It was a quarter after five and Jim had been kept late by an utterly fruitless meeting with Michael, Andy, Dwight. But as he exited the conference room, his heart leaped a little when he saw Pam still at reception. He tossed her goofy face to illustrate his feelings about the meeting and she chuckled. Jim grabbed his messenger bag and could see Pam gathering up her things out of the corner of his eye. When he reached reception, he leaned forward on the desk and drummed his fingers.

"Heading out?" Just a normal, innocent question.

"Yep, you?" She kept her eyes focused on her computer screen as she logged out.

"Yeah, wanna walk down together?" He could feel a smile start to creep out despite his best efforts.

"Okay," she replied, also working hard to contain her grin.

As they stood before the elevator, Jim peered over to the office doors to see if anyone else was coming. When he determined they were alone, he glanced down to the floor.

"You ever wonder how many times we've stood next to each other on this elevator?" he asked in a half whisper.

Pam nodded, "About once a day for three and a half of the last four years, right?"

He smiled, looking at the door of the office once again to make sure they were alone. "I always stood so close to you because I secretly wanted to hold your hand."

"Well, I stood so close to you because I secretly wanted you to," Pam said, giving Jim a shy smile.

The elevator doors dinged opened and they stepped inside. After pressing the button for the lobby, Jim stepped back so he would be shoulder to shoulder with Pam, looking down at his shoes as he took her small, soft, warm hand in his. She looked straight ahead, but he could see a smile tugging at her lips.

Jim never remembered this ride being so short as the elevator reached the lobby with a slight jolt. The doors opened, and when Jim saw a shadow both he and Pam took a step away from each other, hands dropping back to their sides. The doors opened wider to reveal Angela, her lips twisting into her usual scowl and her eyes darting back and forth between Jim and Pam.

"Evening, Angela," Jim said with a nod.

"Evening Jim, Pam," Angela said, keeping her narrowed eyes focused on Pam. Pam exited the elevator first, and Jim lagged behind, giving Angela one more smile as he walk out of the elevator and headed to the lobby doors. Once he exited the building, he quickened his step to catch up with Pam.

"Oops," he said quietly. "You don't think she'll –"

"Don't worry about Angela," Pam said quickly. Jim wanted to inquire further, but decided it was best to let it go for now.

When they reached the point in the parking lot where they had to break off to their separate cars, Pam turned to him. "So I'm thinking I'll have pasta tonight, and maybe watch a movie," she said.

Jim cocked his head to the side, "That's funny, I think I will do the exactly same thing, at my separate apartment?"

"Really, you'll be doing that at your apartment at about 7?"

"Yep, right at 7, weird, huh?"

"Very weird," Pam said, walking backwards to her car. "Later Jim."

"Later," Jim said, grinning as his unlocked his car, and calculating how many minutes it was until 7 o'clock and he would get to hold Pam's hand again.

Pam sat in her car outside of Poor Richard's and smiled when she spotted the familiar tall figure across the parking lot walking towards the entrance. She pulled out her cell and dialed.

She watch as he stopped and answered his phone. "Hey," he said.

"Hey, I like that shirt, navy is good on you," she said, smirking. Jim swiveled his head trying to find her. "I'm at your 3 o'clock."

He finally saw her and smiled, "You know, we could have said we carpooled in the name of the environment."

"No, you need to go first so you can meet your blind date," Pam said. Yesterday, when everyone was planning this office night out, Andy cornered Jim and asked if he would be Andy's wingman and hang out with the friend of Andy's date. Pam walked by them right then and chimed in that it would be great for Jim since he is totally not seeing anyone.

"I'd like to state for the record that this is your terrible idea," Jim said, starting again for the door.

"This is the price we pay for dating in secret, Big Tuna," Pam replied. "Besides, I trust you."

"How can you trust me when I look this good, though?" Jim said, turning towards her and giving her a nod before hanging up and going inside. Pam giggled and turned off her car, taking her time to gather her things and walk inside.

Everyone from the office was seated at a long table, and Pam sat a couple chairs down from Jim and the 'Blind Date'. Andy had told Jim, who told Pam, her name was Rachel and she was a hair dresser. Once Pam saw Rachel's cascading curls and red bow-shaped lips, Pam started thinking this was indeed a terrible idea. Pam attempted to mingle, but found herself gazing in Jim's direction often, clenching her jaw whenever Rachel laughed at what Jim was saying, which was often.

Waiting at the bar for her second beer, Pam heard a soft "Hey" behind her. She turned and saw Rachel and said hello back.

"I'm Rachel," she said, tossing her curls behind her shoulder before offering her hand.

"Pam, I work at Dunder Mifflin with everyone."

"And you're the girlfriend, right?"

Pam blinked. "What?"

Rachel smirked, "Don't worry, the first moment everyone was out of earshot, Jim told me he had a girlfriend, and he's only here tonight to help out a coworker. He been glancing at you so much that I figured you're the girlfriend, at least I'm hoping so."

It was the first time Pam had heard of Jim referring to her as his 'girlfriend' and she wondered if the dim lighting hid her blushing cheeks at all. "We're trying to avoid being office gossip since we work together."

"Yeah, that's what Jim was saying, and it's cool, I'm really only here to make sure Allison is okay. She showed me that Andy-guy's online dating profile and all I thought was 'potential psycho'."

Pam chuckled. "You're a good friend," she said as the bartender handed her a beer.

"Thanks, and you're an awfully open-minded girlfriend," Rachel replied. "Hey, you should come by my salon, it's called 'A Cut Above', a twenty-percent discount is the least I can offer for borrowing your boyfriend."

Pam thanked her and walked to the far side of the table everyone was at, no longer feeling the need to keep tabs on Jim.

The bar grew so loud Pam almost didn't notice Andy's date Allison leaving Poor Richard's in a rush, Rachel and Jim close behind her. A moment later, Pam felt her phone buzz and saw a text from Jim. Date's over, calling them a cab, distract Andy for 5 mins. Pam obliged and started chatting with Andy, who was under the impression the date went great and Allison only had to leave because she had an early doctor's appointment tomorrow. Pam didn't point out tomorrow was Saturday. After her five minutes with Andy, Pam said her goodbyes to everyone and headed outside. She was a few paces into the parking lot when her phone rang.

"Did your girlfriend get her cab alright?" Pam teased.

"Not sure who you're talking about, my girlfriend is ten feet in front of me," Jim teased back. Pam spun around to see Jim standing just to the side of the door. He closed his phone and slipped it in his pocket, smile on his face.

Pam blushed, this time at actually hearing Jim say the word "girlfriend". Before she knew it, Jim's lips were on hers, his arms pulling her up on her tiptoes.

"Sorry, kinda wanted to do that all evening," Jim said after a moment, his forehead still touching Pam's.

"Me too," Pam said. The door to Poor Richard's slammed behind them, and they both dropped their arms and took a step back, laughing when they saw a pair of middle-aged men who definitely did not work at Dunder Mifflin stumble past them.

Jim gazed across the parking lot, then at his watch, "Well, it's only 10:30 and I'm kinda hungry, walk to Alfredo's?"

Pam nodded, and smiled as Jim took her hand. Pizza with her boyfriend sounded like a great way to top off a Friday night.

As he turned the door handle to the office, Jim felt the familiar rush of the realization that he was about to see Pam. It had only been 11 hours since he last saw her, kissing her in her doorway as he reluctantly left to go home to his very Pam-less apartment for the evening. The door swung open, and Pam wasn't seated at her desk. She stood facing away from him, running some papers through the shredder. Something was . . . different.

She spun around and smiled widely before restraining herself to a more 'friendly' smile. "Good morning, Jim." Her hair was down, curling softly around her face, and Jim's eyes traveled down to see she wasn't wearing her usual sweater, or a button up shirt. She was wearing something Jim was pretty sure he'd never seen before, something that was short sleeved and pink and clinging to her in all the right places.

Pam's eyes widened and Jim realized he had probably been standing there for an unnatural amount of time. "Good Morning, Pam," he said, cursing his voice for cracking a little on "Pam."

It was definitely the least productive day Jim had had in recent memory, as his eyes kept instinctively returning to Pam and her newly freed curls that he couldn't help but imagine running his fingers through. He was pretty sure she was purposely teasing him, going to the fax machine and photo copier much more than usual, giving him an unfettered view of the new pink shirt and the figure he always suspected she was hiding under those loose cardigans.

When she went into the kitchen for a drink, Jim decided it was a good time to take his break as well, walking in as she was pouring some iced tea for herself.

"Hey, tea?" she asked brightly.

"I'm good," Jim said, leaning back against the counter. Her arm brushed against his as she reached for the sugar, and he smiled to himself. He quickly surveyed both doors into the kitchen and then started to speak low. "So I need to talk to you."

Pam's eyes snapped to his, looking slightly panicked.

"You've gotten a couple complaints today."

The panicked look left Pam's and was replaced by something a little more mischievous. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, see, the way you have chosen to dress and wear your hair today is really distracting a certain salesperson."

"And is this the same salesperson who called me hypocritical for not really 'letting my hair down'?" Pam said with a smirk.

"This salesperson is getting use to the hair, but he really wishes he knew in advanced about this," Jim said, slipping his finger under the hem of her shirt and rubbing the silky fabric between his forefinger and thumb. "I mean, what's wrong with cardigans?"

"Oh, Jim, it's too hot to wear a cardigan today," Pam said, her eyes sparkling.

The door opened and Pam quickly grabbed the pitcher of iced tea and turned away. Jim didn't drop his hand fast enough and the pink fabric stretched over his finger before rolling off and clinging back to Pam's hip.

"Hey Kelly," Pam said just a little too enthusiastically, and Jim felt his stomach twist. Did Kelly just see that?

"Oh my God, Pam, let me see," Kelly skipped over to Pam and studied her shirt. "Pink is such a good color on you, don't you think Jim?"

Pam turned to Jim, "Yeah, Jim, what do you think?"

Jim took a step away, and put his hand to his chin as he mock-studied her shirt. "I don't know, it's missing something."

Pam pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes slightly as Kelly continued to examine the shirt. "You're right, Jim. Maybe you need like a big belt over it, to make your torso not look as long."

Jim backed out of the kitchen, mouthed "Have fun" to Pam, and returned to his desk. Kelly would keep Pam in there for at least 10 more minutes, and Jim really needed to get some kind of work done today.

After sorting through and writing down all the after-hours messages, Pam replaced the phone receiver and turned in her seat, her eyes instantly going to Jim. She watched him for a moment, engrossed in some paperwork, and felt her cheeks burn just a little as her mind flashed back to last night. Maybe he would be able to continue this "secret dating" thing, but as far as she was concerned the jig was up. How was she going to be able to hide this now, now that she knew what it was like? Now that she has felt his weight on her, has run her fingertips across the smooth skin of his back, has heard him softly call out her name as he buried his face in her neck, their breath heavy and their hearts pounding. How was she going to be able to tell the cameras when they return that she's single when she's now woken up with him by her side, his hair sticking up everywhere and his eyes heavy lidded as he murmured "Morning" and pulled her face to his for the first kiss of the day.

Jim lifted his head, and snapped it over to Pam before busting out one of his trademarked goofy faces. Pam smiled back brightly, then noticed a figure coming up on her right.

"Good Morning Kevin," Pam said, doing her best to sound normal.

Kevin looked at Jim, then back at Pam, then back to Jim.

"Can I do anything for you, Kevin?" Pam asked, trying to hide her annoyance.

"Yeah, corporate is supposed to send us a fax today," Kevin said.

"I have it right here," Pam said, quickly handing the paper to him.

"You're in a good mood today," Kevin said, eyebrow raised in suspicion.

"Yeah, I had a good breakfast." Pam instantly regretted saying that since she was now recalling cooking eggs this morning and Jim coming up behind her to wrap his arms around her middle and kiss her neck, his hair still damp from his shower.

"Oh," Kevin said, "did Jim have a good breakfast too?"

"I don't know, you'll have to ask him," Pam said.

"Oh do I?" Kevin said in an accusatory tone.

"Do you need anything else?" Pam asked politely.

Kevin looked at Jim, who was on the phone with a client, then back at Pam. "No," he said defeated before lumbering back to accounting.

When Jim was finished with his call, he walked up to Pam's desk and handed her some order forms. "Can we fax these to distribution?" he said.

Pam nodded, her eyes falling on a neon-pink sticky note on the forms. "BTW, I had an amazing breakfast," it read in his handwriting. She looked back up, seeing he was lingering at her desk waiting for her reaction. She pursed her lips, knowing her cheeks were as pink as the sticky note, and he smiled smugly before turning back to his desk.

Pam quickly grabbed the note and shoved it into her purse, brainstorming how she was going to get back at him. The phone rang and Pam sighed when she saw it was Michael.

"Yes Michael?"

"Can you come in here, I have something very important to discuss with you," Michael said.

"What is it about?" Pam said sternly.

"Nothing, I just need to discuss ... important Jan issues," Michael said. "In the bedroom," he added after a moment of Pam not replying.

Pam took a breath, ready to scold Michael when she looked to Jim. She turned in her seat so Jim wouldn't see her smirk. "I'm busy right now, but I think Jim would be happy to discuss that with you," she said in a low tone.

She hung up and tried not to giggle as Michael walked to his office door, "Hey, Jimmy, can you come in here for a minute?"

Jim grimaced at Pam before standing up, For some reason Michael has been calling him "Jimmy" all summer and he hated it. She kept her eye on Michael's office window, grinning widely when Jim found an excuse to turn around in his chair, shooting her a glare and slightly shaking his head.

Jim leaned against the brick exterior of Scranton Import Mechanics, drumming his fingers on his leg. When shuttling everyone back from visiting Meredith at the hospital, his engine started making a grinding noise, and he left work a little early to get his car dropped off before the auto shop closed. The door opened next to him and the gray-haired woman who ran the office poked her head out. "You sure you don't need a ride? I'll be finished here in five minutes if you do."

Jim smiled and shook his head. "No, thank you. My girlfriend should be on her way." He turned his head to see a small blue car pull up to the curb. "There she is, actually."

"Okay, they should run diagnostics first thing in the morning, then call you," the woman said, flipping the sign on the door to 'closed'.

"Thanks," Jim said, slipping his bag strap onto his shoulder and walking to the curb. He jumped in the car quickly, placed his coat and bag in the footwell, and quickly kissed Pam, the tips of his fingers pulsing after he touched her cheek.

After the first stop light, Pam started to tap the steering wheel. "The camera crew is gonna be relentless."

Jim nodded, "Yeah, I expect them to be."

"They pulled me into the conference room to ask again if I was seeing anyone, that's why I was late."

"Did you tell them you're only seeing men you randomly pick up on the street?"

Pam giggled. "Oh, and Kevin's car was still in the parking lot, and he left before my interview."

Jim chuckled, "I do always admire Kevin's attempts at being inconspicuous."

Pam turned left at the next light and tapped the steering wheel again. "Maybe if we just tell people, we can preempt the gossip, you know? Kind of like you and – you and Karen."

Jim ran his finger along the armrest. "Problem with that was no one could tell we were dating even after we told everyone," he said with a nervous chuckle.

"They're just going to be watching us until they see something," Pam said after a moment, pulling up next to Jim's car in the parking lot of his apartment building.

"Yeah, I know," Jim said, chewing his lip.

Pam put the car in park and turned in her seat towards Jim. "So what do you think about, you know, going public," she said with a smirk.

Jim smiled, and locked eyes with Pam. He was still having a hard time even believing this was happening. He was waiting to wake up, go to work, and find Pam still wearing her hair tied back with a pastel cardigan on her slumped shoulders, cheap brassy-gold engagement ring still on her finger. Even the fact that he could lean over the console right now and kiss her as long and deep as he wanted was still too much for his brain to process. He was an expert at secretly being in love with Pam Beesly. Openly being in love with her was proving to be a bit more difficult.

"Look," he said softly, his eyes on her knee, "They're gonna figure it out eventually. For now let's just . . . enjoy this."