I remember so vividly what she had on that day. She wore the shortest pair of black jean shorts I had ever seen someone wear, exposing her mile-long legs. If she had bent down, I would have seen more of Drea Voss than I needed to.
She paired them with a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, the shirt tucked into her shorts. She looked casual but still somehow professional. The closest she’d ever gotten to professionalism so far.
Before today's meeting was over, I would need to remember to tell Drea to install anair conditioner. I was sweating outside of her office in the middle of spring.
I knocked on the office door and waited.
“Come in.” Drea’s voice came through the door, and I rolled my neck. I could do this.
I took a deep breath and opened the door. She was wearing a low-cut maroon button-up shirt that accentuated the perfect shape of her breasts and hugged her natural curves. I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to.
I blamed the lack of protein from my breakfast for the way I fantasized about what was underneath her shirt and how they would feel in my hands, or in my?—
She was looking at her computer screen when she spoke. “What is it, Kaia? Is that—” She stopped when she looked up and saw me, and I quickly looked away. I hoped she didn’t catch me staring.
I crossed my arms. “Don’t stop on my account. Please continue. What were you going to say? Is that bitch here yet? Is that pain in the ass best-selling author still coming in?”
“Your words, not mine,” she mumbled.
“What was that?”
She cleared her throat. “Nothing, apologies. Please, have a seat.” She motioned to the two chairs in front of her desk and went back to her computer, typing away at something. The room was as silent as a library, only the soft pounding of her fingers on the keyboard filling the space. I hated myself for wondering what else those thumping fingers could do.Seriously, Blair?
I was anxious to break the silence between us. “Nice office. It’s very… simple,” I said, looking around. The walls were bare, and the only furniture besides the desk and chairs, was a small couch in the corner. Simple wasn’t necessarily bad, but I couldn’t bring myself to give her a proper compliment.
“I prefer simple over complicated.” She looked up from her computer, and I’d never noticed how dark her eyes were before. They were like warm pools of chocolate, and I could get lost in them if I wasn’t careful.
I shook away my thoughts about any part of her and cleared my throat. “And what is that supposed to mean?”
“It means exactly what you think it means.” She exhaled before continuing. “Listen, we’re supposed to be playing nice, so can we just get down to business and get this over with, please?”
“Wow, she has manners. I’m very impressed.” I sighed. “You’re right. Our spy out there is probably listening to every word.” Kaia was a sweet girl, but Cara informed me that she had asked her to make sure we stayed in line.
“Exactly. Cara wants us to come up with some sort of plan for the signing. Did you have anything in mind?”
“Well, I always like to do a small Q&A before the actual signing. Is that going to be a problem this time?”
She rolled her eyes. “No problem at all. Anything else?”
I sighed, irritated by the fact that she should have known by now what I like. This wasn’t my first signing with her, but God, did I hope it was my last. “You know I always have a dessert table set up.”
She wrote something down in her notebook, gripping the pen a little tighter than she needed to.
I frowned, already feeling like I was a burden to her. I was contractually obligated to work with her, but Drea? I wasn’t sure why she’d agreed to work together if she hated me so much. If a simple request was a big deal to her. “If that’s too much to ask for…”
She looked up at me and shook her head. “No. A dessert table is fine.”
“Then why are you gripping the pen like you have a personal vendetta against it?” I was honestly beginning to feel bad for the poor pen. She had quite the grip.
She looked down at her victim and lessened her hold. “It’s nothing. I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?” I wasn’t sure why I was pressing.
“Yes!” she bit out. That was what I got for trying to be civil.
She didn’t look fine, but I didn’t ask anymore questions. I didn’t care, anyway. “Okay… Well, if that’s all, I can get out of here and tell Cara no one got hurt.” I stood up and headed for the door.
She stopped me as my fingers wrapped around the door knob. “Hey, Blair?” When I turned around, she stood up and cut the space between us.
