My smile melted at the sight of her smug face.
“What’sthatface for?”
She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.
Oh boy.
“Jaz. Don’t even think about it,” I warned, my voice growing deeper. It had not escaped my notice that she watched with great interest any interaction between Niko and me in the office.
“What?” she asked innocently. “Can’t a girl have a little fun?You, dear friend, are in serious need of some fun.”
Luke and the girls weren’t the only ones on my case about getting out of the funk I’d been in or ending the two-year man ban. Jaz’s attempts to set me up with men had failed spectacularly.
I leafed through the reports from the sunscreen project. “Don’t need fun. Have notimefor fun. I run this company, if you didn’t notice.”
Jaz snorted. “You use your position like a shield. But that time is over.” Standing, she put her hands on her hips, and I knew I was in trouble. Leaning back in my chair, I waited for the onslaught of advice.
“Yes, youarea boss babe, and an amazing one at that. But you’re also a woman, Leyla. A. Woman,” she said, emphasizing the last words. “You have needs and wants.”
I gasped and hurriedly said, “Are you serious right now? Please stop saying needs and wants.” I hoped her words were being translated incorrectly from her native Spanish.
That only made her cackle. “I’m not talking aboutthoseneeds, girlfriend. Although…”
“Not another word.”
She sighed heavily. “Fine. I know your stance on that subject. But I’m talking about theotherneeds, chica. Fun, dating, and the company of a handsome man. Maybe a handsome Turkish scientist.”
Alarm bells started clanging in my head, and I knew that if I didn’t stop this quickly, she would have Niko and me locked in a supply closet, feigning ignorance about how it happened.
Don’t ask me how I know this. But then again, Joseph and Sarina in accounting were happily married now for a year.
Moving on.
“I’m warning you, Jaz. Don’t think about my needs, dating, or anything Turkish or otherwise. Do you hear me?” I hissed through clenched teeth, my eyes narrowed just as my office door swung open.
It was like Grand Central Station in here.
“Whohas needs? And what about dating a Turkish man?” Luke asked, grinning like a fool.
My head fell back as I groaned. “Don’t you two have anything better to do than harass me? There’s too much work to be done, and I don’t have time for your foolishness. Get out!”
Great. Now my eye was twitching.
Ignoring me, they continued their conversation as if I weren’t becoming a seething, sweaty mess in front of them.
“All I was saying is that she needs to get out. Go dancing, surfing.Somethingother than work.” All I could do was shake my head. It was pointless now that they’d teamed up. They had serious Jim and Pam vibes when Michael Scott came into the room.
“I agree. And don’t worry, Jazzy Pie,” Luke said, smirking at her disapproval of the new nickname, “Sofia demanded she come to dinner this weekend. No getting out of it.”
“Fine,” I growled. “If I say yes, will you two kindly vacate my office?” I asked, standing and shooing them away with both hands.
“Wouldn’t it be sweet if a certain new department head were also invited? Poor guy is new here,” Jaz said, her full, red lips poked out in a pout.
“He’s lived here since he was six, you maniac,” I countered, still pushing them toward the door.
“I meant new to Earth Organix. That’s what we did whenSofiafirst got here. He should be invited, too. Don’t you think so, Pukey Lukey?” She gave him an exaggerated wink, referring to an incident last year involving a bad order of sushi.
I couldn’t help but laugh at that one. I turned back to my best friend. “Luke would never do that to me.”
