Page 20 of Carnal Risk

“Are we going to talk about the meeting today?” she asked.

Selby’s voice drew Garrett’s attention, jarring his train of thought. He cursed as the tires hit a pothole, and his eyes focused back onto the gravel road.

“Sure, what would you like to discuss?” he asked.

“Are you signing us on? Is it a go?” Selby kept her eyes on Garrett.

“Of course.” He smiled.

“You planned on approving it?” Selby crossed her arms and took a small breath. “I was right. It was a test.”

“Well, I wouldn’t put it exactly like that. I wanted buy-in from the team.” Garrett pulled into a small parking lot. A narrow path led to the beach, which beckoned a couple of hundred feet away. He switched off the ignition and turned to Selby. “I can see from your résumé that you’re good. Lars thinks you walk on water. But I need everyone to feel they had a say. Evan…he wasn’t just a C-level pencil pusher.”

“I’m really sorry for your loss,” Selby offered. Her palm touched his shoulder, causing him instant arousal.

“Thank you. Evan was close to a lot of people here, not just me. As far as today, no matter what qualifications you have on paper, I’m afraid it doesn’t hold much water with the others. The people, my team, they all get what goes on at Emerson.”

“I told you I studied…”

“And I told you last night that you need to understand our brand. I expect my execs to live Emerson. How else can they manage it if they don’t get our product?”

“Not all executives who run hospitals are doctors or nurses. But they still run healthcare companies,” she countered.

“Yeah, and that’s workin’ out real well.” He rolled his eyes, leaned over and unclicked her seatbelt. “Last night…”

“I’m sorry I went in Evan’s office.”

“I’m not talking about that.” Garrett jumped out of the Jeep and rounded to open her door. He reached for her hand and the heat sizzled his palm. Despite his promises to himself, he’d touched her already and didn’t want to let go. “What I said about learning your limits, to feel the rush of adrenaline; some of us are like junkies, trying to get our next fix. Others are simply weekend warriors, reminding themselves that mortality comes for all of us. They’re fighting back against the inevitable. And you need to learn.”

“I can’t date you,” Selby blurted out, and pulled her hand away. She looked away to the dunes, avoiding eye contact.

“Why do you sing in that club?” He ignored her statement and changed the subject, forcing her to recall what she’d done to him.

“It relaxes me. I enjoy it. Besides, I don’t get out a lot with my schedule. I like the people there.”

“Why don’t you get out? Lars pays you well, right?” He opened the trunk and retrieved a large backpack.

“I really shouldn’t be telling you this…it doesn’t matter.”

“Everything about you matters, Selby. Why the gig at the club? No offense, but it seems so different than how you are in the office.”

“It’s just that I get anxious sometimes.” She traced a small path in the sand with the toe of her sandals. “You might as well know. It’s not like I can have any secrets, with you as my client. I’m surprised you didn’t see it in the clearance paperwork.”

“I haven’t read it yet,” he lied.

“I…I’m afraid of heights, small spaces. But mostly,” she hesitated and her eyes met his, “look, no one’s ever asked. It’s never an issue because I try very hard not to put myself in situations that will exacerbate the problem.”

“What problem?”

“Panic attacks,” she confessed. “You don’t need to worry about this, though. I swear to you it’s under control. No medication either. I know it works for lots of people but in my job…I just can’t risk interactions. I meditate. Get acupuncture.”

“And sing? Hmm.” He raised an eyebrow at her and smiled. “In a corset?”

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with it. But I don’t dance. That night…” She paused. Garrett gave a small laugh as her cheeks grew red. “Ugh…Lars. He knows I sing but he didn’t tell me he was coming. I certainly didn’t know it was you when I…well, you know what I did. I was just feeling a little flirty…pushing myself to go a little further with my act. It’s therapeutic.”

“So you don’t actually strip when you’re there?”

“No way. I mean, not that there is anything wrong with it. It’s burlesque. Everyone is the same with their clothes off. It’s a great equalizer.”