The Fine Print

Yeah, I guess I am. “Well, it started with a bad idea.” I go off, explaining every decision I made up until this point about Zahra. The more I rehash, the worse I feel about it. Ani’s facial expressions don’t help. 

“What? Say something.” 

She shrugs. “She really liked Scott. I heard her talk about him to Claire.” 

I wince. “Help me come up with an idea on how to get her back and I’ll owe you anything.” 

“Anything?” 

I nod. 

Ani tucks her hair behind her ear. “I don’t know. If she thinks you’re like Lance, she might never give you another chance.” 

I’m not going to even entertain that option. “Okay. That’s fair. But if you were me, what would you do?” 

“Easy. Give her a reason to trust you. A really good reason.” Ani answers me like it’s the simplest idea in the world. 

Except I have no idea how to get someone to trust me. I’ve never had a reason to do so. 

“How do I do that? She doesn’t believe anything I say.” 

“You’re a smart guy. Figure it out.” 

I peer inside Zahra’s cubicle. If she feels my gaze on her, she ignores it. The only way I can tell my presence bothers her is based on her tiny frown.

I step into the forbidden zone and take a seat on the corner of her desk. Her eyes narrow at her paper. Today’s pin looks like the seventies threw up, with the groovy flower power text surrounded by flowers. It matches her retro-inspired vintage T-shirt and bell-bottom jeans. I haven’t seen Zahra match her outfit to her pin before but it’s cute. 

“We need to talk.” 

Her only response is the crinkling of the pages beneath her tense fingers. The silence grows between us to an uncomfortable level. 

“It’s considered rude to ignore your boss.” 

Her jaw ticks. 

I peek over at the paper she has in her hands and read the title. No way. 

I rip the application out of her hands. 

She spins in her chair and stares at me head-on. “Give it back.” 

“No.” 

Her nostrils flare. “You’re acting like a child.” 

Am I? I’m too far gone to care as I shred the paper into four parts. She blinks at me like I’ve gone crazy. And honestly, maybe I have, but she can’t seriously be considering this alternative. I won’t allow it. 

“You’re not quitting.” I dump the job resignation application in the trash bin underneath her desk. Because I’m a bastard, I make sure my fingers skim her body. Despite her skin being blocked by a pair of jeans, her soft inhale of breath tells me everything. 

No matter the time, place, or circumstance, Zahra is attracted to me. Nothing she says or does will tell me otherwise. While I might have messed up, I’m done giving her time to think things over. 

She crosses her arms. “You can’t force me to stay here.”  

“I could.”  

She gapes at me. “No. Things are getting too complicated.” 

“Then uncomplicate them.” 

“I can’t simply shut off my feelings and carry on with life like none of this happened.” She gestures between us with a slight frown. 

“I didn’t mean to hurt you.” The thought makes my heart squeeze uncomfortably in my chest.

“You lied about who you were for months. I felt guilty for being interested in two different guys while you knew the entire time who I was. That’s cruel.” Her voice cracks. 

My entire body responds to the way her eyes shine from unshed tears. Her reaction is nothing close to something I’m equipped to deal with. I don’t know the first thing about working through someone else’s emotions, least of all when I’m the cause of all the hurt. 

I reach out for her hand, wanting to break through her cold exterior. She takes a deep inhale as she rolls her chair as far away as it can go. 

Her rejection stings more than I care to admit. I hate the distance between us. We didn’t spend months getting to know each other for her to pull away like this. 

“Give me one chance to explain myself. If you’re not convinced that I’m sorry”—my voice drops out of habit—“then I won’t bother you about this again. I’ll let you quit.”

“Really?” Her entire face lights up. 

Her excitement only emboldens me to prove her wrong. “With severance and everything.” 

She nods. “Okay. One try. I mean it.” 

Her enthusiasm is bordering on insulting. When I told her I had a competitive streak, I meant it. She’s not getting away. I only need to find out how to keep her. 

“Perfect.” I hold my hand out to shake on it.

Zahra grabs my extended hand. My skin sparks with the same feeling whenever she touches me. I trace her delicate fingers with my thumb before letting go. She tries to hide her shudder and fails. 

“I’ll see you tonight.” I can’t let her build her walls any higher. Giving her more time will only add to her skepticism about my intentions. I might like a challenge but I’m no fool. 

“Tonight?!” she squeaks. 

I tuck my hands in my pockets to avoid doing something crazy like touching her. “First rule of business—always discuss the terms before agreeing.”