The One with the Kiss Cam

by Cindy Steel

Good gracious, his smile was incredible. I had seen side glimpses of it, but looking at the full-blown effect straight on, I almost forgot my name.

“I don’t even know your name.” My neighbor flashed me a grin, and I found myself smiling back. “Makes it kind of exciting, doesn’t it?” “Yes, but I’d prefer to make sure I haven’t heard your name on America’s Most Wanted.”

He held my hand and leaned in closer, his eyes sparking with humor and sweetness. “I’m going to kiss you. You good, Nora?” I barely had time to breathe out a yes before his lips were on mine.

“You’re not a serial killer, then?” I asked, smiling slightly. “Not on a Friday. I try to take the weekends off.”

And when Duke held his hand out behind him, his fingers beckoning to me like a lifeline, I took it.

Duke shook his head, but the hint of color growing on his cheeks made him seem adorable.

“What do you know about me?” “I know you work somewhere downtown, you’ve got a killer smile when you let it loose, and that you’ll flirt with another guy while you’re on a date.”

Was getting turned on by watching your date be a conscientious driver a sign of maturity? Asking for a friend.

“I’m moving in three days.” His mouth had been open, as if to say something before my confession, but he closed it, glancing at me with furrowed brows. “Huh?” “I just…thought I should tell you that I’m moving to another state in a few days. Just in case.” “Just in case what?” He put the car in park. My heart stopped until I saw his lips twitch. “Just in case you fall madly in love with me during this cookie date,” I sputtered, trying to keep my wits about me. “What if I’m already halfway there?”

“You don’t even know what’s on my bucket list. What if it’s singing Disney showtunes at the top of my lungs down Main Street?” “Just tell me what part to sing.”

“Hey, wife. Wanna dance?” The wife comment sent actual waves of sensation up and down my spine. Or maybe it was the way the universe was spinning so randomly for us tonight, but I could not keep the smile from my face as I placed my hand in his and allowed him to lead me to the dance floor.

I didn’t allow myself to process how it might be the most fitting song of the night—Tom Waits’ classic, “I Hope That I Don’t Fall in Love With You.” Duke adjusted his arms slung low around my waist, pulling me closer. “Hopefully this song will keep you in line. I saw you checking out my dance moves. You better keep your hands where I can see them.”

“I think this song is the universe keeping you on track.” He pulled back to look at me. “Too late. You’re my wife now. Didn’t you hear Sandy?” “You wish.” “I’m starting to.” I stiffened, swatting his shoulder. “Hey! We have rules.”

“It’s your fault. I only said it because your cheeks turn pink when I tease you. No man on this earth would be able to resist trying to make that happen over and over. Strings or no strings.”

“I’m fine. It’s probably a sprain. I only came because of him.” I motioned my head toward Duke. “It made a popping sound when she went down,” he said. She smiled at Duke. “You did the right thing.” Then to me, she added, “It sounds like he’s a keeper.” She began walking toward her desk. “Let me know if you need anything.” Duke waited until she sat down at her desk before he elbowed me. “Did you hear that? I’m a keeper.”

“You’re forgetting something, though. You don’t really know me.” I made a show of checking my phone for the time. “It’s been exactly six hours since we first met.” “Is it our six-hour anniversary already? I didn’t get you anything.”

In that moment, Duke was my best friend I had just met. The words flowed out of my mouth and into the air between us, where I felt sure he would catch them and hold them safe. I’d never experienced anything like this night, and a part of me wondered if I stopped talking, would the magic between us be over? So I kept talking, the words leaving my lips and healing a part of me as they did.

“You’d be surprised at how motivated for success you can be when you don’t have anything to fall back on. I don’t have anybody around to catch me if I fall, but sometimes I wish I did.” “That’s because you’re the one who does all the catching.”

“My grandparents live in Idaho, just across the border. I still go a few times a year to help them fix their fences and brand their cattle.” “Are you trying to lure me in with your sexy farm-boy talk?” He curled into me slightly. “Is it working? Are farm boys what do it for you?” “I don’t think it hurts anything.”

“That’s fine. My foot hurts.” “I’ll kiss it better.” “Gross.” “Fine. I’ll kiss you better.”

“Well, either way…” I spread my hands out wide. “If I were to stick around longer than tonight, you’d probably be disappointed.” He shook his head slowly. “I don’t think that’s possible.”

you’re fun, Nora. Smart.

Driven. Hot. And fun.” His eyes flitted to my lips before raising back up again, his low voice causing sparks to burst down my spine. “You’re the whole package, and I hate North Dakota.”

The man named Mike, with the blond spiky hair, who was indeed wearing a bright-green plaid polyester suit, caused a wave of familiarity to come over me. I was tucked away in the corner, crowded behind shoulders, but I knew him. I just couldn’t place how or when I had ever spoken to him.

When the man turned his face, my heart immediately began racing.

I had just seen the man who’d invaded my thoughts more times than I could count for the past three years.

“Wait, did you run out of that meeting while it was still going?” “Yep.” My mouth dropped open. “Why?” “Because I wanted to see you.” “You can just do that?” “I did.”

“Where do I sign up?” He smiled. “I’ll sign you up. I’ll just need your phone number.” “I’ll sign up myself.” I smiled at him sweetly. He bit back his grin. “Email?”

Looked like I would have to find a way to co-exist with Duke Webber at the office. There was no way I would be giving up this opportunity.

“Nora, right?” Duke smiled, holding out his hand for me to shake. I looked up and met his gaze. “Yeah.” “So glad you’re here.” I made sure my eyes spoke volumes to this man, even as I shook his hand. “Thank you, sir. Glad to be here.” He grinned. “Oh, just call me Duke. Nobody goes too wild with titles here.” “I’ll call you a lot of things,” I muttered. “What was that?” Duke asked, leaning closer to me with a big fake furrowed brow. “Sounds good.”

His eyes met mine suddenly, and I startled at my desk, my computer immediately demanding my attention. But when I glanced back up again, his gaze was still on me.

Kiss Cam, Heard about the tires. I was once told there wasn’t much a DP couldn’t fix. PS. I made sure it fell.

“Gross. Okay, then can you wait here for a sec?” I paused, glancing up at him. “Why?” “Because I really have to pee, but I don’t want you to run away.” A laugh bubbled out of me, suddenly mortified at this knowledge. “Have you had to pee this whole time?” “That’s why I went in there. I usually don’t have company this late.” “That’s a long time to wait. I’d be dancing like crazy by now.” “I’m about five seconds away from crossing my legs—in a very manly way.” His eyes shone with laughter, a smirk on his face.

“Duke,” I warned. “Why are you here helping me when you have a girlfriend?” He straightened. “You didn’t hear?” “What?” “We broke up. I figured Anita or somebody would have spread it all over the office by now.” “You…you broke up?” “A few days ago.”

“Try me,” I replied brazenly before my eyes popped, and I thought about what I was doing. “No! Wait. Don’t try me. No flirting.” “You said it.”

Duke: When should we do the lift? Me: Last time we attempted the lift, I ended up in the hospital. Duke: Eh. It was only a sprain. Me: Thank you for paying that bill, by the way. You didn’t have to. I owe you. Duke: YES. Exactly. You owe me the lift. Nothing else. I MADE you go to the ER.

“I don’t need the help.” His face settled into an expression that I took to mean he was listening. “It’s nice of you, but please just let me do my job. You’ve got other places you need to be. You don’t need to be here.” He nodded, this time his voice soft. “What if I want to be here?”

“Well, shoot. Looks like they gave me way too much food for just one person.”

“What is this?” I asked, holding up the box. He shrugged. “I told the guy to give me his two-person special. I have no idea what’s in here.” My eyes widened. “You’d do that at a Chinese restaurant? Their menu is bigger than the Bible.” Before I could open my box, something else hit me. “Wait. Two person?” Duke had been about to take a drink from his can of Coke but stopped just before his lips touched, a hint of a smile playing across his mouth. “Did I say two person?” “Duke Webber. You are my boss. And might I add, very newly single.” “Technically, you just said you were my boss now. You can do whatever you want with me.”

“Nora. You’re safe with me. You know that right?” When I could only look at him in response, he added, “ You don’t have to do everything on your own. You can let people help you, you know.”

and slowly applied it to my lips, low-key impressed at the quality. It glided on smooth. I pressed my lips together before applying another coat. “Anyway…we’ve really appreciated the, uh…the… Um. We’ve really appreciated the…” I looked up at Duke as he stalled in his speech and was startled to see his eyes trained on me. As was the rest of the group, looking from Duke to me in confusion. He blinked and looked away, though he still couldn’t seem to get his focus together. “Sorry.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I lost my train of… We really appreciate the…uh…”

“I didn’t do it for you.” My hands grasped self-consciously at my strands, silky and brushing against my shoulders. “Never said you did.” “I like to change it up every now and then.” “Sure.” “I’m meeting clients. I wanted to look nice.” “You look beautiful.”

“Hey.” Duke’s hand reached out and touched my chin, gently tugging my face upward to look at him. “If you’re not fun, then explain to me why you make me laugh more than anyone else,”

“No unnecessary touching. And nothing we wouldn’t do at work.” His lips curved into a smile. “You’re greatly underestimating the things I would do at work.” Holy crap. “DUKE!”

“Looks like I forgot to read the fine print,” he mumbled some time later. “Oh yeah?” “Yeah. It says that you can kiss me anytime you want.” I swallowed, adjusting my grip on his shoulders. “That’s pretty open-ended fine print.” “I don’t make the rules.”

Unknown Number: Sorry there couldn’t be any hanky-panky tonight. Me: How did you get this number?! Duke: You really shouldn’t leave your phone unattended. Me: Does your room have pink carpet too? Duke: Blue. This was my uncle’s room. You’re in my mom’s old room. Me: There’s a picture on the wall with a tiny Duke dressed like a superhero and being kissed by four women at one time. Duke: You jealous? Me: I’ve always loved a man in Spiderman pajamas. Duke: Are you flirting with me? Cause that’s exactly what I’m wearing right now.

“Well, Nora with an N…” Birdie smiled, her voice cracking in the most pleasant way. “What are your intentions with our Duke?” She sensed my deer-in-the-headlights reaction and added, “He’ll never tell us, so I thought I might get a few answers from you.” Her crooked fingers pressed lightly on my arm. “Woman to woman.” I breathed out an awkward laugh, my fingers twisting together underneath the table. “He’s my boss, so…” “Wrong answer. That man drools over you.”

“Hope and fear like to think they can occupy the same space, but there is only room for one.

“The point is, reward takes risk. Life is messy. People are messy. Nothing is ever going to be perfect, but oftentimes, it can be even better than perfect.”

“Duke is here working hard every day. He’s laughing with all his employees, he’s making this office a fun, comfortable space where people want to be here. Everyone loves him. But you know what he also does? He pays attention to the little things. If he finds me still here cleaning, he picks up a brush and helps. Even when I beg him to stop, he still does it. Because he appreciates every aspect of every job that runs a business.” Roger snorted, “With all due respect, Nora, I don’t think that’s why he’s—” “It is,” I said, arms folded, blocking hits and taking down names. “Because he’s got the best heart of anybody I’ve ever known.”