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Gabby kept the happiness plastered on her face and in her tone of voice, even though she wanted to crumble into a tiny ball and cry her eyes out. Hot date. Yeah, Mia’s boyfriend was hot, alright. That’s all she had been thinking about since she came home—that, and how aggravating the man was. He could use a manners 101 course. Despite how he worked her to the bone with barely offering a please or thank you, she felt bad for him when she knocked on his door.
He had looked up from his desk, his face full of shadows and tired lines. He nodded once and waved a hand for her to close the door. She didn’t think he even processed who was at the door, he had been so engrossed in the paperwork on his desk. He needed to let loose once in a while. Smell the fresh air.
She almost let those sad eyes of his suggest she stay and help him with whatever he needed. Which was crazy—she didn’t even like the man. He was abrupt, arrogant, and most of the time, rude. Ha! Try all the time. And he was Mia’s boyfriend, and potentially cheating on her.
Although she got the vibe he wasn’t that type of man. He was focused on his work, his mind only on the project in his hand. She imagined he would be the same when it came to a woman. He would focus his attention on that one woman. Her gut told her he wasn’t a cheater or a liar. She liked to follow her gut.
She was lucky he didn’t fire her for her loose lips. She always had a hard time keeping her mouth shut. That saying, “think before you speak,” applied to her. She never mastered that once in her life. It put her in some tight jams, mostly at work, but her fast-thinking always managed to get her right back out of the trouble. She also knew that’s why she had a hard time keeping a man around. Most men she dated didn’t like a strong-minded woman. Well, good for them. She wasn’t about to change for anyone. A person either liked her or they didn’t.
She should, at least for now, be a little less abrasive with him. He could’ve fired her today.
“Are you firing me?”
A muscle ticked in his jaw.“No.” Then he said, surprising her,“If I ask nicely, will you get me a cup of coffee?”
“Is that you asking nicely?” she asked with a grin, enjoying the way his eyes leveled into tiny slits like he was thinking about changing his mind to fire her. Which she totally shouldn’t enjoy.
“You don’t give up, do you? You want it straight forward and concise.”
“Well, it’s easier to understand a person if you’re straight forward and concise. Why beat around the bush with things? You asked a question, but not the direct question you want answered.”
He sighed, leaning against the front of his desk and crossed his legs.“I think you like testing me.”
“What am I testing you for? Midterms?” Shit! She closed her eyes, then opened them with a distressed expression.“I didn’t mean to say that. Well, I did because it came out. But I sometimes forget who I’m talking to you. I’m not trying to get fired here. I can be sarcastic at times, joking around. I’m not testing you. Unless you want me to. You could use some lightening up. Life shouldn’t be so serious.”
He eyed her for a while with an expression she couldn’t decipher. His gaze unnerved her. It looked like he barely moved his gaze, yet she felt like he was roaming her body from top to bottom. Or maybe that was her imagination wanting him to. To check her out from head to toe. To grab her around the waist and fling the things on his desk to the floor with one fell swoop of his arm. Then ravish her to the point of bliss on that very desk.
Neither spoke for the longest time. Maybe they were both having naughty fantasies in their minds. She could only hope.
Then Mia’s name popped into her brain. She shouldn’t even be having a tiny fantasy about her friend’s boyfriend.
“Ms. Stileano?” he finally said in a soft voice. Or she imagined it coming out of his mouth softly. She didn’t think he knew how to talk softly. Abruptness was more his style.
“Yes, Mr. Holloway.”
“Will you please get me a cup of coffee? I would appreciate it.”
“I can do that. I’ll be right back.” She had to give in. He asked very nicely. The first time anything came out of his mouth so nicely. How could she resist that? Simple. She couldn’t.
“Ms. Stileano?” he called to her before she stepped through the double doors.
She turned around.“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
As she walked out, she swore she saw a slight tilt of his lip. A smile. Maybe he did know how to smile.
“Yo, earth to Gabs. Did you want a refill?” Mia asked, waving a hand in front of her face.
Gabby shook her mind clear of the memories and handed her glass to Mia. “Refill sounds awesome. Action flick tonight?”
Gabby got up from the couch to dig through her movies. She hoped Mia agreed. She didn’t want to watch a romance. That would only make her mind drift to a man she shouldn’t even think about. Since when did one person dominate her thoughts? She never had a man take over her mind and make her act like an idiot.
“Yeah, works for me.”
Thank goodness for small favors. She rifled through all her movies until she found the movie that had the most action possible.
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