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They must not feel that way to Jose, either, because in the course of twenty irl" to calling me "Ms Girard" in the same formal tone he uses when he speaks to Ethan

The difference sets e, so much so that when he asks, "Should I call for a doctor?" I all but shout at him

"No, I don’t need a doctor! I have a bruise It’s no big deal" Ithat starts in ten minutes that I do not want to be late for"

My s are when the new assignood one, you need to be there early, ready to present your case Unfortunately, at the rate these two are , nastiest contract in the bunch So not what I had planned for my first week at my dream job

"Jose" That’s all Ethan says, but the security guard i

Tired of biting h "Really! Are you serious with this?"

"I’m very serious The health of ain he rests his hand on my lower back and propels me forward This time it’s into the small roouard and a ton of monitors that show different areas of the property "Give us a ets up right away but eyes me curiously as he heads for the door

At the rate things are going, I can’t begin to i about ht makes me crazy I caet away fro I want is to go through all that again

I close my eyes, shake my head I can’t believe this I just can’t believe it I wanted so badly to fit in here, to find a place for myself I’d even hoped that raduated, to continue interning while I worked h law school Because of my family--my brother--intellectual property law in the tech world is a subject that’s very irades up and do as well in law school as I plan to, I’ll be able to find a job at any nuain, Frost Industries is one of thehere is a dream co that up for --whatever it is--before it gets even uments When I finally feel like I’m ready to speak, I say, "Mr Frost"

He just looks at ers over the back of ht, delicate even--as if he’s afraid he ht break me But there’s a heat that comes with his touch, too One that confuses hts "Call me Ethan"

"Mr Frost, I--"

"Ethan"

I don’t knohy this is so iive in--if I call his between us Hand hiht to what I say or do, and I’m not okay with that I think back to the cafeteria yesterday, to that damn blueberry smoothie, and I promise myself that this time I won’t do as he asks

"Mr Frost, I really need to get to work I appreciate your concern, but it’s unnecessary And, frankly, it’s e to argue with the fact that I still haven’t used his given naets distracted by what I’ve said "My attention eesture to the e security booths so that you can talk to your fe you do every day--"

"It’s not"

"Then this is extre atme"

He raises a brow "A hand at your back is simple courtesy"

"No," I correct him, because I’m not crazy and I won’t let hi your ar else entirely"

"Really?" He s up of his lips that shouldn’t raise my blood pressure or send shivers down my spine Somehow it does both "What is it, then?"

"What is…what?" I stuetorder

"My hand on your back If it isn’t courtesy, what is it?"

Intiht there on my lips, and I nearly say it Nearly blurt it out But I can’t, because it’s crazy to think such a thing, let alone say it Crazier still to want it Which I don’t, I assure ely bereft now that he has let go of , and one I don’t like I take a step back, two, and I can tell from the way he narrows his eyes that he’s not happy with , the door sla of ice in his hand

Ethan walks over to take the ice from him, and I shudder in relief I feel like a prisoner who’s just been granted a stay of execution--relieved but still unsteady, because I know it can be taken away at any h, Ethan waits for Jose to back out of the roo the door behind him I watch as he locks it this time, and any relief I felt slowly drains away Because he’s stalking toward , lean panther of a man whose intentions are clearly written on his face Intentions that are a long way from honorable

"Where does it hurt?" he asks after he stops in front of et the word out

"Your hip Where’s the bruise?"

"Oh, right" I yank esture aardly to the top of my hip "Here"

I try to take the ice pack froently, presses it toand here they rest against my waist, a direct contrast to the cold of the ice pack For long seconds, I don’t move Don’t breathe I can’t Not when he’s so close that I can feel the brush of his hair against

"Is this the spot?"

"Yes" My breath breaks on the single syllable