Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2)(105)

When the door opened, Sean stepped in leisurely as he said, “I forgot my wallet--”

His speech cut off when he noticed Krista’s messy hair, the flush on her face, and the heat in her eyes. A devilish grin lit up his face when he realized what she’d been in the middle of. He cocked his head to the side as his eyes ignited with fire, “Am I interrupting something?”

Krista was suddenly, intensely embarrassed. She fidgeted. “Oh, no. I was just getting ready.”

“Ah,” Sean said, looking at her intently. He stepped closer, his eyes getting hooded and his body heat sending warmth through Krista’s groin, which was already revved up.

The result was both unexpected and a bit surprising. She immediately started tearing off his shirt. As she slid her hands over his na**d torso, feeling the muscles bunch under her touch, she was lifted and carried into the room, her towel dropped along the way.

All too soon, and yet not soon enough, they were writhing on the bed, entangled in each other’s arms and legs. She was crying out her orgasm as he hit that crescendo right behind. Fire erupted between them, burning along their skin before it settled into an electric hum of sedation.

She sighed in the aftermath as Sean regretfully got off her.

“We could always skip the day and stay here?” she asked, lying back in the mountain of pillows.

His eyes raked her na**d body. His fingers stopped working his zipper up for a fraction of a second, and then he shook his head.

“Can’t. I need to talk to Tory and golf is the best way. But tonight I will make it up to you. Promise.”

Krista sighed loudly and moved to get up as well.

“And we’ll talk about that other means of protection issue,” Sean said through his shirt.

She got goosebumps. “You mean, you want me to take your virginity. Is that it?”

Sean chuckled, “We’ll see. Safety first.”

“Yes Captain.” She ran her hand up his chest.

“No. No more. I am already late. Off me you wench!”

Krista laughed as she let Sean go. He gave her a slap on the butt and headed out the door checking his watch. She turned back to her pre-arranged day, got loosely dressed, and headed to the spa. If they could relax her any more than she was right then, she’d eat her hat.

Chapter Thirty

“Nice hit, Sean,” Tory said from behind him. “You didn’t tell me you played often.”

Sean didn’t. He didn’t feel inclined to say it, though.

“So,” Tory said in a conversational tone. It had been like this the whole day. Tory would bring things up as if he’d just thought of them, but it was clear they’d been on his mind. Each “conversational topic” was a well-orchestrated subject. “Krista seems to have insightful friends.”

“Seems that way.”

“Birds of a feather, as they say.”

Sean stepped aside for Tory to swing. When he was finished they started walking to the their balls—Tory apparently thought golf carts were for old men. Too bad, Sean was starting to get sore from all the action he was getting with Krista. Not that he minded. The woman drove him wild. She was easily the best lay he’d ever had. It wasn’t just the emotional attachment, which in itself made things great, it was the way she moved; how she enjoyed herself, the sheer delight she took in it. The woman was a rare treasure. Thank God she was a keeper, or else she would probably have him hanging on just to be a human sex toy even if she treated him like crap.

“I’ve talked extensively to Marcus,” Tory said in a light tone.

“Oh?”

Tory had been hinting about known knowledge all day, but he hadn’t said anything substantial. He’d been hoping Sean would give him more information. Fat chance. Sean wasn’t thrilled about Tory taking his best players.

“Yes, he is a fountain of information. I didn’t realize your team was so small. From what I understand, your work with Dell had three times the staff.”

“I was in charge of choosing my team. I chose people who could work solidly together.”

“Except for Ben, your best-kept secret. It seems Krista found him.”

“Ben is Krista’s roommate, as you know.”

“Yes, but Krista apparently had him working for your team long before you did.”

Sean didn’t know what to say to that. Or where Tory was going with it. He settled for, “Krista and Ben were friends before Krista was brought on to the company.”

“Yes. As were her two most valuable helpers, is that right?”

They got to their balls, giving Sean a thankful break from Tory’s poignant questioning. When they’d both hit, Sean getting closer to the hole than Tory, Tory resumed with, “Krista seems to be the crux of your team--besides you, of course.”

Ah. So that was it. It was an elaborate plan to speak about the person Sean least wanted to talk about. He should have figured.

“She is the lead researcher,” Sean said vaguely.

“She is your backbone. She is your most valuable player. And if I’m not mistaken, your most valuable ally. I understand you don’t want to lose her, Sean, but I can offer her what she can’t get at Dexico.”

“She may have room for growth where she is…”

“If you are talking about restructuring, then you haven’t heard the latest, I’m afraid. Me granting you business will mean a stopper in the structural change your sales force is planning. Departments will be left as they are, and Krista will be left to a manager who doesn’t have any desire to move.”