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“But I should get back to work. Anyone could walk in on us.”
She checked the wound, which had almost stopped bleeding. “Almost there.”
A throat noisily cleared in the room. Gary froze, pulling back and attempting to squirm out from under Erin, who was lax to relax pressure on Gary’s head. She looked at the sound and fixed Ted with an icy glare while he stared back at her with utter disdain.
“Well, I think you’re both done here.” He held the door open. “Erin, if you could come with me? Gary, I’ll be back to get an update on the repair status in a moment.”
Erin dug deep in search of some motivation to obey Ted’s directive and found him wanting. Erin extricated herself from Gary and pulled herself up, waiting a moment to make sure Gary had a firm grip on the kerchief. When Ted looked her up and down, rolling his eyes, she glanced at her clothes.
White was not the ideal color to wear when helping a copier repairman. The stark placement of his ink-smudged hands strategically along her thighs and encircling her skirt made for an almost deliberate artistic gesture. For his part, Gary had a few smears of blood on his face and clothes from the cut on his head Erin had staunched. Standing up, he straightened his clothes while blushing and trying somewhat successfully to avoid eye contact with both of them. When his gaze took in Erin, he paled visibly. Surely, she didn’t lookthatbad?
Then she saw the blood on her hands. And shirt. And skirt. And legs. Even shoes. How had she managed that?
It occurred to Erin she was expected to feel a level of embarrassment for messing up her work attire. Instead, she felt irritated at Ted over his haughty attitude, and she felt a bit miffed with Gary over his embarrassment.
Ted pointed her toward the hall, reminding Erin of a schoolteacher escorting her to the principal’s office. Erin humored him and led the way to Maria’s office.
“Does Maria even have time to take a break from her meeting for this?” Erin mused aloud.
Ted coughed. “Oh, she’ll make time.”
When Erin reached Maria’s office, she strode into the white-washed confines, feeling repelled by the lack of any softness within the room. Glossy white laminate surfaces were paired with stiff white leather cushions throughout. Although she’d been in Maria’s office multiple times daily during her tenure at Pythia, it had never felt as uncomfortable as it did now.
Erin took a seat on the lounge across from Maria’s desk, flopping back into the enormous expanse of plush leather.
“I’m sure, considering the state of your outfit, that Maria would rather have you stand.”
“I’m sure you’re correct.” Erin leveled a direct gaze at Ted, whose discomfort over her lack of formality was written all over his face and the nervous way he clutched his hands together. The irony hit her that this was the first time his haughty attitude toward her had faltered, and she suspected it was because of her uncharacteristic complete lack of concern.
“That’s cheeky of you,” he said, and she heard the anxiety tremble through his voice.
Erin ran a hand along the leather seat, a light red stain marring the surface. “I’ll just wait here for her.” Based on how Ted’s gaze kept flickering to her red-tinged digits, he’d noticed as well.
“Okay, then. I’ll just fetch her.” Ted practically ran out of the room.
Erin looked over the black and red stains on her clothes, mustering not an ounce of concern for her disheveled state. She knew this was not how she should be feeling. Surely Maria would fire her outright. And just as surely, Erin should be upset over her predicament.
So why didn’t she care?
CHAPTER18
ERIN
Erin remained draped over the bleached lounge when Maria marched into her office a few minutes later.
“Well, you certainly look comfortable.” Maria closed the door behind herself, slowly appraising Erin. She circled Erin, her gaze traveling the length of her recumbent form. Curiosity burned in her eyes.
If she hadn’t been so relaxed, Erin would have, well,caredmore about Maria’s shift in mood. Normally her boss was dictatorial, issuing commands as a queen might proclaim edicts. However, the woman before her visibly paused, assessing Erin with an air of incredulity. As one might a wild animal who’d wandered into a corner store for a cup of coffee and a blueberry scone.
Or something. Erin idly scratched her head, hair catching her fingers. How had her hair gotten so wild and disheveled?
Maria leaned back against her desk. “I hear you helped fix the copier?”
Erin shrugged. “Yet I don’t think I learned one useful thing about copier repair.”
Maria, the ice queen, raised a singular eyebrow. “And the blood? Did you injure him?”
Erin glanced at her hands. “No, I didn’t hurt him. He banged his head inside the copier, and I helped him apply pressure to the wound.” She wiggled her fingers in further explanation.
