As 4:30 rolled around, Elissa found herself utterly exhausted. At first, she’d been able to ignore Ryan. They’d both been focusing on their jobs, taking notes, asking the occasional question. She’d caught herself staring at the man once or twice but tore her eyes away before he’d looked up. She’d hoped it would be easy. Then Karina had called for a break.
And he’d challenged her. Called her out on the costume she put on every day. Called attention to the one piece of her wardrobe hardly anyone ever noticed. Surprised he saw through her so easily, she’d flirted with him. He wasn’t living down to her expectations. His teasing was gentle, and he seemed to appreciate her craft. She’d been two heartbeats away from saying or doing something she might regret, like giving him her phone number, when the voices of their bosses in the hall had brought them both back to reality.
His presence loomed like the heat of the desert sun in the summer, inescapable and overpowering. Her attention wandered, all too frequently drawn to the man sitting across from her. Their eyes locked a time or two, and both quickly returned their focus to the task at hand, but the blood rose in her cheeks.
By the end of the session, her notes were a disaster, her pens and highlighters in disarray, and she found herself tired and frustrated in a way she’d never felt before. She didn’t know if God took pity on her, but as she was about to request a short break, Annetta Herrera clapped her hands together.
“Well, I think that covers what we need for now. Ryan and Val will pull the paperwork this week and have it ready for you early next week. Anything else you need from us right now?”
Karina thanked her for her time, and Annetta left with Ryan on her heels. Elissa packed up her notes and pens and highlighters, as well as the summary from last tax year.
“Take your time, Elissa,” her boss said. “I’m going to see if Alessandro is available. I have to know how he brought his younger son into the fold. Ryan DeMarco has been a thorn in his side for a decade now. Wait for me in the reception area.”
Karina strode out, leaving Elissa alone with her thoughts. Three interactions with the man. One decidedly dreadful, but until his indecent proposal, she’d been enjoying herself. He’d been chivalrous two weeks ago in the parking lot of Nopalitos, and he’d genuinely apologized. Today, he’d been fun and flirty, but hadn’t invaded her personal space as his brother had. He was smart and sexy as hell. Heck. Sexy as heck.
The way his warm, brown eyes followed her, the way they’d traced her body during the first break, didn’t make her feel ogled. They made her feel seen and appreciated. Working with him over the next few months was going to be problematic on many levels. It was an ethical gray area, and she wasn’t sure she could keep her emotions—or her hormones—at bay.
A soft knock brought her head up as she was sliding the last of the papers away. Ryan leaned against the doorjamb, hands in his pockets and a small grin on his lips.
“Need any help?”
“Your timing is impeccable.” She gestured to the empty table.
“You have no idea.” His voice dipped lower, sending her thoughts gliding down to the recesses of her mind where she stored all the lascivious ideas she kept hidden from view.
She bit her lip, and his gaze zeroed in on the small gesture. If he kept looking at her like that, those lascivious ideas would surface, and then what would happen? Her entire body tingled at the suggestion, from her toes to her nose to other, more intimate parts.
“I’m fine, thanks.” Elissa hitched her bag over her shoulder.
“You sure? I can at least see you out.”
She was tempted, oh was she tempted to spend a few more minutes in his presence. But the next few months were going to be hard enough. No need to add fuel to the fire. She walked to the door.
“I have to wait for Karina. We drove together.”
“Good, I don’t want you in that POS more than you have to be.”
“Bertha is not a”—even using an initialism still felt like breaking the no swearing rule, so she lowered her voice—“POS.”
He leaned in close, and his breath tickled the hair around her ear. “Whatever you say, Elissa.”
Oh dear God, her name on his lips sent a shot of lust straight to her core. And sent every single reply right out of her head. She froze for a moment, trying to come up with something to say. He chuckled as the moment grew longer.
“Please, lead the way.” Her voice was not nearly as strong as it should be. Ryan stole her breath away.
On legs wobblier than she’d ever admit, especially to this man, she followed him to the front. He ducked behind the front desk and grabbed his leather jacket from a hook on the side and the helmet from underneath.
“Have a good evening,” he said as he walked by.
“You too,” she whispered, and he smirked as he wiggled his fingers at her, letting the door close behind him.
She heaved a sigh of relief as she collapsed onto a chair, fanning herself. Was she even going to survive working with the man for the next two months? A few minutes later, Karina walked up to her.
“Ready?”
Elissa retrieved her bag and followed her mentor out the door. She settled into the passenger seat and noticed Ryan leaning against a motorcycle a couple of parking spaces over, texting on his phone, helmet on the seat. His unruly hair covered one eye, and his tie was gone, the top buttons of his shirt undone under the unzipped leather jacket he wore. As if he could feel her eyes on him, he looked up, and their gazes met. Heat pulsed through her body. Karina started the car and pulled out of the parking spot. Ryan gave her a sexy wink as they passed him. She turned her head, her cheeks flushing. It was going to be fucking hell until tax season was over.
And she owed a dollar to the swear jar at home. Maybe five.
