The Space Between Us

The First Step

The soft glow of the setting sun filtered through the windows of my apartment, casting long shadows across the hardwood floors

I stood before the mirror, eyeing the dress I had just put on a sleek black number that had served me well for business dinners and professional events. But as I looked at myself, something felt off

"This is ridiculous," I muttered under my breath, peeling off the dress with a sigh. The fabric slid off easily, pooling at my feet, leaving me staring at my reflection.

This wasn't just any dinner. This was with Emma.

I had picked the venue carefully a quiet, intimate restaurant far from the office, where we wouldn't run into colleagues

Tonight wasn't about business or presentations It was about seeing where this thing between us could go

But choosing an outfit that didn't scream "boss" was proving more difficult than I'd imagined.

I sank down onto the edge of my bed, my head in my hands. I wasn't used to feeling this way so unsure, so... vulnerable

I was Rebecca Whitmore, after all. A woman who made decisions that shaped careers, signed off on major deals, and handled crisis management without breaking a sweat, yet here I was, struggling over what to wear on a date with Emma

A sharp pang of guilt twisted in my gut she wasn't just any woman, she was my employee, my intern

A bright, talented young woman with a future ahead of her. What was I thinking, letting things get this far?

But then, images of last night came flooding back Emma's warmth beside me, the way she looked at me with those soft, understanding eyes

The way she trusted me, even after I'd been so distant, she deserved more than what I'd given her before. She deserved someone who could meet her halfway

I pushed those thoughts aside as I rose to my feet, I couldn't afford to let my insecurities drive me away from this. Not again

After much deliberation, I settled on a dark blue blouse and black slacks. Professional, but with a softness that felt more appropriate for the evening ahead

As I applied a light touch of makeup, the nagging voice in my head whispered doubts, was this a mistake? Would people assume she was trying to sleep her way to the top? Would they think I was taking advantage of her?

I shook my head, dismissing the thoughts as best as I could. "You're both adults," I told myself firmly. "You can handle this."

But could we? The publishing world was as ruthless as any industry, and office gossip had a way of spreading like wildfire

One misstep, and everything we had both worked for could be at risk

By the time I grabbed my keys and headed out the door, my stomach was in knots

The drive to Emma's apartment felt longer than usual, the familiar streets passing in a blur of red lights and second-guessing

I found myself running through potential conversations in my head, trying to prepare for every possibility

What if she wanted to keep things strictly professional? What if she had doubts, too? I didn't have long to dwell on those thoughts

Before I knew it, I was standing in front of her door, my hand poised to knock, I took a deep breath, willing my nerves to settle

This was Emma. No matter what happened tonight, we'd figure it out together

The door opened, and there she was. Emma, in a soft yellow sundress that made her look radiant in the evening light