Maybe my own assumptions back then were no better than their putting me into the ‘chubby nerd’ category. Were we all guilty of that?
Were we still doing it now?
My office door flew open. No knock. I knew who it was without even looking up.
“Hi, Lucy.”
The office troublemaker waltzed in uninvited, the topknot in her hair so tight it pulled the skin of her face back.
God, that must have been painful.
She was the kind of person who, if we were still in high school, would never have spoken to me.
“Coral. Heard you got the Dirty Bandit account.” She puckered her glossy lips together and narrowed her eyes.
Never a good sign.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
She helped herself to a seat.
“You guess so? That’s all you can say about working with the world’s number one rock band?”
Guess I wouldn’t tell her one of them had kissed me.
“Lucy, I have a lot of work to do. Is there something I can help you with?”
She got up in a huff, her freakishly narrow hips encased in the world’s tightest pencil skirt.
“I should have gotten that account,” she snarled.
Damn. If I had anything to say about it, she could totally have it.
But I didn’t.
“Did you share your concerns with Randall?” I asked her, running a finger over my lips where Hugh had just kissed me.
Shit. Was I going to be able to get any work done today? I could still smell his scent—plain soap, nothing fancy.
“Yeah. But you’re his pet. Everyone knows you’re his pet. That’s why you get the best clients—”
I pushed myself to my feet. I really didn’t have the energy for any more drama, especially since Lucy pulled a temper tantrum like this at least once a month.
“Lucy, that’s not true, and you know it.”
She scowled at me one last time and stormed out of my office.
The truth was, if Randall had a pet, it probably would be me, but not for any frivolous reason. I worked my ass off for him and his firm, to the extent that I had little social life and absolutely no love life.
The man rewarded dedication. That’s all there was to it.
Lucy didn’t fall into that category with all her complaining, shitty attitude, and missed deadlines.
But that still didn’t mean I was pleased to be working with Dirty Bandit, Hugh’s sexy kiss notwithstanding. They were going to be a pain in the ass of epic proportion. I just knew it.
I had no doubt they were still the dicks they’d been in high school. People only changed so much, regardless of how they looked on the outside.
I settled into my chair and scrolled through all the emails I’d missed. But my thoughts kept wandering back to lunch.
Dammit.
Hugh—hell, all those guys—probably kissed every decent-looking woman who crossed their paths. He had no interest in me. He was just looking to embarrass me or otherwise exert control because he knew as soon as our work got underway, I’d be driving things.
Hopefully.
But his lips sure had been nice on mine—
“Coral!” Randall chirped, poking his head through my doorway and scaring the shit out of me.
“How’d everything go?”
I gestured for him to take a seat, which was weird because he was the boss and could sit anywhere he wanted. “Randall, come on in,” I said, clearing my desk of scattered papers as a sign of respect.
He rubbed his hands together. “Bryan, Dirty Bandit’s manager called me just a few minutes ago.”
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.
God, that man didn’t waste any time. I knew he’d eventually report back to Randall what a rude bitch I’d been, but I thought he’d at least wait a day or two. I looked around my office with a quick glance, sizing up how much I could take with me in case Randall was kicking my ass out.
“Oh, he called. Great.” I tried to sound enthusiastic, but my words were flat. Dull. Like I was going to feel after Randall fired me.
I even slipped my shoes back on in preparation for a quick exit.
Lucy would be happy to see me gone, that was for sure. Maybe she could even have the Dirty Bandit account, if they hadn’t fired the firm altogether.
Wonder if Hugh would try to kiss her, too…?
Randall nodded. “Sounded like the meeting was very interesting.” He looked at me expectantly.
But since I didn’t know what he wanted to hear, and figured it wouldn’t make a difference anyway, I just nodded.
“Wh… what were Bryan’s impressions?” I croaked.
I’d make him blink first. That way I’d know how to respond.
“He said…”
Why was he hesitating? Just fucking get it over with.
“…he said you were brilliant. You had the guys eating out of your hand.”
Well, damn. Were there empty boxes in the mailroom? Because I could load my shit in one and be out the door in minutes. Although I might need two boxes, if I were to claim the spider plant I’d nursed back from death. I probably didn’t need all the mugs I’d brought, which everyone in the office was using now, anyway.
“Coral? Coral, are you listening?”
I stood to gather my stuff.
“Yes, Randall, I’m listening.” I grabbed my sneakers from under the desk and crammed them in my tote bag.
“Coral, Bryan thought you were awesome.”
I couldn’t find my favorite coffee cup. But I could always get another.
Wait.
Had he said Bryan liked me? Or something like that?
“Sorry, Randall. What did you say?”
His brow was furrowed. I’m sure letting me go was not easy for him. I was one of his first employees.
“Coral, please sit down. This is an important conversation.”
I fell back into my chair, purse and tote bag on my lap.
“Apparently you did a great job of convincing them of the firm’s expertise. Bryan is really excited about working with you. And, all of us, really.”
Huh? Randall was happy?
I still had a job?
Holy shit.
I tossed my things on the floor next to my desk. “Bryan said it was a good meeting?” I asked unsteadily.
He beamed. “Said you handled the guys like a pro. Showed them who was boss.” He slammed his hands on my desk and pushed himself up to go. But before he did, he turned around.
“I knew you’d knock it out of the park, kiddo,” he said with a wink.
And pulled my door closed behind him.
Holyfuckingshit.
I still had a job.
And even better, both the client and my boss were happy with me.
And I’d just been kissed by a big-ass rock star.
Chapter 15
CORAL
“You. Are. Such. A. Ho,” Nikki screamed, slapping my arm and nearly knocking me off my barstool.
I wiped the beer off my arm that she’d spilled. “Take it easy, would you? And pipe down.”
I looked around to see if anyone had heard us.
“Fine,” she said, whispering. “You fucking kissed Hugh Cairn. That is even more amazing than the story I have to tell.”
I could just imagine her ‘amazing story.’ I’d bet a thousand dollars it had something to do with hot doctors and hospital supply closets.