Make It Known

Prologue

MAKE IT KNOWN

A Not-So-Cliché Office Romance

by Ami

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epigraph:

"...Who could refrain,
That had a heart to love, and in that heart
Courage to make love known?"

— From Macbeth by William Shakespeare

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playlist:

Spotify @AmiTheDarkLady

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Prologue

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It had been a long couple of years. Gavin Stone downed the last of his beer, feeling the sudden urge to order something stronger.

A tired sigh. For the millionth time, he wondered what the hell Mattheson had been thinking.

"I know you can handle it, Stone. I wouldn't give you this job if I knew you weren't capable of kicking its ass."

But the old frog never bothered explaining exactly what made Gavin so capable before he croaked.

And that's why Gavin needed a drink. Because on Monday morning, he was gonna be in charge of four new journalists, fresh out of school and just starting their careers, and as editor-in-chief it was his job to know shit. They were going to look up to him, and he needed something to show for it.

He scrubbed a hand across the stubble coating his sharp jaw. If it hadn't been for Trisha's gentle but firm support and her killer instincts, he wouldn't have made it through these two years in such good shape.

The world thought The Press was doing just fine. That he was doing just fine.

But Gavin was drowning, and nobody knew it.

He was just about to flag over the bartender for a refill when someone slid onto the stool to his right, and when he turned and caught a glimpse of her he nearly lost his breath.

Christ. She was beautiful.

Straight, shoulder-length brown hair, the same soft brown of morning coffee. Smooth, perfect skin; straight, pert nose; full, pink lips.

Her dress was loose and tight at the same time, he could see the faint suggestions of those curves beneath the thin navy fabric. The colour stood out against her tanned skin.

And then he realized he was staring, but it was okay because she was staring too. And then he met her gaze, and those warm, chocolate brown eyes pierced into his soul.

He felt his skin heat up, felt something heavy pass through the air between them.

She crossed those long legs, her dress pulling up to sit a few inches above her knee. Beige sandals with a heel, painted toenails.

He forgot all about alcohol, after just one look at this woman.

"If you're gonna keep staring, you should probably buy me a drink," she said, a smile tugging at the edge of her lips. Something about the subtle, almost natural gloss she was wearing made her mouth look completely edible.

Shit. Gavin ran a hand through his messy hair, tossing her a small, crooked grin. "If that's how this works, I think you owe me a drink too."

He watched her sharp eyes float down the length of his face, and then she raised a dark, perfectly-arched brow. "Fair enough."