Dan stood there silently, his mouth tight. Then he continued to walk. After a while he spoke quietly. "Okay, I'll admit it. When I fantasize about the killer colleague, she is always my lover." Of course. "But that shouldn't be a surprise-they're my fantasies. Things are different in real life. If we became lovers it might fulfill my fantasy for a while, but it would probably end up . . . well it would end up like all of my other relationships-messy, awkward, painful, and then over. I really like you as a friend and a colleague, Kay, and I don't want to ruin it."
"I've been more than happy with our working relationship, Dan. I rarely get to interact professionally with a man, even a married man, who doesn't have the ulterior motive of seducing me. In fact, I usually withdraw from male colleagues and avoid eye contact or any truly open conversations for fear that they'll take something the wrong way and suddenly come on to me. Because once it does happen, when a man crosses that line and comes on to me, it's impossible to return to normal. The whole working relationship is ruined.
"Our situation is even stranger, because I'm way over the line as far as seductive activity goes. Yet you still treat me like an equal. How do you do it?"
"I've known from the start that I was attracted to you. Think about it: if I wasn't, I never would have hired you to play this game. I just remind myself that if I cross the line, you'll be gone. And let me say that you make it increasingly difficult for me to keep from crossing that line. Besides being sexy and smart, you're a pleasure to work with, and now I find out that you even meditate! But the more I find myself attracted to you, the more I know how valuable you are as my colleague. I can't even begin to tell you what a thrill this week has been. And although I'd be sad to lose you as a friend or lover, I'd hate myself even more if I lost the only real-life killer colleague I know.
"That's why I was reluctant to invite you to this party-I was afraid that something here would make us cross that line. But now I'm glad you came, because you've seen firsthand what happens to the women I date. Maybe now you understand why I'm able to keep my hands off you. I refuse to turn you into one of these miserable women who wait for me to show up at parties. It's not worth it for either of us."