Ask Me (Mess with Me 2)

Everyone stands and after shaking hands with the entire team, we’re finally leaving the conference room. Just then Casey walks past the hallway carrying a cup of coffee. Jason blinks and then narrows his eyes.

Fuck. He hasn’t recognized her yet and I’m not entirely sure I want him to. I step forward blocking his view. Considering how much turmoil my search for her caused around the office, I doubt he’ll be thrilled to discover she’s here.

“Your assistant informed us that you’ll be leaving town soon,” Mya says. “That’s a shame. I was hoping this year you’d finally be able to attend the Preview Gala.”

I stop abruptly when we reach the front of the office. The reception area is empty. Which is odd because I just saw Casey heading this way. Maybe I can hang around for a while and wait for her to come back? I don’t want to miss the chance to say goodbye and see her cheeks redden again.

Then I think of all the things I need to do this evening. There’s no time for me to hang out waiting for a woman who doesn’t even want to see me. I have a plane to catch and then meetings all week.

James rubs his hands together. “The Preview Gala is always a good time. The employees get a real kick out of it. It’s more fun than the standard company meeting.”

After a long ass day, I’m suddenly smiling. Casey may not want to talk to me but she can’t exactly ignore me if we’re at the same function. A function that I’ve been invited to.

“A company meeting? Do all of the employees usually show up?”

If James is surprised by my sudden interest, he doesn’t show it. “Yes, it’s mandatory for employees. Even if it wasn’t, I’m sure they’d come anyway. We put on quite a party.”

“Perhaps we’ll stay in town.” I shake hands again with James and then with Milo and Mya, promising to get in touch about the next phase in our campaign planning. My eyes follow as they walk back to their offices, looking to see if

anyone emerges from the hallway.

Once we’re alone, Jason leans over. “Okay, what’s going on with you? Now you want to stay in town? You hate it here.”

I hold my cell phone up, trying to get a better signal. “Nothing is wrong with me. I just find myself in the mood for a party.”

9

* * *

I watch from around the corner as the man formerly known as Andrew walks down the hall with an entourage of people including all of my bosses. Watching James, Mya and Milo shake hands with him is the perfect reminder of how incredibly screwed I am.

How am I going to explain any of this? I just started to feel comfortable here, like I know what I’m doing and am really contributing to the company.

Now all of my hard work is about to unravel and all it will take is a few words from the man I last saw naked and snoring.

The man who is currently standing in the entryway of the office looking like he doesn’t have a care in the world. He’s wearing a tailored, gray pinstriped suit that shows off a body that I know from experience is muscular and toned. Even the way his black hair curls over his collar is sexy.

The man is literally a walking wet dream.

He is also arrogant as hell. What was that parting shot? I won’t be forgetting about that night any time soon. And neither will you. Ugh, he is insufferable! How does he know that I haven’t already forgotten about it? For all he knows, maybe I have one-night stands all the time and our night together was just a typical Monday night.

He pulls his cell phone from the inner pocket of his suit jacket, holding it up as if trying to get better reception. The move makes his jacket ride up. All the blood leaves my brain as he turns, giving me an award-winning view of his ass.

Nothing typical about that.

I gulp and look away for a moment. What if he turns around and catches me staring? But like a magnet, my eyes are drawn back again and again.

God that man can wear a suit.

I lick my lips as my eyes roam over his lean arms and broad shoulders. The same arms I remember holding me down as his body powered over mine. The shoulders I hooked my legs over as he made me come again and again, like it was his mission. How many times have I woken in the early hours of the morning, damp with sweat, my breasts tight and aching after dreaming about him?

This is mental torture, remembering that night when I know it can never happen again.

I breathe a sigh of relief when Andre and the rest of his team finally get on the elevator. Once the doors close, I walk back to the reception desk. Hopefully no one noticed I left it unattended for so long.

“Hey, where did you disappear to?” Anya leans over the desk to grab her bag of potato chips. “Bingo! I knew I forgot something earlier.”

“Nowhere. I was just…uh… getting coffee.” I hold up the coffee cup I retrieved from the break room. Then I cover it with my hand before she notices that it’s empty.