planned this all day long!
I smiled and said, “I am pleased to be of service, sir.”
“My name is Joseph,” he said, correcting me, much to my surprise. “It’s after working hours; how much longer will you be typing up those notes, Jodi?” he asked.
“I’m almost finished; is there something else I can do for you?” I almost added the “sir” out of habit, but caught myself just in time.
“Would you have dinner with me, Jodi?” He saw my startled expression and quickly added, “No pressure now. It’s just my way of saying thank you for working late, and it’s a chance to get to know you better. But, if you aren’t interested, just say so and no hard feelings.”
“I would love to have dinner with you, sir,” I answered.
“Joseph.” He corrected me again, smiling as he did so.
“Joseph,” I repeated, smiling shyly. Was I dreaming or what? When he turned his back to me after telling me he would be ready to leave in about twenty minutes, I pinched myself… hard! It hurt, so I knew I was truly awake and the gorgeous hunk of an attorney had really asked me to go to dinner with him! It sure beat fast food and a movie with the girls, and Astrid was going to be livid. That was the best part of all.
I was ready to leave by the time Mr. Chantry … Joseph… came to my desk to escort me out of the law offices and to his car in the parking lot. My poor car was in the shop again, and I was forced to rely on public transportation. “Where is your car, Jodi?” Joseph asked curiously.
“In the shop,” I answered glumly.
“Again? You just got it back last week!”
I was surprised that he knew about that. “Yes, I know. I wish I could afford to trade it in on a new one.”
Joseph looked at me but didn’t say anything. I didn’t feel like explaining why I couldn’t afford a new car on the nice salary I was paid. “I like your car,” I said, pretty darn sure I’d picked a subject that Joseph would be happy to talk about if he was like most men.
“It gets me where I need to go. Dad is the one who picked this out and gave it to me to celebrate my passing the bar and joining him and Granddad in the firm,” he explained as he opened the car door for me. Once I was inside he walked around the car and got inside and immediately put on his seatbelt. I abhor seatbelts because they are not comfortable for someone as short as I am, and I never wore one. Joseph looked at me, waiting, and it took me a few moments to realize that he was waiting for me to buckle up!
“Ohhh,” I said as I fathomed the why of his look. “I don’t like seatbelts, Joseph, and I never wear one, so just go ahead.”
“Absolutely not. No one rides in my car without buckling up.”
“So this will be a first!” I said lightly, hoping he would simply laugh it off and not make a big scene. No such luck!
He looked at me until I was nearly squirming and then he said in a low, threatening voice, “If you don’t put that seatbelt on right now, Jodi Vanscoy, I will put it on you, and then, when I take you home tonight, I just might turn you over my knee.”
Now, my eyes flew wide open at that! I quickly looked into his dark eyes to see if he was joking, but there was no sign of humor in his expression. If anything, he appeared ready to carry out his threat here and now. I gulped. I also didn’t like being called a stubborn fool, but before I could argue the point, he reached across me, pulled down the seatbelt and fastened it. I gasped, and immediately reached down to unfasten the offending strap that was already chafing my neck, but Joseph grabbed my hand and asked me if I was so anxious to find myself over his knee. I could only shake my head no. He nodded, started the car, and we were on the busy street before I could demand he let me out of the car!
Surprisingly, Joseph seemed to flip a switch within him, turning off the temper I never expected him to have. He brought up the coming Halloween holiday and wondered if I
I smiled and said, “I am pleased to be of service, sir.”
“My name is Joseph,” he said, correcting me, much to my surprise. “It’s after working hours; how much longer will you be typing up those notes, Jodi?” he asked.
“I’m almost finished; is there something else I can do for you?” I almost added the “sir” out of habit, but caught myself just in time.
“Would you have dinner with me, Jodi?” He saw my startled expression and quickly added, “No pressure now. It’s just my way of saying thank you for working late, and it’s a chance to get to know you better. But, if you aren’t interested, just say so and no hard feelings.”
“I would love to have dinner with you, sir,” I answered.
“Joseph.” He corrected me again, smiling as he did so.
“Joseph,” I repeated, smiling shyly. Was I dreaming or what? When he turned his back to me after telling me he would be ready to leave in about twenty minutes, I pinched myself… hard! It hurt, so I knew I was truly awake and the gorgeous hunk of an attorney had really asked me to go to dinner with him! It sure beat fast food and a movie with the girls, and Astrid was going to be livid. That was the best part of all.
I was ready to leave by the time Mr. Chantry … Joseph… came to my desk to escort me out of the law offices and to his car in the parking lot. My poor car was in the shop again, and I was forced to rely on public transportation. “Where is your car, Jodi?” Joseph asked curiously.
“In the shop,” I answered glumly.
“Again? You just got it back last week!”
I was surprised that he knew about that. “Yes, I know. I wish I could afford to trade it in on a new one.”
Joseph looked at me but didn’t say anything. I didn’t feel like explaining why I couldn’t afford a new car on the nice salary I was paid. “I like your car,” I said, pretty darn sure I’d picked a subject that Joseph would be happy to talk about if he was like most men.
“It gets me where I need to go. Dad is the one who picked this out and gave it to me to celebrate my passing the bar and joining him and Granddad in the firm,” he explained as he opened the car door for me. Once I was inside he walked around the car and got inside and immediately put on his seatbelt. I abhor seatbelts because they are not comfortable for someone as short as I am, and I never wore one. Joseph looked at me, waiting, and it took me a few moments to realize that he was waiting for me to buckle up!
“Ohhh,” I said as I fathomed the why of his look. “I don’t like seatbelts, Joseph, and I never wear one, so just go ahead.”
“Absolutely not. No one rides in my car without buckling up.”
“So this will be a first!” I said lightly, hoping he would simply laugh it off and not make a big scene. No such luck!
He looked at me until I was nearly squirming and then he said in a low, threatening voice, “If you don’t put that seatbelt on right now, Jodi Vanscoy, I will put it on you, and then, when I take you home tonight, I just might turn you over my knee.”
Now, my eyes flew wide open at that! I quickly looked into his dark eyes to see if he was joking, but there was no sign of humor in his expression. If anything, he appeared ready to carry out his threat here and now. I gulped. I also didn’t like being called a stubborn fool, but before I could argue the point, he reached across me, pulled down the seatbelt and fastened it. I gasped, and immediately reached down to unfasten the offending strap that was already chafing my neck, but Joseph grabbed my hand and asked me if I was so anxious to find myself over his knee. I could only shake my head no. He nodded, started the car, and we were on the busy street before I could demand he let me out of the car!
Surprisingly, Joseph seemed to flip a switch within him, turning off the temper I never expected him to have. He brought up the coming Halloween holiday and wondered if I
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