“Ah, that would explain it,” said Nathan, chuckling. “After all the hassle she gave Julia about that damned bridesmaid dress, she actually seemed pretty happy with how it all turned out on the big day.”

Ben noticed that the dark-haired Nathan was right around the same height as he was, though Julia’s husband seemed far more at ease wearing the pressed khaki slacks and fitted polo shirt – very similar to Ben’s attire today – than Ben had ever felt.

“So, what brings the two of you to New York?” he asked politely as the elevator began to rise steadily towards his floor.

The newlyweds looked at each other with a knowing smile, and Julia actually giggled.

“It’s an anniversary of sorts for us,” explained Nathan. “Julia and I met for the first time in New York two years ago. We’re just here for an extended weekend to celebrate.”

Ben smiled as the couple continued to gaze at each other lovingly. “Well, I’m sure that Lauren is happy to have you here, as well as your aunt.”

Julia rolled her eyes. “You’d like to think so, wouldn’t you? But between getting ready for New York Fashion Week, and becoming re-acquainted with her old boyfriend, my aunt has barely had a minute to spare for us. As for Lauren – well, she’s been a little, um, let’s just say - ”

“Cranky,” inserted Nathan. “Pissy. In one of the worst moods I’ve ever seen her in, and there have been a whole lot of those in the scant year I’ve known her. I have no idea how long it’s been since that girl got - ”

“Nathan,” admonished Julia, placing a hand over his mouth. “Knock it off.” To Ben she hastily explained, “My sister takes particular joy in antagonizing Nathan, probably because he’s such an easy target for her. That being said, we’re both a little worried about her these days.”

Ben frowned. “Why is that?”

Nathan grinned evilly. “You got a few hours to spare?”

“Shush,” his wife scolded, giving him a little shove. “If Lauren learns you’ve been talking about her, she’ll drop you on your ass. Again.”

Ben suppressed a chuckle, and asked instead, “Are you here to meet her for lunch then?”

Julia nodded as the elevator stopped and they all exited. “She’s dragging us to some deli she keeps raving about. Unfortunately, I’m not much of a pastrami on rye fan, though she did let me choose where to have dinner tonight in return.”

“Hey, you should join us, Ben,” offered Nathan. “Uh, I mean, if you don’t have plans already.”

Julia nudged her husband. “Nathan, I’m pretty sure that Ben has a girlfriend. Maybe both of them would like to join us.”

Ben wondered briefly what if anything Lauren might have told her sister about Elle. “I do have a girlfriend, yes. But Elle happens to be out of town for a couple of days doing an interview for her latest article. And thanks for the invitation, Nathan, but I’ll probably be working late tonight.”

Nathan shrugged. “Sure, no problem, Ben. But if you change your mind we’ll be at Puerto 56 around seven tonight.”

“Mmm.” Julia practically smacked her full, glossy lips. “They make the best pisco sours I’ve ever had. Great tapas, too.”

“Are you still yapping about that Peruvian place you’re dragging me to tonight?” complained Lauren as she strode into the elevator lobby. “And you guys are ten minutes late. What – oh.”

She halted her tirade abruptly as she saw Ben, and gave him a ferocious scowl.

“Sorry.” Julia apologized sheepishly. “We, um, got a bit of a late start leaving our hotel, and then we ran into Ben here.”

Lauren gave her sister a knowing smirk. “Yeah, I think we can all figure out why you two were running late. But, never mind, let’s just go. I’m so hungry my stomach is having an entire conversation with itself.”

Ben couldn’t help grinning broadly, just like he could seldom resist the urge to smile at Lauren’s quick wit and often unintentional humor. “I find it hard to believe you’re that hungry,” he told her good-naturedly. “After everything I saw you put away during this morning’s meeting, I’m amazed you can even think of eating. What was it – two donuts, a package of trail mix, and at least six Red Vines. And that was just when I was in the room. There’s no telling what you’ve put away since I left.”

Lauren glared at him. “I didn’t realize you were paying such close attention to my food intake.”

His smile softened. “I pay attention to a lot of things,” he told her quietly. “You’re the one who isn’t always aware of what’s going on around you.”

He didn’t miss the curious way both Julia and Nathan were observing this interchange between him and Lauren, and once again he couldn’t help wondering what, if anything, her family really knew about him.

Lauren gave an impatient little flip of her long, thick braid before pushing the down button for the elevator, pointedly ignoring Ben as she waited for it to arrive. As the elevator doors opened, Julia gave Ben an apologetic smile and a little wave before following her sister, while Nathan silently mouthed “See what I mean” before stepping inside the car.

Ben was pensive as he walked towards his office, wondering if Julia and her husband had been right to worry about Lauren. And while Nathan had been right on the money when he’d mentioned that Lauren was frequently in a bad mood, Ben realized that it had gone way beyond that over the past couple of months. Her short-temper and almost perpetual crankiness had evolved into being withdrawn and unnaturally quiet, almost to the point of depression. And that sort of behavior was so unlike Lauren that it gave him cause for concern as well.

Truthfully, his mind hadn’t been terribly focused on the job much as of late, and thus he hadn’t paid enough attention to his staff. Rather, he’d been preoccupied with his own problems, both professional and personal ones.

Ever since Karl had called him with the news of his sudden marriage and imminent resignation from the magazine, the wheels had been spinning in Ben’s head about his own future with the company. It was almost a sure thing that he would not seek to renew his contract and remain in his current job, but exactly what he would be doing come January he hadn’t yet figured out. He knew that leaving this editorial job would both anger and upset Elle, especially since what he really wanted to do was travel again.

And Elle was quite another issue altogether. Ben had felt for some time now that they were growing further and further apart, that in fact they’d seen more of each other and liked each other better when they had been simply roommates. Complicating matters of late was the increased presence of her parents, who seemed to be around a lot more often, probably due to the fact that Gordon had retired a few months ago. Elle’s parents had stayed at the brownstone for more than a month before the trip they had all taken to Spain, and then returned to New York for an additional couple of weeks. They had just left two days ago, when they had finally jetted off to England, the same day Elle had flown to Atlanta to interview a retired ambassador for her latest article.

He and Elle hadn’t been alone, really alone, for over two months now. Not that he missed having sex with her per se, especially since she was as reserved and inhibited as ever in bed. But he was definitely horny, a condition that always seemed to be aggravated whenever Lauren was in town.

Like today, for example. Throughout the crew’s morning meeting, he’d had to force himself not to look in her direction too often. Or give away the fact that he lusted after her almost constantly. And while she had never again arrived at the office as scantily dressed as she had that one day last summer, it was small comfort as far as Ben was concerned because everything she wore called attention to her petite, full-breasted body.

Today’s outfit had been simple enough – skinny white jeans, a hip length, semi-sheer pale blue T-shirt, and bright blue Converse sneakers. But the jeans had cupped her butt cheeks like a second skin, while the lacy cups of her bra had been clearly visible through the thin material of her top. He’d had a rather uncomfortable hard-on for the better part of three hours, and it had only made matters worse to watch her eating one piece after another of that damned licorice. As she’d chewed slowly on each stick, it had brought back memories of those plush lips on his cock, and he had shifted awkwardly in his chair every few minutes.