After my door clicked closed, I tossed my pen on the desk and sat back in my seat. The goddamn entire office smelled like her now. A few minutes later, I was still unable to concentrate, so I opened my laptop and fired off an email to my annoying assistant.
To: Charlotte Darling
Subject: You.
I would be most appreciative if you could reduce the quantity of perfume that you bathe yourself in. My olfactory receptors set off my allergy sensors twenty feet before you arrive in a room. Besides, a woman wears subtlety best.
Getting that off my chest, I was able to return my focus to actual work. Until a few minutes later, when a soft chime notified me a new email had arrived. I knew who it was from before waking my computer from the screen saver.
To: Reed Eastwood
Subject: Your olfactory receptors
It’s a shame your olfactory receptors are so sensitive. Have you tried exposing yourself to the allergen in order to desensitize the effect? Perhaps it might help if on occasion you would stop and smell the roses instead of trampling on the garden? The world is filled with bouquets of women. Besides, a man wears manners best.
The next evening, before I left for the night, I stopped by Charlotte’s office to drop off some receipts so she could prepare my monthly expense report. It was nearly eight, and I’d assumed she’d left already. Her voice stopped me right before I reached her door.
“And what’s the price of a sleeper cabin?”
Quiet, and then, “Hmm. Okay. And how big are the beds in the cabin?”
More silence.
“Wow. You don’t have something to fit two? Maybe a queen or something?”
She laughed. “Okay. Well, I guess that’s always an option. I’m not ready to book at this time. But thank you very much for the information.”
I didn’t want to get caught eavesdropping in the hall, but I also couldn’t resist being an asshole. Strolling into her office, I dropped my expense envelope on her desk and said, “Using a company phone at work to make vacation plans. Not very professional, Charlotte.”
She glared at me. I found her wrinkled nose, squinty eyes, and the pink heat rising in her cheeks to be cute. Wisely, I kept that thought to myself.
Charlotte picked her cell phone up from her desk and waved it in my direction. “I was using my cell phone, not the company phone. And my workday ended three hours ago. So technically, the only company thing I’m using is this chair.”
I hid my smirk. “Taking a trip somewhere? I didn’t realize you had earned vacation time already.”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I was only getting information for a train ride in Europe. I like to daydream about things I want to do, and sometimes the visual of what that looks like helps.”
It clicked. Under the Tuscan Sun. Yesterday she’d added Make Love to a Man for the First Time in a Sleeper Cabin on a Train Ride Through Italy to her Fuck-It List. If she knew I’d been stalking her list on the server, she’d take that to mean I was interested in being her bucket-list buddy, so I didn’t mention I knew what she was talking about. Instead, I chose a different path to walk. One that surely led straight to hell. “Perhaps if you spent more time working and less time daydreaming, you’d be more productive and wouldn’t have to stay until eight o’clock at night.”
Her eyes flared wide. She stared at me for a moment, then opened her desk drawer and ripped her purse out of it, slamming it down onto her desktop before banging the drawer back closed. Shutting her laptop, she stood and tugged her purse to her shoulder. She then proceeded to march toward the door where I was still standing. Not expecting her to stop when she reached me, I took a cautious step back, anticipating getting reamed out.
Instead, her eyes closed, hands raised, and her fingers frantically began typing in the air.
Seriously. Fucking. Nuts.
And so beautiful when her nostrils were flaring.
She hit what I presumed was the imaginary “Enter” button, took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and walked out of the office without another word.
I might’ve watched the sway of her ass the entire way out.
We both needed goddamn counseling.CHAPTER 16
REED
After a few more days of avoiding her at all costs, it was no longer possible when Iris showed up at a business lunch with Charlotte in tow. Matthew Garamound, our CPA, my brother, and I were already seated. Even though I was annoyed at her presence, I stood when she walked toward the table. Nodding my greeting, I pulled out the empty chair next to me, while Garamound did the same for Iris. “Charlotte.”
“Actually, I’m going to sit next to Max on the other side of the table if he doesn’t mind. I wouldn’t want my perfume to bother your allergies.”