There was one surefire way.

She took out her iPad and opened her email. A note popped up. Crap. Ethan at Victoria Hotels had emailed her the other week and she’d meant to respond, but then was sidetracked, so she’d flagged the note as important. With it blaring in her face now, she skimmed the contents: Idea for partnership . . . would love to discuss . . . proposal attached. She banged out a quick reply simply so she wouldn’t have to keep reminding herself: Promise to look at this in detail shortly! Thanks for thinking of us. More soon.

Then, she started a new email. Her fingers hovered over the keypad as she screwed up the corner of her lips, trying to figure out where to start. Something dirty. But something funny too. That was a hard combo for Nate to resist.

from: [email protected]

to: [email protected]

date: June 20, 8:12 AM

subject: Dirty Jokes

Knock, knock . . .

Crossing her legs, she peered at him over the top of her iPad, waiting for the moment when he opened his email. He sat across from her, the oak table between them, his COO a few seats over, and a pair of his VPs still sound asleep in their chairs a couple rows near the back. In the meantime, she clicked open a browser window to look up the open hours for a popular London attraction. A minute later, he raised his eyes briefly at her. A new email landed in her inbox.

from: [email protected]

to: [email protected]

date: June 20, 8:14 AM

subject: I’ll bite.

Who’s there?

She reined in a grin as she tapped out a reply. Admittedly, knock-knock jokes were not the pinnacle of sophisticated humor. But Casey had an arsenal of them now, thanks to Nelle, so why not call on the low-hanging fruit of a knock-knock joke to entertain the man she cared so deeply for?

from: [email protected]

to: [email protected]

date: June 20, 8:15 AM

subject: I approve of your biting.

Gladiator.

from: [email protected]

to: [email protected]

date: June 20, 8:16 AM

subject: Show me the spot where I bit your collarbone yesterday afternoon.

Gladiator who?

A hint of heat bloomed across her cheeks from his subject line command. She shot him a look that was both flirty and dirty as she subtly tugged at the scoop neck of her soft purple shirt, revealing the spot where he’d bitten down hard during a quickie at her house that involved her in handcuffs, and him putting her under arrest. He raised an eyebrow approvingly, then she returned to her screen.

from: [email protected]

to: [email protected]

date: June 20, 8:19 AM

subject: You like marking me?

He’s gladiator before they screwed.

Nate laughed softly, then looked up. Good one, he mouthed. There’s more where that came from, she said, letting him read her lips too.

from: [email protected]

to: [email protected]

date: June 20, 8:26 AM

subject: Yes, I fucking love marking you.

And more of you coming. There will be more of that very soon.