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Which must be why Everly hadn’t received any expense reports or requests for reimbursements. Sometimes their field agents were too busy for paperwork. The rest of the time, operatives hated what they called desk jockey stuff. “You’re right. I wish I could do more.”
“Your specialty is computer security, and the corporation needs that desperately, too. But Crawford’s boots on the ground in war-torn parts of the globe have the experience in this arena. I hope luck is on our side. Now, how are you holding up?”
“I’m okay. I’ll be better after the new boss comes in and we know one way or another whether we’re keeping our jobs.”
Tavia’s brow rose. “Sweetie, I was talking about what happened this morning.”
So she was going to have to explain why she was late. She wasn’t sure why Tavia needed to know. The woman wasn’t her boss. “I needed some time. I’m fine now. I should get to work.”
Tavia circled back around to her desk. “You weren’t scared of those reporters?”
Everly blinked. How had Tavia known about the small group of tabloid bloodhounds outside the hotel? She’d hustled to a cab and left them behind to wait for their real target. Since she’d likely shown up in the background of some shot, Everly supposed she had to make explanations. Maybe a white lie would get her through this. “I got a little drunk last night and decided to stay here in Manhattan. You know how it is, trying to navigate the subway when you’re toasted.”
Tavia turned the screen of her computer around. “I don’t know that anyone’s going to buy that story. Not when your name gets attached to someone like Gabriel Bond. Sweetie, you need to be prepared. They didn’t have your name this morning, but they’ll find it—quick.”
Everly stared in horror at the byline on the Internet news story.
NEW MISTRESS?
WALL STREET’S BAD BOY BOND RETURNS TO FORM
Underneath the headline there was a photo of her running to the cab in her wrinkled dress, her hair whipping in the wind and one hand out to stave off the press. “Oh, my god. That’s me. They’re talking about me.”
Tavia sank into her chair, crossing her long legs. “You can’t be too surprised. You had to know they would, if they caught you.”
“Why would they care?” Why the hell did it matter to anyone that she’d had a wild weekend?
“Of course they’re going to care.” Tavia stood again, as if too restless to sit. “They report about anyone remotely connected to that group. Did you really let Gabriel Bond pick you up at Maddox’s funeral?”
“I met him at the bar after the service. I honestly didn’t know who he was until I put it together this morning.” And on the way back to work she’d thought about some other things, too. One particular memory had surfaced.
I need to let you meet Bond sometime. You’d like him, Everly. He’s a good guy. Not too thrilled with me right now, but I have hopes we’ll work things out eventually. He’s my best friend in the world. We have to work it out.
Maddox had been eating her stew and talking about the group of men he’d grown up with, but he’d only referred to them by their last names, with the exception of Zack Hayes, whom he’d referred to as Mr. President . . . though he snickered every time he did. But Maddox had often talked about Bond.
Tavia’s expression softened with sympathy. “If you didn’t know who he was, then you must not have known his reputation. I’m afraid he’s a real player.” She winced. “He’s torn through most every beauty in Manhattan, but he never stays with one for long. Pig.”
She held out her free hand to stop that line of conversation. “I wasn’t trying to be his girlfriend. He was alone. I was alone. It seemed like a good idea at the time.”
He said he’d call her. He’d taken her number. Wall Street’s Bad Boy ring her? Ha!
Tavia sighed. “If you lie low, it will blow over soon. He’ll move on to the next woman, and the press will forget you. I wanted to make sure you were ready for the gossip. No one in the office can seem to talk about anything else this morning.”
Everly felt her skin heat. In some ways, this was her worst nightmare. She couldn’t stand the thought of everyone gossiping behind her back about her liaison with yet another man. At least this rumor was actually true. But up until last night, she hadn’t had a sex life—nothing anyone would find interesting anyway. Suddenly, she preferred her coworkers chin-wagging about how young she was for her job.
It wasn’t fair. If she’d been a man, no one would have questioned her or cared at all.
“Everly, don’t worry about it.” Tavia shook her head. “It really will blow over in a couple of days. I understand why you left with him. He’s a stunning man. I’ve only met him once, but I was impressed by how charismatic he was. He could have talked me into bed, too.”
“I can’t believe those reporters were waiting for me outside of the hotel. Why did they hang around? Gabriel left before me.” Though not very long before her. Once he’d gone, she had wanted to get out as quickly as possible. The room seemed too empty without him.
“Most likely, he left via the back door.”
“Why wouldn’t he tell me to do the same?”
“I’m sure you were good camouflage for him,” Tavia explained with a sympathetic wince. “It’s the way these men work. They’re excellent in bed, but they don’t care much about women like us out of it. How do you think they recognized that you spent the night with him and weren’t a guest in some other room? I’m sure one of Bond’s employees tipped off the paparazzi. That would keep them at the front of the hotel so he could slip out the back.”
Humiliation washed over her. He’d told her he would call. He had called, all right—just not her. He’d dialed the reporters down on her head so he wouldn’t be bothered.
Tavia stood up again and strode over, giving her a big hug. “Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry. I hate that this happened to you.”
The door opened. Valerie Richards, the head of the accounting department and Tavia’s most frequent lunch partner, stood there. She was petite but reminded Everly of a fairy—one slightly evil and bullying.
“I thought for sure you would take the day off because we all know you must have had a few sleepless nights.” Valerie smirked her way.
“Put the claws back in, please.” Tavia shook her head. “She’s been through enough.”
“Well, apparently she’s been through Gabriel Bond, too.” Valerie looked Everly up and down, obviously finding her wanting.
The woman had been trouble sin
ce the minute they’d been introduced on Everly’s first day at the job. Since then, the woman had done everything possible to undermine her, even though they didn’t work in the same department.
There was only one way to handle a bitch. Well, besides punching her. Unfortunately, breaking Valerie’s surgically perfected nose would only get her in trouble.
Everly stepped away from Tavia. “You don’t go through a man like Gabriel Bond. You hold on and ride him like the stud he is. Now, if you’re through sulking because I had a better weekend than you, I think we should all get back to work.”
With a bully like Valerie, Everly refused to let the woman see her sweat. What Tavia’s sympathy couldn’t do, Val’s mean-girl play had. Everly squared her shoulders and exited into the hallway with her head held high.
Scott was on her in an instant. “Hey, how did your weekend go?”
“As if you don’t know. You could have called me.” Now that she thought about it, she was a little mad at him. She would have given him a heads-up if the tabloid world had turned on him.
“I tried. Your phone’s been off since Friday night or you would have gotten the whole story of my swinging and missing with Harry. Apparently, you had better luck.”
Damn it. She’d muted the ringer and hadn’t checked her voice mail this morning. Gabriel Bond had rewired her body for sex and fried her brain. Of course, he’d likely forgotten all about her the minute he’d made his getaway, while she’d been obsessing over him. “Sorry. I forgot I turned it to vibrate. Are you sure you want to be seen with me right now?”
“Of course,” he replied as they trekked the hall. “You’re,
