Love on the Air(52)

"I know. I wasn't sure why. I just had a feeling we had something special."

"Something clicked," she murmured.

He nodded.

At last comprehension took hold. "You found us a job together."

He nodded again.

She rose to her feet. "You've been looking for how long?"

"Since the beginning of January."

She didn't know whether to hug him or hit him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I tried to last night. Before I was so memorably interrupted." His grin was a little crooked.

"But before that-"

"Before that, I had nothing. Even last night, I had nothing. I just got that letter at my apartment today." He was leaning far over the desk by this time. "Before that, I couldn't promise you a thing. No assurance I could get us a gig. You've got three months in radio. I've got fourteen years, but still, it was a tough sell. If it hadn't panned out, I would have just been stringing you along. I never wanted to do that. So I didn't say anything." He reached across the desk to brush his fingertips over her cheek. "Before you came along, I was pretty good at hiding things. It's not so easy any more, and I'm really looking forward to giving it up. What I'd like to hear now," he said in that unfamiliar husky voice, "is how you feel."

"How I feel?" The question surprised her. "Well, let's see." Christie tilted her head back and gazed up at the ceiling, trying to get hold of her whirling thoughts. "You kiss me, then you treat me like everything's business as usual. You make me a wreck with mixed signals. You attack me with a drawer full of balloons. And then you go and find us a job behind my back." She met his eyes again, surprised to see the uncertainty there. "Are you serious? I love you."

Rick reached over and took her hand. The pressure of his fingers was warm and firm around hers. "So is it a deal? You know what it's going to be like. More ridiculous hours. More coffee. Probably even more Top Ramen."

"Mr. Fox," she said, "are you trying to talk me out of this job?"

"Oh, I gave up on that a long time ago." He smiled, and Christie couldn't believe she'd ever imagined going anywhere without him. "But we've still got one thing left to discuss. Our names. Is it Fox and Becker? Or Fox and Fox?" His tone was light, but his eyes were fixed on hers.

"Fox and Fox?"

Rick nodded. "Personally, I think we'd play better as a husband and wife team."

A smile spread over her face. "Is that a job requirement?"

"No," he said, "but if you want to, I could make it one."

"All right," she said. "Anything to help the ratings."

"Well, since I need to clear my desk anyway-" In one sweeping gesture, Rick leaned down and shoved the mounds of paper from the top of his desk, sending them to land in a heap on the floor. Then he reached for Christie and pulled her across the desktop, meeting her in the middle.

"What's this?" she asked as his arms folded around her. "Right here in front of God and everybody?"

"I told you to close the door," he said.

And their lips met, in a kiss they didn't have to hide from anyone.