You know he’s up to something really good when he’s approaching your desk and his face is already beaming with a smile. Normally, he’s bored and anxious and it’s your job to either calm him down or entertain him. But today, the day has already started with something wonderful. He tells you quickly and quietly that Dwight has asked him to form an alliance. He leans against the desk, spreading one hand out in front of him and toward you. You completely lose interest in your free cell game, asking him about this so-called alliance without completely cracking up. He mentions something about Survivor and you can’t help the chuckle that escapes your throat or the smile that slips over his lips.

He has a really nice mouth, you realize.

He continues joking, until Dwight suddenly appears behind him, ushering him away, and you sit there, left to only imagine what Dwight could possibly have to say to Jim or how Jim would ever talk his way out of this one.

But you are certain that Jim could probably talk his way out of anything. He’s sly and cunning and quick and too funny for word. You wonder why some girl hasn’t snatched him up by now and you find yourself glad that no woman has. You’re overprotective over him, because he’s your friend, because you only want the best for him.

He comes back to your desk soon after and tells you all about Dwight’s speech. You decide to help Jim out, playing up the prank. You wait a while, then head to Jim’s desk, and make up some random story about Michael and Corporate and staff issues, and out of the corner of your eye you can tell that Dwight is eating all this up. But you keep your eyes on Jim, whose easily playing along, getting somehow lost in his eyes long enough to get tongue-tied. He can tell you’re stuck and he promises to not say anything and then he moves out of his chair and back toward reception with you. He leans over your desk and as you pretend to tell him more about these so called problems and then he winks at you, quite impressed with your creative story.

And you smile at him, you can’t stop yourself from smiling at him.

You distract yourself by helping plan Meredith’s party. But then, he’s at your desk again, telling you that Dwight is trapped in a box downstairs, awaiting a meeting of one of the alliances. He gestures wildly with his fork, before diving into the cake. You laugh, a ridiculous birthday hat sitting atop your head, and realize that you have to play along. You head downstairs, faking a phone conversation, unable to contain the eruption of laughter as Dwight squirms within the box.

You can’t wait to run upstairs and tell Jim every single detail, can’t wait to see the big smile that lights his face, or that laugh that will fill the air. You just can’t wait to see him.

And that scares you beyond belief.

You slow your pace, heading back upstairs, and to your desk silently. You try to figure out in your head what all of this means, but you seem him running toward you, excitement written all over his face. And you can’t push him away, you need this too much. He rounds the corner of your desk, his hand touching your shoulder gently to turn you toward him. He tells you that he has another brilliant idea, something better than Dwight in a box. He tells you his plan about sending Dwight to Stamford as a spy and you can’t help but laugh. It feels easy to be around him, to be this close to him. You cover your face with your hands in laughter as he continues to speak between giggles, his hand rounding from your shoulder to your back. And then your hand suddenly finds him, wrapping around his warm fingers, laughing, and dizzy, and good, and real.

Then, you hear the angry voice of your fiancee.

And then, Jim is gone. His hand releases yours and you feel the absence immediately. Roy charges toward you and you hardly have time to react. You wedge your way between Jim and Roy, Jim immediately backs off. You turn to Roy, his eyes solely on Jim. But Jim fumbles with his words and you realize now that this is the situation Jim Halpert cannot talk his way out of. Jim tells Roy about the stupid alliance, but Roy is not impressed. His hand finds the small of your back and roughly pushes you away from Jim, away from the desk, out of the office.

You try to come up with some kind of story to tell your fiancee as he ushers you into the hallway and you suddenly can’t find the words.

You suddenly feel guilty. That you enjoyed another man’s touch and laugh, that you hadn’t thought about the man you are going to marry all day long, that you’d rather be inside right now laughing, joking, and planning another prank.

Then, you tell yourself that Jim is your friend and nothing more. And Roy is the man you’re going to marry, and laugh with, and......you wonder when was the last time Roy made you laugh as much as you’d laughed today.