Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2)(39)

“You are one tough and scary bitch! I’m glad you’re on my side,” he said, his lips lifting slowly into a languid smile.

“Yeah but, what about the bluff and all that? I mean, Mr. Montgomery was pissed! Beyond pissed, actually!”

Marcus sat back and laughed with glee. “I bet! The lowest on the totem pole made him look like a baboon. But who can he complain to? His boss won’t listen because right now you are the most important researcher we have.”

“Well, I scared two of them. But if they find out I totally bluffed then all for naught, you know?”

“We’ll just have to keep the rumor-mill focused then, won’t we?” Marcus said in delight.

Just then his phone rang. He checked to see who it was, grimaced and picked up. “Marcus at your service, Captain—images are almost done, before you ask... Seriously, within the hour... Just Krista...Yup, okay.” Then he hung up and shook his head.

“That man knows me too well. If I dally on anything he is calling me. If I refuse to answer, he comes down in person and breaks up the party. It is really killing my social life!”

“Somehow I doubt that,” Krista laughed.

Marcus shrugged in that easy way he had. “Captain wants you to report to the wheelhouse.”

“Ugh, I can’t handle any more work. Seriously, I am about to rupture, and I don’t even have a social life.”

“Whining doesn’t become you, dearest. Besides, you can get the dirt on him.”

Krista paused halfway to standing. “What do you mean?”

“He looks really tired but he leaves by 6 every night. He is never here on Saturdays, only Sundays, but seems to work from somewhere else. What’s more, he is secretive about what--or who—he’s doing.”

Krista hadn’t noticed any of this. Ever since she’d come to the conclusion she was his dirty little secret, she hadn’t had much to do with him at all outside of work. While at work it wasn’t much better—he seemed to know something was amiss, but obviously didn’t have a clue as to what it was. Instead of asking, like an adult, so they could discuss it—even though she really didn’t want to—he tried to beguile her. Or manipulate her. He had no end of tactics, and Krista had only one response: Ignoring him and doing her work, secretly smiling that she was driving him crazy.

No, she wasn’t being much of an adult either, but he started it!

“Does anyone you know have those same hours? Like Monica for example?” Krista asked hesitantly.

She shouldn’t care who he was seeing. Shouldn’t being the operative word.

“No! I thought it might be Jennifer from Accounting. She’s cute and available--also has moon eyes for him. Always trying to get him alone, cornered, what have you. But I’ve seen her stay a few times when Sean has definitely left early.”

“Then it has to be someone outside the office. But...it seems a little regular for a girlfriend, doesn’t it?”

“Maybe he has finally fallen in l’amore. He is staying up late doing the nasty, leaving on time to get to her house—it’s plausible. I was like that with my boyfriend at first.”

“Which one?” Krista said sarcastically, to which Marcus just laughed. “Hmmm. I don’t know. I would say I’ll sniff around, but we don’t really talk all that much. Not even at work.” Krista couldn’t hide the pout in her voice.

Marcus laughed all the harder. “Oh poor thing! You aren’t the favorite anymore? Now you’re on the same level as the rest of us, huh? The young stud is tired of your beauty?”

Krista huffed, “Shut up. It’s no wonder, though. How can I look pretty when I don’t even have time to shower?”

“True statement.” Marcus’s phone rang again. He looked at the caller ID, got panicked, and yelled at her. “Go! Hurry! Get up to his office before he comes down here!”

As Krista walked out of the art department a few people glanced up, saw it was her, and stared. After she passed they quickly turned to their keyboards. The rumor mill had begun, and this time she was undoubtedly the center of attention.

Joy.

She just hoped she came out on top.

More pressing matters concerned Sean, though. Who was he seeing? She knew why it was a secret—so it wouldn’t get back to her. Maybe that’s the reason he didn’t want it known they were hanging out. Maybe it was someone at work.

She reached his office and knocked. He had a rumpled shirt on and jeans. There were bags under his eyes and his hair was disheveled, but he seemed more relaxed somehow. Tired, but content. He seemed at peace with himself.

It could be surfing. She knew surfing helped him find his Chi, Qi, or whatever.

But he had always done that. And he wouldn’t leave work regularly for it.

Sex would do it, though.

But would he leave work regularly for booty? Maybe a few days a week, but every day?

Of course, Marcus didn’t come up here every day. Maybe it was a few times a week and Marcus was exaggerating.

Oh God, did he have a girlfriend?

He looked up and caught her stare. His brow furrowed as he gestured for her to sit.

“How did it go?” he asked.

“Are you seeing someone?” she blurted. Then winced. She had a hard time keeping the lid on her mouth when she was tired.