Her Mane Men (Paranormal Dating Agency Kindle World)(13)

“I have no idea what you are talking about, sir.”

I leaned over him. It was a bitch move, but, in these heels, I was taller than him, which I knew burned his butt.

“I’m sure you don’t.”

And then the desk phone rang. Whatever the caller had to say was four thousand times better than the conversation at hand.

“I need to get this.” I turned from him, taking my seat and answering said call with the sweetest voice I could muster up. His feet echoing as he stomped down the hallway like a petulant child. I allowed myself to get lost in the call, which was one of many for the morning. Looked like there was a server down somewhere, one which was not even close to my department, but the mis-routed call got George on his way, so grateful I was.

“Madeline, a Mr. Houston is here to see you.” Betsy peeped over my cubicle, startling me from the complaint report I had been just finishing up.

Suck. I completely forgot to cancel. This was not good, on more levels than I cared to analyze.

“I’ll be right there, Betsy.” She wanted more from me. Who could blame her? Parker was hotter than hot, but I had to submit the form and go break the bad news to him without ruining the start of what I hoped would be a good thing.

As I rounded the corner to the reception area, he nearly stole my breath. Jeans and a form-fitting T-shirt never looked as sexy, and paired with that smile? Yum.

“Hi, beautiful.” He met me halfway, giving me a far-too-brief hug. “Ready to go?”

“I can’t.” His face fell, probably matching mine. “I need to work through lunch. I’m sorry for not calling.”

He tensed beside me, and at first, I thought it was at my rejection, but as George took another step forward, the reason became clear. Asshat.

“She didn’t call because that was what got her in trouble in the first place.” His anger, as beyond irrational as it was, filled the room.

“I already apologized, Mr. Francis.” I knew I sounded weak, submitting like that, but sometimes it just wasn’t worth it.

“Back to work. This is not social time.”

“With all due respect, Mr. Frank, was it?” Parker took a half step in front of me. It wasn’t possessive, it was protective and gave me warm feels that were completely out of place given the scene developing before me. The scene that was now being watched by almost everyone in the department.

“George Francis.”

As if Parker didn’t remember. George made a mistake thinking he should get into this battle in front of Parker, from the looks of things.

“George, under state regulations, employees working a full shift are required to be given two paid fifteen-minute breaks per eight-hour shift and one half-hour break that is not required to be paid.” There was no way he knew that for sure, being an out of stater, but the confidence in his voice had even me convinced he knew his legal guidelines. He was, incidentally, right.

“She was on the phone.” His anger, more in control this time. Probably because of the handful of cell phones currently out and probably recording. Yay, coworkers filled with the nosey.

“During her morning fifteen-minute break.” He said it as truth. He had no idea and was incidentally wrong, not because I wouldn’t have waited for my break, but because I hadn’t been given one in over a year.

“We don’t do that here,” Betsy piped in helpfully. She was at the age where she could retire whenever she felt the need, and her shits were officially gone, and she had the luxury of not being directly under George’s authority. Not that I envisioned her as a toe-the-line kind of gal in her youth or even with her own bosses.

“Betsy.” George’s sternness only came across as a confession.

“Sorry, sir.” She so was not. I held in a giggle.

“So, Madeline and I will be off for her lunch now.” Parker stated as he took my hand.

“Thirty. Minutes. Not a second longer.” Because George just couldn’t let things go. It must’ve been miserable to be him.

“Noted.” Parker winked as he spoke, bringing a few gasps from the crowd that wasn’t even hiding their interest in the unfolding events.

“And don’t think I don’t know what you are. Your kind isn’t welcome around here,” George spat as we walked out the door, both of us pretending we didn’t hear because, screw that. We had a half hour of together time.

“Is he always such an asshole?” Parker asked as the elevator door closed behind us.

“George? Yeah, always. Usually a few sirs and a couple of Mr. Francises settle him down, though. He likes to feel important.” Today was an exceptionally asshole day for him, though, and a far-too-big part of me hoped that meant he was coming down with something and wouldn’t be around for a few days.

“Because he has a small cock?” the word cock popping out of his mouth just as the doors opened and shocking a poor old lady.

“That’s what we all assume.”

“So, thirty minutes.” He led me to the door, walking a bit faster than normal, which I totally got. Our time was limited.

“Twenty-six.” I sighed as we exited the building.

“Coffee shop across the street?”

I gave a quick look to see if there were any new fun food trucks that had popped up, but there weren’t, much to my disappointment. Mediocre coffee and stale pastries it was.