Lost and Found (Growing Pains #1)(35)

“Sean is going to head up this exploration, and he needs a solid, round-the-clock group to help him chart foreign territories. His goal is to land us that big fish. The biggest fish. I want you on our team to do it. The problem is that you are not in our department, and not subject to my demands. This is why I need to get James on my side, which is not easy. Not easy at all. He doesn’t like change, and he doesn’t like demands. It will be tricky, but in this I must get what I want because Sean must get what he wants. Do you understand? Are you on board?”

John moved to stand directly behind her. Given the opportunity, and the silence so she could do something other than process the babble coming out of his mouth, she went for her mug. In a shock of dread, she realized her mug was no longer hugging the edge of the desk. She did a quick sweep of the ground, but saw nothing. Now wasn’t the time to dive under the desk. Not for her, anyway. Sean could, though, the dog.

In desperation, she looked at him, and noticed he was trying to keep his face blank, but a boyish, lopsided smile made him look irresistible. Her mug was sitting in front of him, safe.

She breathed a sigh of relief as John came and sat in front of her again. She belatedly realized she hadn’t answered his question.

“Well, Krista? How about it?”

“Uh, sure, yeah. I mean, if my boss, uh, James, says it’s okay. Whatever you guys think is best…” She stammered.

Relief briefly crossed Sean’s face as he looked up at John.

“Great!” John said as he smacked his hand on the back of her chair. She jumped again with a squeak.

“Okay, Sean,” John said as he turned toward the door. “I’ll let you finish up here. I’ll talk to you after I talk to James.”

With that John was gone from the room. Ray closed the door, then returned to his seat next to Krista, moving his chair closer again.

She noticed Sean hadn’t taken his eyes off of her.

“So, does that answer your questions?” he asked, his eyes boring into hers.

When it came to power plays, she was a novice. “Um. I guess.”

“Great. Look, I need to go over some things with you about my style, how I sell, and what will be expected of you within that parameter. My style isn’t for everybody. I use everything I’ve got.”

The way that last part came out, he could have been talking about using slides and graphs. He wasn’t, though. He meant selling himself. Selling her. Using her for office prostitution. She didn’t graduate with honors so she could be used for tits and ass, thank you very much.

I wanna go home.

Sean must have seen her body coil, but he didn’t try to take it back. Instead, he forged ahead, “I use image, personality, quirks—anything at my disposal. Take Ray, there.”

She looked at Ray, who she realized still hadn’t spoken throughout this whole botched disgruntled situation. He looked back, highly entertained.

“He’s not young, not single, doesn’t drive a fast car, doesn’t cheat, has kids, goes to the “Y,” has a mortgage, is stable…Ray is absurdly normal. He is what the American Dream turns you into. Hell, his kids play sports that all kids play. One’s in little league, one’s in soccer. He’s got kids covered.

“Ray is my front man for a certain client demographic. He gets to people I can’t reach. And while we are on the subject, let’s talk about me. I use my face, my body, even the way I talk to influence people. An older woman needs to feel sexy again, I am your man. A guy needs a buddy on the golf course, no problem. It is a game we play in sales.

“John knows that game better than anyone. He talked circles around you just now. He had you so confused you forgot you should ask questions. He never let you get a moment’s pause to think. You forgot about being pissed about Friday. You forgot about your suicidal mug for a moment, although surprisingly not very long, and you forgot you hated me. You forgot you are looking for another job, and agreed to go along with his half-cocked plan.”

“I am not looking for another job,” she said in surprise. Was that the latest rumor?

Sean’s face lit up in a large smile and he looked at Ray. “See Ray, I told you she hated me.”

Oops. “I don’t—“

“It’s okay, Krista,” Ray said in a gentle voice, turning his eyes to her. They were a deep, but soft chestnut. “I would encourage most young women to hate him. But he does know his stuff.”

She had the distinct feeling she was being played again. In fact, she knew she was. “Look, guys, I already agreed I would be on your team. If you’re under the impression I’m going to do a strip tease for clients, then you found the wrong girl. If you stare at me like a hunk of flesh in a presentation again, I’ll walk out. But if you can get me moving up the corporate ladder, I will do whatever is in my professional power to make it happen.”

“What pissed you off most about Friday?” Sean asked, not to be deterred from her obvious desire to wrap this up.

She sighed loudly. She was hesitant to answer for reasons she couldn’t explain. It probably had something to do with Sean playing her like a violin. And while she had to admit that being said violin, especially while horizontal in some place private, was appealing, she had to regain the upper hand somehow.

“Okay, let’s take a break,” Sean said into her lengthy pause as the phone started ringing. He let it ring out as he got up from his chair. “Krista, go do whatever it is you Researchers do. When John arranges everything, I’ll give you a call and we’ll go over specifics.”