Read Romance: Dedication - A Workplace Romance (Dedication Series, Romance, Contemporary Romance Book 1) for Free Online Page A

hers.
                  “How about a drink, Jane?” The way he said her name, sliding off those lips without a hint of mocking, made Jane want to sigh. Office crushes were for interns, Jane was so pass that point that she brushed the idea from her mind before it even had a chance to fester into something else.
                  “It’s noon, McKinnon.”
                  “So,” he pressed, “We can celebrate. I hear everyone else went to The Yard for lunch. We can meet up with them.”
                  “I really just want to get some rest.” She said. “I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in a week.”
                  “One drink. It’s tradition.” Damn him. Jane had been dreaming about her bed since Monday. Over the last seven days, she mostly slept on her couch, too tired to even crawl between her sheets. One night, she’d napped for a couple of hours in the office breakroom. A drink? Hell, she wanted a shower and a foot rub, and to eat the biggest pizza that she could get her hands on.  But seeing the pleading look on Franklins face, Jane knew she wouldn’t be getting to bed until much later.
                  God one knew when she’d get the fucking pizza.
                  “Fine, I’ll go.”
                  They left soon after, riding the elevator down in an awkward silence as Jane forced herself to stay away.
                  “I’ll drive,” Franklin said as they stepped into the parking structure. He lead the way to a sparkling clean SUV, a newer model, kept in pristine condition. “Let me,” Franklin stepped around Jane to open the car door for her, even going so far as to help steady her as she stepped into the vehicle.
                  “Are you always such a gentleman?”
                  “Only when there’s alcohol promised.”
                  Jane laughed, then dug into her purse to fetch a pair of sunglasses. While the drive to The Yard was short, the sun was much too bright for her deprived eyes to handle.
                  “Why didn’t we just walk here?”
                  “I don’t like leaving my car in the office lot. Someone dinged it up a little bit a couple of months ago. Now I move it every chance I get.”
                  “Oh, that sucks. Did you figure out who it was?”
                  “No, but it wasn’t too bad. Just a couple hundred to repair. Got it fixed the same day.”
                  Wow, he was so calm. Jane would have been on a manhunt for the poor soul that even put the tiniest scratch on her car. “How nice of you.”
                  When they arrived at the bar, Franklin helped her out, the hurried to get the door. It was treatment that she wasn’t used to. Even from men she’d dated in the past, getting door was perfunctory thing, done only one special occasions, or when someone wanted to get in her pants.
                  Oh, god. What if McKinnon wanted her? The question sprang up, stopping Jane in her steps, earning her a confused look from her companion. She shuffled past him, into the dark faux-candlelit bar. The group of analyst waved at them from a table in the corner, drinks already in hand, and smiles plastered on faces.
                  “Looky here,” A dark-skinned man said, holding up two shots of clear liquid as they neared. Curtis Bradley was on the cusps of being a senior analyst, already handed to promotion, and basically waiting to move up. Helping them out had only made his value more apparent. He was a nice guy, sometimes Jane felt he was too nice for their business. “It’s Bradford and Schwicks newest wunderkind. Let’s see if you can hold your liquor as well as you work.” Before she could protest, the shot was pressed into her hands. Franklin held his out, and Jane clinked their little