Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2)(5)

“Hey, Kris.” Jasmine said, walking in the door, followed by a still-arguing Kate.

Jasmine was tall, lanky and a doomsday parade in her thoughts. She was a glass half-empty type of girl who tried extra hard to make things fun and entertaining to combat the boredom.

“I have to get ready,” Krista said, checking her watch. “Go play with Ben. He’s going, apparently. Sean asked him before he asked me.”

“Are you bitter about that?” Kate asked with her hand frozen halfway to her bag.

In opposition, Kate was short and dainty, until she opened her mouth and threw out the first f-bomb. Swear words were her forte. She also knew the most about Krista’s troubled past with Jim, her abusive ex-boyfriend. She took it upon herself to police Krista’s interest in the charming, and womanizing, salesman.

“…no,” Krista hedged.

Kate looked at her in warning, but didn’t say anything. Jasmine ignored the whole issue.

“Guys, I need to get ready. Go away.”

“I know,” Jasmine said, “You look like a monster.”

When Krista was mostly done with her makeup, hair already blown out, Kate came clattering in.

“He’s here!”

“Who, Sean?”

“Yes! He wants to see our work!”

Krista turned to Kate, “That’s what you’re here for, Kate. Aren’t you ready?”

“Krista Marshall, of course I’m ready!” Kate said, putting her hand on her hip. “I was only a few points behind you through the whole of our senior year. But man—he looked at me like I had better deliver or else!”

“Oh. That.” Krista turned back to the mirror. “That was probably just his business look. Don’t worry about it. He’s analyzing things. Not judging. Not yet.”

“You’re…” Kate hesitated. “You know him pretty well for such a short period of time.”

“Kate, get over this, will you? I’ve worked with him in my grill for about a year. Just…do your thing, okay?”

Kate looked at her askew. “You’re bitchy.”

“Want to see worse?”

She smiled, “Kind of.”

“Oh shut up and leave me alone!”

“Thought Jaz was rubbing off. Damn.” Kate laughed and turned away.

Chapter Two

When Krista was done getting ready, she wandered out to the living room where everyone else was gathered, except for Abbey, the master-tenant and third roommate, who was blessedly at work. It was a godsend that she worked on the weekends.

Sean was sitting at the table looking at Jasmine with intense focus. Jasmine, for the first time ever, looked nervous as she opened her portfolio. Apparently the job interview had begun.

“Anyone want a beer or wine?” Krista asked over the din.

Jasmine raised her hand while looking for a page, Kate gave a grunt which generally meant “yes,” and Sean looked over in greeting. His eyes scanned her and the corners of his mouth quirked.

“Please,” he said as he met her eyes.

She ignored the following shiver. And the sexual desire. And the need to strip and lay her na**d body on his na**d body.

“Oh, Krista, I had a question,” Ben said, getting up and crossing to the kitchen.

“Yup?” Krista asked as she dug in the fridge.

“Okay, well, I didn’t understand what Sean was saying about Marcus’s latest idea.”

“You think I’ll know better?”

“Well, you are slightly more perceptive. He…”

“What was that, Ben?” Sean asked, interrupting Jasmine.

Kate and Jasmine looked up from their portfolios in confusion.

Ben turned toward Sean with a red face. “Sorry Sean, it’s just that you’re better with the bigger picture, Krista is better with the actual…” Ben paused, looking for the right word.

“Work?” Kate asked with a smirk.

“No,” Ben said, scratching his chin. “…the route to the goal.”

Sean cocked his head, looking between Krista and Ben. “Which idea?”

Ben looked uncomfortable. Krista stepped in. “Sean, Ben doesn’t like conflict, and he knows I don’t like micro-managers…”

Sean looked at Krista for a beat before he smiled. “Understood.” He turned back to Jasmine. “Sorry about that, what were you saying?”

Krista regarded Sean for a brief minute while his attention was elsewhere. He was wearing shorts and a polo shirt that always did great things for her eyes. Having seen his pecs earlier, and the marvel that was his shoulders and stomach, Krista turned away before he could notice she was staring.

She opened a bottle of white wine and poured everyone a glass while Ben laid out his problem with Marcus’s new idea. Halfway through, and while the other three were talking about Kate’s accomplishments, Krista stopped him. “He was talking about gifts for lovers, not husbands and wives, Ben.”

“—what?”

Krista leaned up against the countertop. “Marcus wasn’t talking about seducing your husband, he was talking about seducing your lover. Maybe boyfriend or girlfriend, but most likely someone without a face. A high-profile someone seducing a stranger, maybe. Something like that. He’s probably daydreaming with that idea—he probably wants to be the seducer.