Lost and Found (Growing Pains #1)(36)

Finally!

She stood up. Sean opened the door for her and stayed there, holding the handle as she walked out, his body mere inches from hers.

As she passed he whispered into her ear, “And nurse that hangover.”

When she turned to him in surprise, she could feel his warm breath on her face. He smelled like coffee and spearmint with that underlying scent of musty man-smell. She pictured herself on a warm beach with the sun beating down and waves curling around her ankles. Her body wanted to lean into him and grab some of that heat. She wanted to feel if his chest was as hard as it looked.

Her brain, however, sounded an alarm and tried to steer clear. The result was her flinching back, losing balance, and crashing against the doorframe on her way out.

He chuckled quietly as he closed the door.

Chapter Seven

Sean returned to his chair. “Eight-oh-one. Impressive.”

“She left her mug.” Ray pointed to the desk. “Should I go stop her?”

Sean smiled. “No. I want to keep it hostage. I want to see if she comes back for it.”

Ray was quiet for a minute. Then he said, “I don’t think those types of games will work with that young woman.”

Ray was one of the few men who could put manners back into Sean. It was why Sean kept Ray close. He constantly needed a reminder that life was more than a false bravado.

“You’re right. They don’t. But still, I’m curious.”

“You were right—she’s a very pretty young lady.”

Sean nodded. “Out of my league.”

Ray crossed his ankle over his knee. “I don’t know about out of your league, but she seems slow to trust, and you are usually…less than trustworthy with women. I think you two are at an impasse.”

Sean sighed. He knew it, but he didn’t want to hear it. “She’s in, though. She’s on the team. I just have to make sure she gives her full potential. She wasn’t as opinionated today as I thought she’d be. I didn’t think she’d give in so easily.”

“She wasn’t feeling that well.”

“Another thing—she had an important meeting today and she overdoes it last night. That doesn’t bode well.”

Ray shifted. “Sean, I think you are forgetting—that young woman has absolutely no experience in a professional setting. She feels like she was abused in the meeting on Friday. It takes real courage to confront a man on that sorta thing. Real courage. Especially a man with your … social standing. She is confronting someone she thinks sexually harassed her, if what you say is true, who also happens to be the best salesman in the company. She probably had a glass of wine to cool her nerves last night, and overdid it. She is just out of college—give her a break.”

Sean shook his head. “Well, we’ll see how it goes.”

“That’s all you can do. Now, I would like a cup of coffee, and to meet this Research department I hear so much about. I want to see what else you have to work with.”

Sean laughed and stood. “Don’t trust that I want Krista for her Research ability?”

Ray just smiled. He knew Sean too well.

~*~*~*~

The next day Krista landed in early and refreshed. Her hangover was long gone, she got up on time, and she dressed in spiffy business casual and took more time on hair and makeup than a standard business day. She was ready to hear about that job with Sean, and she didn’t want all the Sales people to think it standard that she looked half-dead.

Another factor for dressing to impress was that she really wanted her lucky mug back. She might have to plan a seduction, and a girl had to look decent when throwing the boobs around.

In reality, though, she hoped it would be on her desk when she got in.

It wasn’t.

She went into the break room at Sean’s normal time, but he didn’t show. Nor did he leave it in the cabinet. She clamped down on the worry that he was holding it hostage, and also that he wanted her to go get it. By now that guy knew what that mug was to her, and likewise he knew she would be missing it.

If he was trying for the upper hand, he was barking up the wrong stripper pole. If he withheld it too long, Krista would send one of his admirers to get it. There were no shortage of those, and they would do next to anything for an excuse to flaunt their ridiculousness.

She’d choose an ugly one, too. Preferably one that talked too much. She already had three people in mind.

It was a mug-less mid-day before Mr. Montgomery walked into her cube with a sigh.

“Krista? How are you?” He looked around her area. He always seemed surprised when he saw her. It was like he forgot he hired her until he actually saw her face. He also seemed to avoid eye contact at all costs.

“Oh, hi Mr. Montgomery,” she said, turning her chair to face him. She was still too new to ignore him like everyone else.

“I heard you had a good presentation,” he nodded as he stared at her computer.

“I seemed to. I gave my speech pretty flawlessly. Sean had me answer a question at the end, and then I was done. So it was a successful overall, I think.”

“Yeah, I heard. Listen, I was talking to Mr. Susan and he seemed to think you would work well on some sales team or other.”

“Mr. Susan?”

“John Susan.”

Oh, holy God. John’s last name was Susan? It reminded her of Johnny Cash’s song, Boy Named Sue. How embarrassing! She’d want to be called John if that was her last name, too.