Ever had an office romance? I really even hate to clarify what Brody and Maddie (in my just released SUPERB AND SEXY) have as an office romance. None of their story takes place in an office, but instead they’re on the run for most of the book. But technically, I suppose, he is her boss and she is his subordinate. (Read excerpts of Superb and Sexy here and here.)
Not that she is very subordinate. Nope, Maddie is one tough cookie…
Where was I? Right. Office romances. When I was twenty-two, I was working in Los Angeles, in the city offices actually, doing accounting. My little cubicle happened to be on the same floor that the Fire/Paramedic dispatch worked out of, which meant that on any given day I could look out my little window and gaze upon all the very sexy paramedics, EMTs and firefighters. There was one in particular that my gaze always gravitated to, but even at twenty-two I had enough wits about me to know a player when I saw one. Besides, me and the other girls had vows. Look don’t touch.And so we looked.
Plenty.
Then that cute paramedic got injured on the job, a broken wrist, and he was put in the offices to help out the accounting department while going through physical therapy. He was to file. For me.
Dreamy sigh . . .
He asked me out that first day. I laughed and said no thank you (while inwardly DYING to say yes but hey, a vow is a vow). He asked me out every day for four months before I caved.
We’ve been married a good long time now, and that story still cracks me up. Good thing he was persistent! So here’s what this curious author wants to know. Ever had an office romance? I’ll draw names randomly for a free copy of any book from my backlist, your choice. Now tell me your stories!
Here’s a couple of reviews: Sandy M’s review of Smart and Sexy and Sybil’s review of Strong and Sexy. Plus an excerpt of Strong and Sexy here.
E-X-C-E-R-P-T
Smart and Sexy, released 1 Apr 2007
“I have to get there quickly. Like yesterday quickly.”
“As in hijack-a-pilot quickly?”
“I didn’t hijack you,” she said with a primness that made him want to laugh — if there’d been anything remotely funny about this situation. “You were going anyway,” she said in the same old refrain.
He slid her a long glance.
She broke eye contact again.
“Okay,” he said, deciding to bite. “So what is this ‘something’ you have to get quickly?”
She put her nose to the window. “Are we almost there?”
“Done talking, are we?” he asked dryly.
She didn’t answer.
Yeah, apparently, she was done talking. She’d definitely omitted plenty, leaving out a whole bunch of her story, including how the hell she’d gotten herself roughed up and by whom.
Not his problem, he reminded himself, even if just looking at her invoked Superman tendencies. He was going to Mammoth for some desperately needed R&R.
And a ski bunny.
Nothing else, including saving damsels in distress.
With that thought, he began landing preparations. He reduced power and lowered the flaps, controlling the nose, maintaining altitude, but in yet another unwelcome turn of events, the landing gear didn’t lower.
Unbelievable. He flicked the switch again, prepared to adjust the trim at the drag to stabilize the nose again, but nope, the landing gear definitely did not lower. “Shit.”
“What is it?” she asked.
He looked into her lovely, terrified face. How to tell her they might be coming in for a landing on their belly? “Come here.”
“Why?” asked his suspicious little hijacker.
There was no sugar-coating the insanity. “We have a little problem.”
“That’s an oxymoron when you’re in the air.”
He let out a mirthless laugh. “Yeah. Listen, the landing gear didn’t lower.”
Her mouth fell open.
“I need you to fly the plane while I go crank it down manually.” Crank, kick . . . whatever it took.
The color drained completely out of her face. “Ohmigod. Without the landing gear, we can’t land. Right?”
“Sure we can, we just do it on our belly. Not nearly as smooth though, trust me.”
She swallowed hard. “That’s nowhere close to a little problem.”
“Compared to falling out of the sky, it is. Get over here, Princess.”
“Can you really fix it?”
“Yeah. I’ve seen a guy do it once or twice.”
“Omigod!”
“I’m kidding! Yes, I can fix it. If you get over here.”
“Noah–”
The plane shuddered. More turbulence. Perfect. “Now, goddamnit.” To help her along, he snagged a fistful of the front of her sweatshirt and yanked. With a gasp, she flew toward him, and something slid out of her front pocket, clattering on the floor.
A large, fat pen.
A pen that probably, if shoved up against him, would feel like a gun. He stared down at the thing until it rolled beneath the seat.
“You’re kidding me.”
The truth was written all over her face. “I–”
“You’re kidding me.” He couldn’t believe it, didn’t want to believe it. “A pen? You held me up with a pen?”
I’m not sure if it’s an office romance, but I’ve had a worker romance with another boy at the camp I work at. It was brief- we realized we were better as just friends, but it was fun while it lasted.
I like office romance stories, as long as they’re not gossipy.
Oh that’s such a lovely story, Jill!
The reformed rake via office friendship to romance…
*ahem*
Sorry.
I don’t have any office romances to report, probably because by the time I entered the work force I was already married–and since my divorce I’ve worked mainly in all-female environments.
uh… I have prolly done this more times than I have fingers to count. WHAT? I worked in hotels what else are you suppose to do there?
The last one I did end up marrying and divorcing about 6 years after our first ‘date’.
I like to think I have learned my lesson and will never evah do it again. Of course yours turned out much better ;).
When I was 18 I worked at JCPenney’s. I had been working there for a year when the boy I had a crush on from school started working in the Athletics Department. We talked at school prior to this but really got to know each other pretty well at work. We always went to lunch together and spent many days flirting. I finally got the nerves to speak up and told him what I was feeling and miraculously he felt the same. We started dating and 10 months later we were married. No happy ending for us though. We’ve been married 9 yrs now but were also separated right now.
Soooo….ummmm not such a happy story.
Never had an office romance. I can see how easy it is to fall for someone at work, you spend practically all day with them. I imagine it would be quite awkward when you break up and you have to see them five days a week.
Aw, Jill! that’s so romantic!
I’ve never had an office romance, I probably wouldn’t because if things end bad then that’d be really uncomfortable, but I’m glad yours worked out! 😀
It was a romance where I worked in an office and he was a guy that I dealt with on a regular basis but he worked in another office in another building. He had to phone me for stats and we got to flirting on the phone. I quit it when he proceeded to come to my apt. building one evening and demanded to get in. I asked him how he got my address and he said ‘through the files from where you work; he dealt with employee benefits, I believe. It was a long time ago.
Aww that’s a cute story!
I’ve tried the whole office romance thing, only it wasn’t in an office but at a store. I was dating the guy that I was head over heels in love with. He pursued me pretty hard and I thought he was so hot so I went out with him and we struck up a pretty sweet romance until one morning almost 10 months later, at our daily staff meeting before the store opens, our big boss announces that my boyfriend got a promotion and was moving to Austin, Texas to live with his son and his long time girlfriend Melissa?
WTF?
Yeah, I felt pretty stupid…it’s a good thing, I’m over that mess.
It wasn’t an office – so I don’t know if it qualifies. But while in worked in a roller-skating rink on the weekends in the snack bar. And I started seeing the guy you worked as the DJ there on the weekends. But after a couple of months he joined the Army and we lost track of each other. Pretty lame in comparision to everyone elses story.
What a sweet real-life love story! I had a few near brushes with office romance when I was doing vacation jobs but nothing that seriously developed into something more…I am shy when it comes to dating and they weren’t as persistent as your paramedic.
I never had an office romance. I’m the only deaf person in my office so practically no one comes up to talk to me lol. When I first started working there, I was already in a serious relationship so I wasn’t looking.
Oops forgot to put an end on here… Let’s close this contest tonight – 6/2/8 @ midnight and will announce the winner tomorrow.
Sorry! Work has been hellish… as in NO INTERNET! This has been going on since FRIDAY.
I have thought about calling in sick. But I am the one who had to make the calls to get it fixed. And WOOT! I do believe we are connected. YAYAY
I know you don’t care ;). But tis way I haven’t announced a winner yet. Will do soon!
nope mostly ladies work with me lol
We care, Sybil–I wouldn’t want to imagine having to work without internet access… *shudder* you poor thing, you!
Want some chocolate?
hmmm I think I need vodka at this point… I finally get everything working at ‘work’ to get home to no phone and no internet (or cable)
Turns out something is fucked with my modem. It comes up and goes down at will. So they will be out tomorrow to fix it. You have NO idea how much that annoyed me yesterday.
eeeeeeekkkkkk!!! no cable, no internet, no nothing?
Want some tequila?
was there a winner fo rthis
I’ve been wondering the same thing.
Ladies, you may wanna check this post…
(“Patience, grasshoppers, the duckies always catch up”)