“And that’s okay, understandable even. You’re confused because the situation is complicated. I just want you to really think everything through.”

“You think he deserves a second chance?”

“No, I think you do. You like him, Eliza. And it’s about more than just being sexually attracted to him. You like his personality. You like who he is as a man.”

“He seems really close with his family,” I said. “That makes me like him, you know. He talks about his sister a lot. I guess he really loves her. That’s a good sign when someone is close to their family.”

“He seems like he could be a good guy,” Lacey said. “Give him a chance. I mean, you barely know him. Yes, you slept with him, but you don’t really know him. Maybe you’ll really like him and maybe you won’t. But don’t go ruining something before it even gets started. Don’t go pushing him off when you know you like him.”

“Well, I know I like sex with him.” I giggled, feeling light-hearted again. “He’s good in bed.”

“Oh Eliza.” Lacey laughed. “Just give him and the situation a chance.”

“So what do I do?” I sighed, knowing she was right. I couldn’t keep running from situations that I thought might make me emotionally vulnerable. “The fact is, I’m there for a different reason. What do I do about the job I was hired for originally?”

“Do the job and maybe just don’t give him a lap dance in front of anyone. Maybe tell him what you were hired to do, but ask him to not let anyone know you told him.”

“So you think I should admit to him that this was an acting job?” I groaned. “It feels so duplicitous and cheap, almost. Like what sort of loser am I that these are the acting jobs I take? No Shakespeare or Broadway for me. No siree. I work for a candy gram company and my jobs are getting shadier and shadier every week.”

“Let him know you studied acting in college. Let him know you’re just doing this job with Candy Canes for the money. Tell him when you took the job, it was only supposed to be an acting job. That you’re only working there to pay the bills until your big break.”

“What if he thinks I slept with him to pay the bills? What if he thinks that...”

“Elizabeth, you’re overthinking everything.” Lacey laughed. “Stop and see what happens.”

“You really think I should?”

“I think you want to,” she said. “You went to work yesterday with no panties on and allowed him to go down on you, and today you’re having a bath at his house. I’m not trying to be clever here, but let’s be real, you want him. Badly.”

“You were the one that told me to wear no panties.” I blushed.

“Yeah, but not to let him go down on you at the office.”

“That wasn’t my plan.” I giggled. “I just didn’t know how to say no.”

“Uh huh,” Lacey drawled. “And you just happen to be having a bath right now because you just had to bathe your skin at this very moment. You’re not hoping he’ll come home and catch you in his bath tub, naked, right?”

“Lacey,” I said as my face blushed. “Of course not.”

“Uh huh. You can’t fool me, Elizabeth Jeffries.”

“Lacey,” I groaned. “Stop it.”

“Stop what?” She started laughing. “You totally want him to take you, but you wanted it to be one of those ‘oh, I couldn’t say no’ situations.”

“Shh.” I groaned. “I’m that obvious, huh? He didn’t even try anything at the office today. He says that he wants me to make the move if I want him. Come on now. I want to be ravished and taken.” I giggled. “I want him to grab me and bend me over and have his wicked way with me because he just can’t stop himself.”

“I’m sure he wanted to.” She laughed again. “I’m sure he was hoping you’d return yesterday’s favor to him this morning.”

“Lacey, stop it.” I giggled. “There is no way he thought I was going to go down on him in the office.” I shook my head. “Could you just imagine?”

“You’re totally loving this, aren’t you?” She laughed.

“Kinda,” I admitted. “I’m confused about my feelings, but I’m enjoying the game, yes. Argh, what is my problem?”

“You like a guy and don’t know if he’s a dog or not.” She laughed. “We all have that problem. Every single one of us. I don’t know any single woman that doesn’t wonder if the guy she met is a dog.”

“Why is dating so hard?” I sighed. “And fake dating is even worse. And I’m not even really fake dating. This is such a mess. And so hard to figure out.”

“It doesn’t have to be hard. Well, that’s preferable, but it can start off soft.” Lacey giggled and I rolled my eyes at her pun.

“Yeah, soft can get hard real quick,” I said seriously, though I ruined it with a giggle. “Especially when I’m around.”

“When you’re around, the guys can’t even control it,” Lacey said. “It gets hard whether they want it to it not.”

“I’m just that desirable,” I said and laughed, feeling light and happy all of a sudden. “What would I do without you, Lacey?”

“Um, continue making men hard?” she asked and we both laughed. “And maybe continue taking naked baths in the home of your boss when you’re supposed to be working.”