“John,” Sean said behind a guarded mask.
“What’s going on here?” John asked in disapproval.
“We are reviewing the latest information from our researcher.”
“How is the proposal going?” John glared intently at Sean, no one else in the room existing at that moment.
“Halfway there. It will be on your desk Monday morning, as promised.”
John let his gaze sweep Sean’s office, catching the books Marcus was holding. It was apparent that he should leave after chastising his subordinate, but it was just as apparent his curiosity was staying his feet.
Pandora’s plague won out.
“What have we got?” he asked in a brusque tone.
It was Marcus who jumped up with the books, reaching around Judy to yank Krista to his side. He began rapidly explaining what he thought was his best idea, showing facts on it, then the images. John took the statistics from Marcus, being that Marcus really hadn’t a clue how to explain them, then skimmed the pictures.
“Where are those pictures from?” John stabbed at the book in Marcus’s hand.
Krista got Sean’s acute gaze that told her to keep quiet about the vast resources. He must have forgotten it was her secret in the first place.
“Well, first I took some of my own pictures from places around the city,” Krista said into the stuffed office. “But I am no photographer, so I went to the library archives and found images that seemed to fit. They don’t belong to us, so I am sure they can’t be used, but I thought a general idea would work for Marcus and Judy, and then they could go from there. I mean, if they wanted to. You know…”
It was a lame way to end her babbling. As such, everyone kept staring at her, probably waiting for the end of the sentence. Especially John, who was trying to pin her to the carpet with his flat stare. After another beat he went back to looking at the figures. He nodded once, and then handed the information to Sean, who took it quietly.
John said, “Monday morning.” He set his speed to turbo and flew out of the room.
There was a collective sigh. Krista was nearly ready to cry. Sean saw it and moved toward her, trying to get between Ray and the desk to do so, but before he could get there Marcus and Judy said together, “Relax” in that special way.
It immediately cut the tension.
“That was a good sign, Krista,” Judy said, reviewing her notes. “A good sign. He had nothing to yell at us about. Which is a first, I think.”
Ray was letting his mask of worry melt off his face. He knew John about as well as Krista did and probably thought his job was going down the tube as well.
“Nothing to yell at us about,” Marcus said with a grin, dark eyes flicking to Sean. “Sean, on the other hand, will be working all weekend.”
Sean nodded and flopped into his seat. “He has the most unreal expectations.”
“Can we take these, Sean?” Judy asked, indicating Krista’s latest.
“Krista, is that saved somewhere?” Ray asked.
“Yeah, it’s on my computer in my public folder and it’s on a flash drive.”
“Can we borrow the drive?” Judy asked.
“Yeah, no problem. I’ll go and get it—“
“Wait.” Krista stopped and looked back at Sean in expectation. “You are finished with your work, right?”
“Yeah. Want me to help with something?”
“Yes!” Sean sighed before he caught Ray’s frown, “Please.”
Judy and Marcus quickly shuffled out of the room. If work was being doled out, they didn’t want their share. Ray patted Sean on the shoulder and left the office as well.
When it was just her and Sean, Krista lowered herself to the visitor chair, the electrical current in the room once again started to buzz through her body. Her eyes couldn’t help but focus on his sensual lips as he chewed on the end of his pen. He glanced up in thought and then focused on her gaze, hunger burning in his eyes.
“Fan please,” Krista said lightly, spreading her arms away from her body just enough so her deodorant didn’t have to work so hard.
Sean smiled. He swiveled in his chair and flipped on the fan, then faced her again. There was a tense beat. It seemed like he was trying to rein himself in. Trying not to take a step he had been dying to take.
“Should I come back later?” she asked in self-preservation. If he asked her out, she’d say yes. She knew she would, and she hated herself for that fact, but there it was. She was a damn fool who obviously didn’t learn from her past mistakes. Her only lifeline was to head him off at the pass with a topic change.
The Cosmos was cackling at her life, she knew it.
Sean’s brow furrowed for the briefest of moments, making her half think he realized what she was doing, then his expression cleared. “No way. If you leave you might sneak out and go home. Then who would I get to do my work for me?” Sean looked around his desk distractedly. “Okay,” he shuffled the piles of papers into other, smaller piles, “I have to make a proposal to a shoe company. I have some research…” he passed her the information, “—and, I have some art.” He passed her some other papers.
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Look at them.”
The research was minimal, the figures probably right but not all-encompassing. The art was barely a step above that. There was no thread that held everything together.
It suddenly dawned on her. “You are supposed to make this look like a cohesive presentation?”
“Exactly. That is just part of it. I also have to get quotes, figure out how to sell it, and get that event together for Monica.”
Krista shook her head, feeling bad for him. His eyes were tight and tired, his face lined with stress. “Do you have to use this info? Can I start over?”
Sean sighed in relief. “I don’t need too in-depth. I need passable. They are a tiny client. The revenue we are looking at is minimal. So is the effort.”
“Can I consult with an art person?”
“No one has the time. If you can ask your roommate we will pay him.”
“He has finals.” Krista didn’t know if she could be counted on to work the art angle all on her own. The research would be a breeze. Tying it all together wouldn’t. At least, not for her.
“You said he was in art school, right?” Sean pushed. “If I give him the run of the art department all weekend, would he help?”
A glance at Sean said he was serious. Ben might actually go for that. All that space, all those resources…
“Pass me the phone. I left my cellphone in the office.”
Sean did so without hesitation.
Where most people would ignore the phone when they were in the middle of something, Ben answered just to make it stop ringing. Krista offered to unplug the house phone for him, but Abbey would notice, even though she never used the thing, and cause a big stink. Krista knew this from experience.
“Hello?” came the mid-range voice lined with irritation.
“Ben?”
“Yeah. Krista?”
“Hi Ben, yeah it’s me. Hey…so I was wondering…”
“Please note that I am doing a big project this weekend.”
“I know, Ben. So it’s like this. My Captain needs this thing done by Monday and there’s an art bit involved. We would like to enlist your help, which will take barely any of your time, and in trade, he’s willing to offer you the entire weekend in our huge art department so you can use all its resources to finish your thing. And free meals.”
“Your Captain? Are you on a ship?”
“Well, he’s not technically my boss, but he’s in charge. Not important. What do you think?”
“How would I possibly get all my stuff there and back?”
“Oh…” She glanced at Sean. He was analyzing her with hope written plainly on his face. “Neither of us have a car.”
“I’ll pick him up,” Sean said without hesitation.
“He’ll pick you up.” She relayed to Ben.
“He? Your boss? Er, Captain or whatever?”
“Yeah. If you’ll agree to help.”
“I get the run of the whole art studio?”
“It’s an art department, Ben. Not studio. There is art stuff stocked there, you know? And no Abbey. Abbey-free all weekend.”
“Stocked art stuff… Oh!” Ben finally got the magnitude of the offer, although Krista thought the Abbey-free part was the sweet part. “Deal. When do you need me?”
“Now-ish I think. Hold on.” She held the phone away. “When does this happen?”
“How fast can you work?” Sean asked.
“Me? I can have the research done in a couple hours, tops. Less if we’re going for just passable. I can get all the art stuff together, too. So by tonight I am good to go.”
“Then you have your answer.”
“Yes but he needs a ride.”
“I’m ready when you are. Or whenever it suits him.” Sean nodded to the phone. He must have been out of his mind desperate to be so easy going about all this.
“Ben?” She said getting back on the phone. “Can you be ready to help in about two hours, maybe three?”
“That’s fine. I will have all my stuff packed by then.”
“Okay, I’ll call before we come.”
“’Kay.” The phone clicked before she could say good-bye. Ben was notorious for failing to give a farewell on the phone.
“He’ll do it. I’ll go get my part done.” She got up.
“I don’t think I got you a big enough raise,” Sean said, looking at her with soft eyes. His eyes were so lovely. She’d never seen that brilliant color green before. So pure. She wanted to drink in his look as he pulled her against his body.
Sean retracted his gaze when she gave a small jump and turned red. “Yup, okay. See you on the flip side.” And she whisked out of the office.
“It was a nice little moment, though,” Sean said to himself with a smile.
As Krista made her way distractedly down the hall, that last look echoing through her body, she realized someone was in her office. Slowing, she peered in the window from the hallway, just making out a buzz cut and the profile of Jacob’s face as he sat in her visitor chair, facing her desk.
Not now!
She hesitated, fidgeting. She didn’t want to go in. She was in a hurry, had possibly a ton to do, and Sean was waiting on her. But she didn’t want to be mean or brusque, either. The guy was the head of the IT department—he gaveth, he could probably taketh away. Or at least breaketh.
She’d wait him out. He couldn’t sit there forever.
Although, why was he sitting there in the first place? Creepy.
Decision made, she about-faced in a hurry, the break room in mind, when she ran smack into a hard chest. The sweet smell of cologne accosted her nose as a pair of fabulous pecs hugged her neck.
“What—”
“Sssssshhhhhh!”Krista slapped her hand over Marcus’s mouth and pushed him down the hall, crinkling her papers between them as she heaved with her whole body. The guy was slimmer than Sean, yes, but he definitely had lots of muscle tone. If Krista hadn’t been 90% positive he was g*y, she would take notice. Possibly cop a feel.
Another feel.
She pushed Marcus up against the elevator, frantically pushing the “v” button, drowning the hallway in click-click-click-click.
“Now can I ask what is going on?” Marcus whispered, unperturbed that her hand stayed in the middle of his chest, keeping him put. “Is the young stud na**d in your office? Because if so, I want to see that!”
95% g*y.
“No! It’s Jacob! He’s hanging out in my office!” Krista poked the button a few more times, then threw a glance behind her to make sure he hadn’t come out into the hall.
“Is he into you?” Marcus asked with a twinkle in his eye. His gaze conspiratorially glanced past her head down the hallway.
“Yes. Where the hell is the elevator? He’s asked me for drinks a couple times but I tell him I have a boyfriend.”
“Do you?”
“Kinda. I guess. I don’t know. But for him I do!”
“Really.” Marcus’s body eased back against the elevator door in a lounge, taking in the whole situation. “And why are you unsure if you have a boyfriend, my love? I myself am often unsure, but that’s because I don’t know if my boys are taking things the wrong way.”
100%
“Because—I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. Just—“
The door finally opened with a nail biting slide, taking its merry time. Krista, still pushing at Marcus to get him moving, and Marcus, forgetting what surface he leaned against in excitement to hear her gossip, didn’t adequately prepare for the loss of a solid object. They both rolled along the shiny, metallic surface, falling in a cascade of limbs into the empty air.
Fortunately, someone was there to block their fall.
Unfortunately, he smelled like ocean and musk and delight and sin, all bottled in an aromatic elixir.
Sean stood firm, only taking a small step back as Marcus’s body barreled into him, sliding down his front to the floor, Krista riding him like a sled the whole way.
“What is going on?” Sean asked in utter confusion, his eyes focusing on the mess of papers littering across the floor.
“Krista is trying to turn me straight!” Marcus replied in a laughing wheeze from the floor, unable to properly breathe with a frantic Krista scrambling on top of him. “She even groped me!”