Lost and Found (Growing Pains #1)(11)

This is pure stupid! This is what he’s after.

He was backing her in a corner with this one. It was a good play. Dang it!

Willing herself forward, she exited the elevator. If she lost focus now, he’d have her. She couldn’t deny her interest. Hell, no woman in the company even tried to deny interest—unless they’d already been burned. But unlike the others, she could deny the desire to make more out of it. She could deny the need for a date. She could deny the craving for sweet talk. And she would deny it. She absolutely would!

In front of the closed office door now.

Why am I so nervous? I survived Jim behind closed doors—I can survive this guy!

She knocked.

The door opened with a swirl of musk and sea breeze, Sean’s signature smell. No cologne today, thank the Lord. It was all Sean.

He still smells like heaven.

The look of surprised pleasure crossing his handsome face did not help the situation.

“Hi,” he said, glancing behind her. Not seeing who he was expecting, vivid green eyes settled on hers as he quickly relaxed, leaning against the door frame and letting his lips curl into a small smile.

“What brings you down here?” His voice was as close to a sexy purr as a masculine man could articulate.

Her legs started tingling and her brain stuck to the side of her skull. She could barely hear over the pounding of her heart. All she could think was, ABORT, ABORT, ABORT! Get the hell out of there! You’re no match for him!!! Save yourself while you can!

Then a new, more terrifying thought occurred to her. Did she remember deodorant that morning? Because she was sweating like a trucker and it would be a mite embarrassing if she’d forgotten deodorant.

“Uh, hi,” she stammered. She shifted her weight to her right foot. That felt weird, so she shifted back. He smiled devilishly. “I got your mug—my mug. Thanks.”

“Oh, no problem. Thought I could try and at least put it back together so you could give it a proper burial.”

“I put it on my shelf. But um…I can’t accept this.” She held out the gift card matter-of-factly, trying to ignore the slow unraveling of her nerves. She didn’t have much time before her clothes fell off by themselves.

~*~*~*~

Sean’s eyes flicked to Krista’s hand and back to her eyes. He didn’t care about the card. He didn’t care about the mug. He wanted to know what caused her to be so sad the other day. He wanted to know why he made her nervous. He wanted her. Bad.

He kept his tone cool, though. She’d run out of there faster than the roadrunner if she caught his arousal. For some reason, she seemed to be genuinely surprised when people thought she was beautiful. Or sexy. How could a woman, looking like she did, moving as if the world was a giant water bed, not know what she did to the opposite sex? It was the strangest thing.

Right now, he had to get his toehold before John came down and broke up the party. Sean had a promise to collect.

“It’s only $20. Least I could do.”

“No, I mean, I can’t accept Starbucks.”

Sean’s head tilted and his brow furrowed. He didn’t say anything.

“I am a Seattle girl,” Krista went on, trying unsuccessfully to hide a small tremor in her voice. His balls tightened hopefully. “Starbucks is the enemy. Can’t set foot inside one. Can’t do that to Seattle’s Best coffee.”

Sean’s face lit up in understanding, then fell again in confusion as Krista cocked her head marginally to the side, closer to her shoulder. He could’ve sworn she sniffed, as if smelling her armpit on the sly.

Did people really do that in public?

Chuckles bubbled out at her absurdity, his smile burned brighter. “Got it. How could I be so insensitive?”

Krista let out a bark of laughter. “My question exactly. Anyway, I thought I’d return it so you can use it.”

“That would still be setting foot inside Starbucks…”

“Right.” Sean smiled and took the gift card hesitantly, his finger brushing her thumb. Sparklers went at the base of his groin. It was like Fourth of June and his dick wanted to celebrate.

“Okay, well...” Krista let the words trail, the usual dazed fear crossing her face. Instead of finishing whatever she started to say, mouth open, she turned abruptly.

Sean stepped forward, realizing he was losing her! “Krista--”

By the miracle of angels, she stopped. And turned, a curious expression on her face. It looked like she was dreading what he’d say next, but dying to hear it. Now was the time.

He opened his mouth to take a chance, when the elevator chimed and John came barreling out. Sean could have cursed in his frustration. Instead, in the defeat of the moment, he said, “Have a good day.”

Krista’s brow crumpled for a brief second before she caught sight of John heading up the hall. When she turned back she was speculative.

She’d look like a million dollars in my shirt with a sleepy smile and tousled hair. Sean thought.

“Sure,” was all she said before she was striding toward the elevator.

John, ever the creep, turned his head and caught a look at her butt. “Sean. What’d she want?”

“Here,” Sean handed John the gift card. “I dropped this in the break room and she was returning it. I don’t drink Starbucks, though. All yours.”