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Now if she could only decide between the purple penguins or the salmon-colored polka dots…
Sophie’s eyes bugged out when they caught on the clock. It was practically noon and she’d barely started her work. The tie would have to wait. She bookmarked the site and reluctantly pulled up the Blackwell deal. Negotiations were nearly final, but the details seemed to change every second Sophie thought she’d finally get the chance to hit print.
She tried to force herself to focus.
Coming into the office after sleeping with Gray hadn’t been nearly as awkward as she’d feared. He treated her more or less like normal. And if he sometimes asked her to stay late and, ahem, “visit the copy room,” well, that was just fine by her.
Granted, nobody else in the office knew that they were bed buddies. Just the way she wanted it. And the way Gray wanted it. Which, okay, maybe bugged her, just a little. Not that she wanted their mattress acrobatics going out in the company newsletter or anything, but she couldn’t hide the suspicion that he was ashamed of her.
Knock it off, Sophie. Disparaging self-talk was so last year.
Digging through the papers on her desk, she looked for the notes Gray had left her after his call with Peter Blackwell this morning.
“Where the hell is it?” she muttered, rummaging through the stacks. Some people would call the mountain of crap “disorganization.” These people didn’t understand the appeal of structured chaos.
Finally she found the paper she was looking for. Under her coffee mug. And her water glass. She winced as she saw that the classy notepaper with Gray’s initials at the top now resembled a well-used coaster.
She bit her lip as she realized she’d have to ask him to rewrite the notes. He wouldn’t mind. She knew the information was locked up all neat and tidy in his database of a brain. But she hated having to ask. She didn’t want him to think she was getting careless just because she could.
Standing and adjusting her new yellow skirt that she’d blown most of her bonus on, she headed toward the kitchen to find Gray. Perhaps she could dump a little Baileys in his coffee to soften the blow. Or perhaps show a little cleavage…
Don’t be a floozy. She mentally saluted her inner voice. “Got it. Today’s to-do list: do not be a floozy.”
Sophie paused around the corner to the kitchen when she heard Gray talking to someone. It was Jeff Andrews. She felt a moment of panic. She hadn’t seen Jeff since the picnic, but if anyone suspected that something might be happening between her and Gray, it would be Jeff.
“You going to keep working on the Blackwell deal personally?” Jeff was saying.
Sophie relaxed. Nothing but a little harmless work discussion.
“Yeah, I promised Peter I’d stay on board until the end. He’s old-fashioned like that,” Gray responded.
“Makes sense. So what do you need from me?”
“I’m heading out to Maui at the end of the month. I’d like you to come along. Get your initial assessments of renovation and marketing costs.”
Jeff whistled. “You’re a tough boss. A work-related trip to Maui?”
“It won’t be all fun. I need someone to help run interference when Peter’s twit of a son tries to insert his obnoxious self in the middle of things.”
“Sure, no problem. But why not just have Sophie keep at that? Rumor has it she’s been running circles around the younger Blackwell.”
Sophie had been about to enter the kitchen once she’d established it wasn’t a confidential conversation, but she paused when she heard her name.
There was a pregnant pause, and Gray spoke again. “Sophie’s not coming.”
She frowned. Not at the words necessarily, although she’d have loved an expenses-paid trip to Hawaii. There was something odd about Gray’s tone. Like he was surprised and baffled that Jeff had even suggested that she go.
“Oh, sorry,” Jeff said, sounding sheepish. “I didn’t mean to imply anything inappropriate…I just meant that I thought Sophie would be going along for note-taking or dinner reservations or whatever. It’s the biggest deal of the year. Nobody would think twice if you brought your assistant.”
Sophie made a mental note to buy Jeff a coffee on their next Starbucks run.
Gray made a derisive noise that had Sophie’s spine doing a weird tingling thing. “I hardly think Sophie’s contributions would be worth the price tag of a round-trip plane ticket to Hawaii. I’m sure the Blackwells have some girl at the resort who can staple and push the buttons on the fax machine just as well.”
Something bright orange exploded in front of Sophie’s eyes and she realized it was anger. Or perhaps humiliation. She took a deep breath and tried to get ahold of her temper, but it was no use. She’d already rounded the corner and revealed her presence to both men.
“Hey, Soph,” Jeff said nervously. At least he had the decency to look guilty. Gray, on the other hand, looked completely unperturbed. Worse, his eyes looked almost affectionate. How dare he belittle her very existence in the company and then give her a come-hither glance in the next instant? I’m just his plaything, she realized in horror.
“Sorry to interrupt,” she said. Gray’s eyes went instantly wary at the silky danger of her tone. ?
