Lost and Found (Growing Pains #1)(52)

He was smiling at her with perfect composure, his gorgeous features alight in good humor. His body was at ease on the bar stool, drawing looks from all the women in line of sight. His effortless beauty radiated his strong body in repose. Krista wanted to run her hand up his shoulder and feel more of the molten heat. She wanted skin contact. Intimate skin contact in which to explore that feeling.

Seeing her frazzled, searching look, Sean’s brow furrowed. “What’s wrong? You okay?”

“Kate is going to be so pissed at me.”

“For what?” Sean glanced around the bar, trying to identify the problem.

“What? Doesn’t matter. Uh, but I can pay for half of that.”

“Do you drink much?” Sean asked as the check was whisked away.

She watched it go, aware Sean was watching her quizzically. She turned to him. “Do you ever get the feeling that the cosmos is playing one giant joke on you?”

The quizzical look continued its path into baffled.

“I can usually hold my liquor, yes. Just—I don’t know. No excuse for me.”

“I take it this is not the embarrassing moment I should keep to myself?”

“This? Oh God no. No, this is normal embarrassing behavior. Were you even there for my first week?”

Sean sniffed, because yes, he certainly was, “Got it.”

The check came back and Sean signed for it and gracefully got off the stool. He looked untouched by the Guinness.

Krista slid off haphazardly. Her toe got stuck in the leg of the stool and she stumbled into the bar. She caught and steadied herself, keeping clear of Sean’s attempt to help. “Seriously—I got it.”

He smiled, his eyes turning an intoxicating violet in the failing light. He obviously wasn’t convinced.

“Can you get home okay?” he asked as he held the door open for her to leave the bar.

“Oh, thank you,” she said as she went through. “How old are you?” she blurted.

“Why? Doing a profile on me or something?”

“Yeah, right. No, I was just thinking that guys my age don’t hold doors open, then wondering if you are perhaps not my age, which would still prove me right.”

“You always like to be right.”

“Yes. So I am twenty-five. Are you my age,,,uh…ish?”

“I am old enough to know to hold a door open for a lady. But then, I saw a twelve-year-old doing it last week, so that doesn’t mean much.”

“Well… okay. Regardless, no, I don’t need help. Yes, I mean, I’ll be okay to get home.” She realized too late that he didn’t offer to help. Also that she sounded ridiculous.

“Do you take BART?” he asked, less than convinced she was okay by herself.

“No, freaking Muni. The dredges of the transportation world.”

They walked in silence for a minute, both heading toward the train station.

“Where are you headed?” she asked him.

“I need to send an email or two before I shut down for the day.”

“Uh, but...” It dawned on her that he was walking her to the train station to make sure she got there all right. He had the manners of a gentleman from the 1800s rather than a skirt-chaser in his late twenties. She said as much.

He laughed in that carefree way of his. “My mother always said, ‘You can only get respect if you show respect.’”

“Yes but, it seems as though you aren’t respecting my ability to get home okay.”

“It does seem that way, yes. However, showing ladies respect is making sure they get where they are going safely.”

“That seems like a stretch.”

“Okay, how about I enjoy your company and don’t want to part with you quite yet?”

“Nope. Still not buyin’ it.”

“Tough sell. Okay you got me—I have a feeling that if I weren’t here, you’d end up flat on your face in the gutter, and I would have to find a new Marketing Researcher to work on my team. His name might be Larry.”

“Oh man! Not that guy! He stinks. But yeah, that sounds more like it.”

They reached the train station.

“I made it,” she informed him with a smile.

He couldn’t help but stand mystified at her for some reason. Then he sported a goofy smile.

Finally, he nodded. “Thank God for me, huh?”

Sean winked and turned to walk back toward the office. “Oh, and remember to stop by my office tomorrow morning,” he yelled over his shoulder.

“What no ‘please’?”

“Don’t deserve it,” he called.

Krista could hear the smile in his voice. She watched him walk away for a minute, admiring his carefree saunter with his long, graceful steps. Then she turned to go home.

~*~*~*~

Sean walked into his house and paused. It suddenly felt empty. He put his stuff on the counter, as he usually did, and headed for the fridge. Cold beer in hand, the next place of interest was the couch and the sports channel.

He couldn’t get his impromptu late afternoon lunch out of his head.

Krista was so laid back. So down-to-earth. She was calm and normal, but unique. She was interesting and intelligent. The things that whirled around in that head of hers had him mystified half the time. Despite that, she challenged him in a fun way. Coaxed him to step out of his business suit and laugh about the small things. It was refreshing.