By the time she’d been introduced to him, the scuttlebutt among the other editors and artists was Holden threw a tantrum after being transferred out of the literature department because he didn’t think the graphic novel grotto was good enough for him. She reread his comment. Maybe the rumor had been false.
She tapped her fingernail against her two front teeth as she admitted her assumptions about the man were based on flimsy evidence. A pang of guilt hit as she realized she judged him by his accent and vocabulary. Holden’s use the word “rubbish” instead of saying garbage or trash annoyed her though she wasn’t sure why. His occasional use of the words “bloke” and “knickers” didn’t do him any favors either, and she hated when he said “rubber” instead of eraser or “pissed” to refer to someone as drunk rather than angry.
Her editor had been living in London for quite some time before moving to the United States to work at Lord Publications so she probably should have been willing to give him a pass on his pretentious-sounding lingo, but for some reason, she hadn’t. Maybe his ability to halfway assimilate to the local vernacular while still maintaining the foreign terms and phrases gnawed at her. Still feeling a little ashamed, her tummy fluttered. Ugh…I’m way too excited about finally having something in common with him.
Watching Nathan Fillion’s and Adam Baldwin’s antics on TV had gotten her juices flowing. She considered slipping her hand down her pajamas and having a little solo fun but a new comment from Holden sent a jolt of excitement to her core.
Apparently, her clicking Like under his comment had encouraged him to leave another: I think War Stories is my favorite episode. How about you?
She typed: I think my favorites are Ariel and Objects in Space. This was a teaser. She wanted to see how fast he would respond. If it was within a couple of minutes, she was going to do something that might alter the trajectory of her day.
Almost immediately, Holden liked her comment and replied: The show was before its time. It deserved more than just one season. At least we got the movie.
She squealed, flopping back on her back as she kicked her feet in the air. Throwing caution to the wind, she clicked the private message icon and wrote: Come watch with me. I’m all alone and you know the way.
The return message took a little longer than Mary Allison had expected. She was beginning to think he was going to decline but ten minutes later he answered: Give me forty-five minutes. See you soon.
Biting her bottom lip, her heart fluttering, she considered the implications of what she had in mind. She wasn’t just inviting her editor over to watch TV. Mary Allison wanted sex, even though deep inside she knew sleeping with a co-worker was almost always a mistake. She was rarely so impulsive but Holden had surprised her, piqued her interest in a way she simply couldn’t ignore. Plus, she was horny. Her face flushed, and her heart pounded up into her head.
She jumped up before she gathered the empty takeout cartons. After she threw them away, she headed to her bathroom to freshen up. She had to shower, dress, and get rid of her glasses! For the most part, she was a jeans-and-t-shirt kind of girl but today she planned to wear yoga pants to show off her backside. Pairing the workout gear with a casual but form-fitting tank top helped her look as if she hadn’t tried too hard. Considering how many times Holden had dropped by to check her work status and found her in gym clothes, jeans, or denim overalls, he would undoubtedly find it odd if she dressed up on a Saturday afternoon. To finish her look, she added a little mascara and a tawny-colored lipstick.
As expected of a stickler for deadlines, Holden knocked on her door on the dot of the forty-five-minute mark. She debated calling out for him to come in but decided she didn’t want to seem too eager.
After schlepping to the entrance and checking the peephole, she opened the door. Mary Allison’s eyes widened as she noticed the change in Holden’s appearance. Normally he was stiff, and all-business but today he wore casual but well-fitting jeans and a teal-blue, long-sleeved, thermal t-shirt that hugged his torso in the most appealing way. Her stomach stirred with nervous energy.
“Please come in.” She stepped away from the door and let him enter.
“Thanks.” He headed toward the living room.
“Can I get you anything?” She couldn’t take her eyes off of him.
“I’m good.” Holden held up the can of soda he had been drinking.
“Well let’s hurry. Ariel is getting ready to come on now.” She sat down and then patted the cushion next to her to coax him to come closer.
Her gaze roamed his body from head to toe, appreciating his new, approachable look. She’d always assumed he was in his late thirties but Holden appeared much younger in casual clothing and without his hair slicked back with gel. When he glanced her way, Mary Allison realized she had been caught staring at him but didn’t shy away.
A pink blush colored his cheeks. He glanced in the other direction and took a sip of his cola. “Thanks for inviting me over.” He peered back over at her briefly synching their lines of vision and then touched his nose. “What? Is there something on my face?”
She tensed her muscles attempting to take more control as a giddy excitement poured out from her core
