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With a sigh, she stacked books in alphabetical order and tried to calm her racing heart as the hordes mobilized around her. Lots of moving feet meant this was a full staff meeting, which didn’t happen often. That fact was confirmed when she walked past the checkout counter and saw a long line in front of the lone cashier—her nemesis Leigh. Even Marcia had been summoned.
This couldn’t be good.
“So you don’t have to head back for the big meeting, huh?” she asked Leigh as she passed.
“Somebody has to help the customers.” Leigh’s smile dripped insincerity. “Unlike some of you, I don’t have problems doing my job.” Before Kelly could reply, she turned one thousand watts on the next customer. “Cash or charge? The Book Nook credit card, perhaps?”
Okay, what was the deal withthat? Was she getting special perks from the boss? Special perks that went part and parcel with embraces in his office?
Gritting her teeth, Kelly headed down the hallway to the last door before Spencer’s office. She probably deserved the bitch treatment. God knows she wasn’t exactly warm toward Leigh on most occasions. But it was just patently unfair that Leigh’s hair shone coppery red and her eyes were a mossy green rarely found in nature. She was tiny and adorable and completely together at all times.
It really pissed her off.
She stepped into the conference room. Voices buzzed, though few members of the staff were seated.
A niggle of alarm brewed in Kelly’s stomach when Marcia, Cale and Tony’s gazes zeroed in on her. This couldn’t be about her, could it? What could she have done? Other than bone the boss, but she was pretty sure Spencer wouldn’t have a staff meeting to announce that fact.
She dropped into a chair at one end of the table. Normally one of the cashiers would lean over and whisper some inconsequential gossip, but today both women beside her remained stone-faced and silent.
Out of habit, she started to reach for her purple phone, which she normally carried in her pocket. Her other phone wasn’t synced so it didn’t have her list. If her phones weren’t ancient, she could use the find my phone app to locate the purple one she’d misplaced.
God, she missed her electronic security blanket.
The hum of voices lifted as the minutes crawled by. Then Spencer strode in and shut the door, his presence immediately quieting the group.
That was a power all its own.
She watched him head to the front of the room at his normal fast clip. He didn’t do anything slowly. Not talking, not walking, and especially not fucking. Had he rammed into her any faster or harder, she would’ve ended up in a back brace.
Spencer’s gaze roamed the table and met hers for one charged second. Deliberately, she rubbed the tip of her tongue over the shallow dent in her lower lip and then she dragged her teeth over the fullness. His chest expanded and he turned away, his jaw clenched.
She grinned.Direct hit.
“We’re here today to discuss some things going on within the company. We’re rolling out some new promotions…”
Again, she reached for her phone as Spencer droned on. Shit, the screen wouldn’t turn on. Piece of crap. How was she supposed to take notes now?
She glanced at the woman next to her and whispered, “Can I bum a pen and paper?”
“Ms. Crossman, do you need clarification on something?”
For a minute, she couldn’t believe he’d actually interrupted his monologue to snap at her. The cold edge to his voice peeved her a little but turned her on more.
You are one twisted puppy.
“Just needed pencil and paper, sir.” Accepting both from the woman beside her, she wet the pencil’s tip and smiled. “So sorry to interrupt.”
Spencer’s eyes narrowed and for a second, she actually thought he’d say something else. He must’ve reconsidered, because he resumed gesturing at the map he’d tacked up of their new stores in Virginia and South Carolina.
She worried her lip as she took notes, alternating between thoughts about The Book Nook and Spencer. He was so sexy when he was bossy and demanding. She’d never thought she’d enjoy having someone as controlled as she was as a lover, but the constant push-and-pull between them was almost as arousing as his well-toned body.
He tapped the conference table before he again began prowling the room. Since he’d started the meeting, he hadn’t stopped moving. Spencer wasn’t one to remain rooted in any spot for long but today he seemed positively wound up.
Hmm, wonder why?
Without being fully conscious of the move, she sucked her lower lip between her teeth again, only realizing what she was doing when his gaze fastened on her mouth.
Oh yeah, this fascination wasn’t only one-sided. She’d bet her salary on it.
