Amanda Sinclair was quite pleased with her first week at Chancellor Industries and her only complaint-as she waited at the elevator bank-was she was working way too many hours. Not that she truly minded. It felt good to lean in again as part of a dynamic thriving company. Still working until 7:30 pm and leaving exhausted did not allow much room for a social life. Nate Hastings had asked her out to lunch and dinner twice and she had to decline both times. But if she was being honest, lack of time was not the only culprit. Billy Abbott was also a huge factor.

When she and Billy were friends they'd have their bar chats and coffee conversations maybe twice a week at most. Sometimes an entire week would go by and she wouldn't see him at all. They led completely separate lives. She had the case against Devon Hamilton and he had his partner Victoria Newman and their children. Also Billy was at a crossroads trying to figure out what he wanted to do next with his life. So there was that.

Now she saw Billy Abbott every single day, multiple times a day. In meetings, passing in the hall, in the break room. Due to their agreement, they mostly communicated via text and email, but just to see him filled a tremendous void and as pathetic as it would probably sound if she dared tell another person, that was enough. So she didn't really feel an urge to hang out with Nate or to make space for him in her life when she "had" Billy so to speak.

But how sad is that? Amanda wondered as she jabbed the down button to the elevator, what was she sixteen years old living for a crush she caught a glimpse of in the hallways at school? Maybe she should text Nate.

She opened her briefcase to retrieve her phone, just when Billy Abbott appeared in the hallway walking toward her, a hand casually in his pocket, whistling like he hadn't a care in the world. She glanced at him and quickly looked away lest she become further entranced. As she told him in the coffee house during one of their earlier conversations, she found him handsome, moderately charming and successful. Working with him allowed her to see it all up close and personal. He had fangirls who oggled him in the halls and he was very clever quickly picking up new concepts, synthesizing them and breaking ideas down, examining the pros and cons. His Achilles heel was the details. He did not care about minutia one iota. She countered him in meetings time and again saying the devil was in the details-meaning potential lawsuits.

"Amanda..." Billy nodded at her with exaggerated formality like she was a stranger he just met, and not someone he poured his heart out to on multiple occasions.

"Billy…" She nodded back mirroring his nonchalance. Pursing her lips she looked at her phone and focused on it like texting Nate was a life line she needed to keep herself from drowning. The door to the elevators opened. Of course, as soon as Billy walks up, doors open for him. He was lucky, which was probably one of the reasons he took to gambling. He held the door open for her.

She hesitated, "Maybe I should take the next one."

"You were here first, if anything I'll take the next one," Billy said not moving.

Amanda shrugged, "Sorry, I'm being silly. It's an elevator ride, not a…" She started to say hotel room, but stopped herself just in time. "We can ride down together." She stepped inside.

"Only if you feel comfortable," Billy said.

"Just get in here, already." Amanda felt the playful camaraderie she always felt around Billy return. He entered the elevator and pushed the button for the ground floor. The doors slid closed and they were alone together. Amanda tried not to ponder too long on that fact.

"So I've been meaning to ask you how you're getting along?" Billy asked from the other side of the elevator.

"Good, really good." Amanda couldn't help but to grin from ear to ear. Chancellor was a great company doing great things and she was happy to be part of it all.

"No regrets about working for Chancellor instead of taking Devon up on his offer?" Billy regarded her, his head cocked a little to the side.

"How on earth do you know about Devon's offer to work at New Hope?"

"Lilly told me and since then.." Billy didn't finish what he was saying. The floor shook violently, throwing Amanda against Billy. Then the elevator stopped moving completely and the lights flickered.

"Oh my God what's happening?" Amanda held on to Billy for dear life as she looked up at the lights.

"Must be some sort of malfunction. Hold on." He went to the panel of the elevator and opened up the little metal door that read "emergency" lifted the red phone inside and spoke into it. He hung up and turned to Amanda. "I spoke to the head of security. If they can't get the elevator going in the next few minutes, they'll call in the fire department."

"Oh my God," she repeated covering her mouth with her hand. "It's that bad?"

Billy shrugged "This is not my first rodeo with stalled elevators. You might as well make yourself comfortable. This could be a while." He took off his jacket, loosened his tie and sat down his back leaned against a wall, one of his long legs, bent at the knee.

"This is all I need," Amanda huffed. She allowed her bag to fall to the floor but remained standing. "I was just about to make plans to go out tonight."

"With whom, may I ask? Not Dr. Nate?"

"Yes, Nate, if you must know," Amanda placed a hand on her hip. "And what is wrong with that may I ask?"

"I figured since you couldn't keep your eyes off of me when you were out with him last time..."

Amanda waited a beat for him to wink and say he was joking, but he didn't crack a smile. Her mouth dropped open. "First of all, that day you were in my line of vision, I couldn't help but to look in your direction. It also didn't help that you were staring at us disapprovingly the entire time." She took a deep breath before continuing. "Further how do you know that was the last time I saw Nate?"

Billy shrugged. "You didn't seem to be too into him. Why waste his time or yours?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I'll have you know, I'm plenty into Nate." She nodded her head emphasizing her point even as she lied to Billy and herself. The man she was into was trapped with her for who knows how long in a small enclosed place. Her heart threatened to gallop away from her; it was beating so fast.

"If you say so," Billy reached into his bag and pulled out a bottle of water. "I have two, do you want one?"

"No you better save that. We might need it later if we really are trapped in here." She threw up her hands then glanced at her watch "What is taking them so damned long?"

"I only called it in about a minute ago. If they had to call in the fire department, they can't magically transport here. You might as well sit down and make yourself comfortable." He took a long drink from the bottle.

Amanda stood against the wall of the elevator, her hands resting along the railings. "I'm fine just where I am. So much for you saving our water supply."

Billy took in her stilettos and his gaze traveled up her legs. Her skin heated under his concentrated perusal. "I'm quite confident we'll be saved before our water supply runs out completely," he chuckled. "But how long are you going to be comfortable standing there in those shoes?"

'You said it wouldn't take long."

"Maybe a half hour or so. Longer if the fire department has an actual emergency like a burning building or something."

"You can't be serious. This place could catch on fire too with us trapped in here."

"You always think of the worst possible scenario."

"That's why you hired me."

"This building is fully equipped with sprinklers." Billy patted the space next to him."Sit down Amanda and stop worrying. This is a perfect opportunity to do nothing." Amanda sighed and crossed the small space to sit down next to him. He offered her the extra bottle of water again and she accepted it.

"What the hell," she said."Too bad this isn't a whisky neat. I could use one about now." She tapped her bottle against his in a toast before she took a drink.

Billy chuckled. "Have you been back there?"

Amanda paused with the bottle half way to her lips knowing exactly what Billy was referencing tho he did not mention the place by name. The Empty Glass Tavern where they first met and became confidants. "No, but I've thought about It, You?" She looked at him.

"Nahhh, but I thought about it too. How about if we make it out of here alive, we go there tonight?"

"Don't tease me Billy," Amanda laughed. "Being trapped in an elevator would freak anybody out."

"Yeah, I know. Just think one of us would have had to go through this ordeal all by their lonesome if we didn't agree to ride together. I take that as a sign."

"A sign of what, calamity follows us wherever we go?"

They both laughed.

"It feels good to laugh with you again, Amanda. I missed this."

"Me too."

"Despite the not so great circumstances I'm glad we had a chance to break the ice. Things have been kind of cold between us since you kissed me that morning after the storm."

"What?" Amanda almost spit out the water she sipped. "I kissed you? You kissed me first."

"Yeah, you were basically blowing me off. I gave you a peck goodbye. The next thing I knew you were all over me. I had no idea what was going on so I left. I run into you later and you say you want to remain friends. But I never heard from you again that is until Lily wants to hire you and I find out you turned down a job with New Hope to work with me. So what's the deal Amanda?" He took another drink of water.

"Which part of that are you asking me to respond to?"

"All of it," Billy insisted. "Let's start with why you kissed me like that."

"Excuse me, but I kinda thought we were kissing each other. Does this elevator have cameras in here?"

"Video but no sound. So feel free to be honest with me. I didn't expect you to kiss me like that.:"

"And I didn't expect you to say goodbye. I was shocked."

"You should have said something if you wanted me to stay."

"What, beg you not to leave? Please," she rolled her eyes at him and crossed her arms.

"Amanda, do you honestly think you would have had to beg me to stay?"

Amanda didn't have a response so she remained silent.

"So," Billy said. "We're not getting anywhere with the kiss. So tell me why you're here at Chancellor and not at New Hope?"

Amanda covered her face with her hands."Arghhh. Why did this damn elevator have to break down?"

"It's like I keep telling you Amanda, miracles keep happening that bring us together.'

"Or like I say, catastrophes."

"Answer the question Amanda, why are you here?"

"Are you really going to make me say it outloud?"

"Since I apparently misread all of your signals after the storm. Yes."

"Okay, I wanted to take this job because of you, Billy. I saw this as an opportunity to be closer to you. But I swear I never thought we'd be this close. Stuck in an elevator close."

"The universe wants us to be together."

"Billy, would you stop saying things I don't think you truly believe."

"I meant everything I've ever said to you. I've been more honest with you than anyone else in my entire life." He stroked the back of her hand as it lay on her lap. "You do believe me, don' t you?"

Amanda stared into his eyes and all she could see was the same authenticity that made her feel safe to talk to him. "Yes, I believe you."

"Good. Now there is one issue that remains unresolved."

"What is that?"

"The misunderstanding about the kiss. I vote we do it again to clear things up."

"Oh that is your solution?" Amanda smiled thinking he was joking, and then her eyes grew wide when she realized Billy meant to "clear things up" right then as he leaned toward her. She met him halfway, their lips connecting in a sizzling kiss.. God it was as good as it was before. Amanda grabbed Billy's shirt. Believing him that this was heaven sent or something. It just felt so right. Billy adjusted her so she straddled him and they continued to kiss. Right when Billy slid his hands down to her bottom, the doors of the elevator flew open in a woosh.

Several uniformed security officers flanked by two firefighters stood in the hallway. They all exchanged glances when they realized what they'd interrupted. "You folks alright?" One of them asked.

"We are now," Billy held her tightly while Amanda hid her face completely mortified.

The End