadn’t finished her book yet—she constantly seemed to be revising it—but because of Adam and his encouragement, she was making progress.

Well, right now she needed a coffee. She picked up the mug and headed across the office. When she got to the small room with the coffee machine, she saw that the last person had left the pot nearly empty. She sighed and added coffee grounds to a new filter, then waited while the coffee dribbled into the pot.

She glanced up as someone else stepped into the room.

Adam stood there with his mug in hand.

* * *

As soon as Adam saw Ashley standing waiting for the coffeepot to fill, he stopped.

“Oh, sorry, I’ll come back later,” he said.

Damn it, he missed her. Missed their runs in the morning. Their regular night to get together to watch movies and talk. Even in the office—especially in the office—he’d felt it was important to give her space.

He really shouldn’t have come on as strongly as he had that day in his office, but he couldn’t undo what he’d done. Now he just had to wait it out to see if she’d come around. Hopefully to embrace the romantic relationship he so hoped they could forge, but even getting back to what they used to have would be a relief.

He wanted her as part of his life, at whatever level she’d allow.

He turned to walk away.

“Wait, Adam. You don’t have to go.”

He turned back and stepped into the room, taking in the welcome sight of her. But he noticed the dark circles under her eyes. The slight sag of her shoulders. She looked tired. And she seemed to be listless, tapping her fingers against her skirt.