Unlocking my Boss’s Heart (Romance in Sweet Comedy #4)

12. Anton

Chapter twelve

Anton

C elia stepped out of her apartment building; her hair twisted in a bun. Her eyes drifted to where I’d parked on the street, locking with mine through the windshield. A wide grin formed on her face.

Her smile was infectious.

I smiled back.

There was no doubt she was happy to see me. I’d been anxious about her reaction.

I unlocked the passenger door as she approached. She pulled the door open and slid in. The space was instantly filled with her scent—a hint of shampoo and an undertone of something soft that was just her.

“Is this how it’s going to be? Stalking me in front of my apartment?” she teased, the broad grin still there, and her eyes sparkling with laughter.

I pulled away from the curb. “Was that a ‘Hi, Anton, I’m so glad to see you’ ? No, I don’t think it was.”

“I’m just surprised. I expected you would already be at work, not parked here, waiting for me.”

“We’re going to the same place, and this is on my way,” I replied.

She shook her head, chuckling. “How long were you waiting there for me?”

“Only twenty minutes, but I was prepared to wait longer.”

Seeing her face this morning and how glad she was to see me meant that I would be in a terrific mood no matter what happened today.

“Everyone knows you’re the earliest one at work. What will they think if they see you come in after eight o’clock?” She gasped in mock shock, pulling a stray hair away from her face. “And imagine the rumor mill circulating when they find out I’m the reason you missed your precious before-eight-o’clock solitude.”

I felt heat creeping up my neck. “So, you’ve heard about that.”

What else had she heard about me?

“Of course, from the first week,” she replied.

Now that Celia had caught my interest and was my colleague, the firm felt like a field with a landmine where I had to put each foot in front of the other carefully.

“I wanted a chance to speak to you without the risk of anyone at the office overhearing. Go on a date with me. Tonight.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw her tilt her head, eyes wide. I’d surprised both of us because this wasn’t how I’d planned to ask her. But I couldn’t keep it in any longer.

When I had the impulse to pick her up this morning, I wasn’t sure how she would react. But seeing her, and being with her, confirmed that it was probably a tremendously rash decision I might regret. People at the office were bound to talk if they saw us arriving together.

I didn’t care about that, though. The truth was, I wanted to spend time with her however I could.

“I can get a dinner reservation. Or we can do something else, anything you would like.” I glanced at her, waiting for her answer.

I could see the cogs turning in her head. “When you said, ‘we’d figure it out,’ I didn’t know this was what you meant.”

“So, you don’t want to go on a date with me?”

We were a few minutes away from the office. I wanted to finish this conversation before we arrived; otherwise, it would be impossible for me to get any work done.

“No,” she quickly replied, her cheeks red. “I do. I just think a dinner reservation is too serious for a first date.”

I raised both brows. “Really? What’s a good first date activity?”

She relaxed back into her seat. “I went to a firing range one time. That was cool.”

A firing range?

She glanced at me. Noticing my expression, she laughed, filling the car with her sound. “I meant somewhere fun, like an arcade or a bowling alley.”

“So, you’re agreeing to go on a date with me tonight?” I took the ramp down to the underground parking garage and stopped the car in my designated spot.

She nodded. “Yes, but nothing too fancy.”

“I can work with that.”

Once I parked and switched off the ignition, she turned to face me. “Well, I hope this ride was a one-time thing.”

“Only if you want it to be.” I could sacrifice a bit of time each morning to drive her to work.

Who needed coffee when Celia could perk me up better than caffeine?

“I didn’t hate it. But I don’t think it’s a good idea for people at work to see us together outside the office.”

I understood her worried look.

My eyes roamed her face, then drifted to her lips, shiny with gloss.

I wanted to kiss her, but I wasn’t sure how she would react, especially after what she’d just said about the people at the office. Sitting here in my car was probably bad enough. Being caught kissing would be much worse.

She must have read my thoughts on my face because redness crawled into her cheeks, and she turned to look out the window, no doubt remembering our passionate kiss in my library.

That stirred my heart to thump even louder.

I’d never thought of kissing as much as I had since I met Celia, but instead of acting on that desire, I took her hand and grazed my lips over her fingers. I hoped my actions would tell her what I had in mind without words.

When she met my gaze, her cheeks were even more flushed.

“Your office parking lot is not the most inconspicuous place to show your employee that you have an interest in her, you know.” I chuckled at her directness. She pulled her hand away. “You have a law firm to run. We can’t spend all day in the car.”

“Right. I’ll get your door,” I said as I moved to get out of the car.

But her hand on mine stopped me. “I got it.” She smoothed her hair and reached for the door handle. “Remember to be professional, Mr. Waltons,” she said as she stepped out of the car.

“It’s too late,” I murmured.

She didn’t hear me.

I watched her walk toward the elevator at the edge of the parking lot. Just before she disappeared out of sight, she turned and gave me a small smile. I returned it. Even after the elevator doors closed, cutting off my view of her, the smile stayed on my face.

Here I was, happy because of this woman I had known for just six weeks. I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

“Celia Adams,” I muttered, rolling her name on my tongue. “You’ll be the death of me.”

That statement might just prove true because my mind kept straying to her throughout the day, wondering what she was doing, imagining taking the elevator down a few floors to talk to her.

Instead, I wrote her a short email: Be ready at eight .

I hit "send," realizing this might be the beginning of something great. That thought was both exciting and terrifying at the same time.