Zach pressed his lips into hers and Lilli thought she was going into cardiac arrest. The meeting went great with Coop, and then she slipped into the twilight zone. She grew up with the marathon of the old show on New Year's Day. Her father was a fan. Lilli could see Rod Serling standing in the corner, narrating about her infatuation for Zach.

When he walked away, she freaked. Physically, she was a mess. Her heart was beating erratically, but she also missed his presence. His hand, his breath on her neck sending little tremors down her spine, and his lips. Zachary Steele's lips were on hers. Maybe she had finally died. Heaven was a wonderful place.

Fight or flight and Lilli wasn't a fighter, except with her sister. She picked up her bag and hurried out the door without looking back. She didn't take a real breath until she was on her train.

She also didn't think it through. One, she was standing in her heels — wobbling. Two, she would have to face him. Three, he had her phone number. Four, her body was already going through withdrawals.

Sitting with Zach at the small table, she felt like Jillian and Jack. In her story, they were the last ones left at the office happy hour and he kissed her. Lilli winced, and scrub a hand over her face. She slipped into a seat at Downtown Crossing.

Jack brought Jillian home with him. OMG! Did Zach plan to take her home? She hadn't shaved her legs.

She changed her shoes awkwardly in a seat with no leg room. Once off the train, she jogged home. Lillian Caron never jogged.

When she entered the apartment, Ainsley was texting again. Her friend looked up as she caught her breath.

"Lilli, are you okay?"

"I think I died!"

Ainsley laughed. What part of dying was funny? She glared at her amused friend.

"What did Creamy Dreamy do?"

"What didn't he do?" Her voice was loud. Why was she mad? "He kissed me!"

"Why are you angry, Lill?"

"Because he confused me. Is he punking me? He must be."

Ainsley sighed. "The man switched from Starbucks to Dunkin for you. He came over on a Saturday night when he was tired, to see you."

"To get a manuscript."

Ainsley shook her head. "To see you."

Lilli pulled her hair down with a tug. She couldn't think. "He asked me to the wedding." She waved her hand in front of her. "The whole thing."

"Really! Yes! Lilli, I need you there."

She shook her head. "I don't have a place to stay or anything to wear."

Ainsley clapped hands together. "You'll stay with me and you have dresses. You have your bridesmaid's dresses, plus the dress from Ann's thing."

"But I wore it before. Zach and Olivia saw it." She said the second name, like a sour taste in her mouth.

"Who cares? As office manager, she knows how little you make. Plus, Zach waited until the last minute to ask you."

Part of her was excited to be on Zach's arm. "Are the men wearing tux?"

"Why wouldn't they?"

Right, Boston wasn't Maine. Seeing Zach in a tux was a good reason to say yes.

Lilli smiled. "He agreed to give up on my book."

Ainsley looked at her with a serious face. "Tell him or I will."

"What? No, why does it matter? I can't."

"You can't have a relationship based on deception."

"Relationship! It's just a date."

Ainsley laughed. "It's a relationship. You met your match in Mr. Creamy."

"Don't call him that! I'm the only one who can get creamy over Zach."

"You go, girl."

Lilli froze. She slowly picked up her phone, which had vibrated on the coffee table. She prepared herself for the worst.

"Ah, hell!"

"What Lill?"

"He sent me a red heart. Is this really real?"

Ainsley laughed. "It's real."

"Should I reply?" She held out her phone.

"Nah, just pucker up when you show up tomorrow."

"I can't kiss him in the office."

Ainsley raised her eyebrows. "Jack and Jillian did a lot more than kiss in the office."

She put her face in her hands. "I'm dead again."

"Lill, isn't this what you've been fantasizing about since the day you met him?"

"Yeah, but I never expected it to come true. I need to update my resume."

"Why? You're on your way to being an agent."

"Because I know how it's going to end. Less than five kisses, he changes his mind. Work becomes awkward and I'll need a new job."

"Maybe not."

Lilli frowned. "Well, I'd never break up with him."

"Maybe you are meant to be."

Lilli shook her head back and forth. She didn't deserve Zach. "I intimidate men. You say it. Lily says it. It's a real thing."

"That's the thing. You don't intimidate Zach. You've met your match."

Lilli fell on the sofa with a thud. "He intimidates me, big time."

"But you know better. You can't do to him what you hate being done to you."

Lilli rubbed her temple. "I don't know. My head hurts."

The two talked in circles. Thankfully, Ainsley was a supportive friend and didn't text all night. In the morning, Lilli felt tired and considered calling in sick. How could she face Zach?

As she pinned her hair up, she thought of Zach's lips on her neck. She could debate what to wear, but he had seen every outfit she owned that was suitable for the office. She chose her typical black pencil skirt and white blouse. The stain had come out after a good soak in detergent.

Lilli arrived late to find a Dunkin bag and coffee on her desk. Maybe if she was quiet, she could avoid him. Her phone rang, and she jumped, dropping the bag on her desk with a thud.

"Good morning, Zachary Steele's office. This is Lilli."

"Oh Lilli! It's Olivia. I'm excited you're Zach's date for the wedding."

"I haven't agreed."

"He told me you don't want my training. There are a few new procedures being rolled out. I know you're experienced, but you aren't an agent yet."

Lilli said, "I'm working as a co-agent. I do a lot of work on my own time, so I might be too busy to give up my weekend for a wedding."

Could Olivia tell her voice was shaking?

"Agree to go with Zach and I'll share some inside information with you after the wedding."

"Why do you care if I go or not?"

She laughed. "Because I've been listening to him talk about you for months... years. Never has he liked anyone like you."

Olivia's words contradicted her mindset of Zach and Livvy as a couple, but Lilli wanted to be an agent. Agents negotiated.

"Tell me your secret now or I'll tell Zach no."

"You wouldn't."

"Are you sure? You want me to attend, but until yesterday, the thought never crossed my mind. So I might go home for the weekend. Did you need to speak to Zach?"

"Oh, alright. I'll tell you. We've started looking for a bigger office suite. The Boston lease is up at the end of the year."

"Bigger?"

"With room for more agents."

"Interesting."

"Please say yes to Zach. Mr. Dwyer will be at the wedding."

"Your stepfather."

"Yes, he listens to me."

"Is this blackmail?"

Olivia said, "What? No, I'm trying to tell you, I support your career."

Lilli didn't know if she should trust her. "Did you need anything else?"

"Nope. I called for you."

She was gone and Lilli held the phone in her hand. She dropped it when she heard her name.

"Hey, Lill. Are you okay?" She nodded at Zach standing in the doorway. "Come in here."

She followed him into his office and he shut his door. They both stood as Zach blocked the doorway.

"Who was on the phone? I heard blackmail."

He reached out and took her hand. She looked at their joined hands. He squeezed her hand, and she remembered his question.

"Your girlfriend. She really wants me to go to the wedding."

His free hand lifted her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. She bit her lower lip and then licked the spot her teeth had been. Would he put his lips on hers again?

He focused on her eyes and she couldn't breathe. "I want you to come with me."

"Did you know about the new office space?"

Zach nodded. "I heard a rumor. I'm hoping if we continue to be a great team, you'll have a new office."

"Really."

He shrugged. "You are doing the work and getting the same experience I got as I transitioned positions. I hope you'll be ready, but what's happening with us is separate. You'd still be on your way to becoming an agent, even if I didn't want to kiss you right now."

She looked up at him. "You want to kiss me here?"

He leaned in close. "Yes, but neither of us will get any work done if we do. Raincheck?"

She nodded as he moved away from the door. She needed to escape, so she could think straight.

"Lill, shut my door. I'm calling Olivia and might raise my voice."

"She'll hate me."

"Do you argue with your sister?" She nodded. "This is no different."

Lilli didn't agree, but she couldn't stop thinking that she agreed to kiss Zachary Steele. Not knowing where and when kept Lilli unbalanced.

At five o'clock, Zach was at work in his office and Lilli was reviewing Nancy's alternative ending. Nancy had a way of describing kisses. Thoughts of Zach's future kiss eroded any concentration she had.

As if a zombie, because she had died so many times, she was the walking dead. She stood from her desk and walked to his office. He had his sexy glasses on and Lilli shut the door.

Zach looked up. "What's wrong?"

"I can't take it anymore. It's all I can think about."

He took off his glasses. "What is?"

"You kissing me." He let out a chuckle. "What if it's no good? We have to work together."

"It'll be good... better than good. Trust me."

Lilli couldn't speak with her dry tongue. He didn't make a move out of his seat and she sagged, but she was also glad because they couldn't kiss at work. They weren't Jack and Jillian.

"Lill, tell me you'll be my date. Come to the wedding with me?"

She sighed and nodded.

He smiled. "Don't look so thrilled. It won't be torture. Go home, get some rest. Olivia will be here in the morning."

She groaned and turned away. Dead woman walking.

She said yes! Please vote 🌟