adorable face tugged at him, and before he completely lost his mind, he slipped his fingers through hers and tugged her back toward the bar, the company Halloween party, and the people who would act as chaperones.
“The reason I was so late was because of your note.”
She looked down at their hands and then back to his face. “Oh.”
“We’re going to make the downtown revitalization work, but there are financial issues I need to address with some of the board.”
She chewed on her lower lip, and now that he knew how she tasted, he wanted more. Kissing her had been a mistake. But one he wanted to repeat. He had to get her back to Tish, back to where he’d be forced to keep his hands to himself.
He released her hand as she stepped back into the bar, and just before they reached Tish, sitting at the bar, he leaned in to her ear, and whispered, “I’m sorry for—crossing the line outside.”
B lake thought that tiny kiss outside was crossing the line? Before she could argue, a girl she didn’t recognize from the office sidled up to them and called to him in a high-pitched voice. “What a great costume! I love Superman!”
Kira stepped back, inadvertently allowing the pixie intruder enough space to sneak into his space.
“Hi, Ginny.”
Tish whispered, “So much for the private party sign and security guard.”
That confirmed the woman was not an employee of Whitman-Madison, but given the late hour and the lapse by the security guy, Kira did nothing more than watch as Ginny batted her fake eyelashes and pressed her chest into Blake’s arm. The girl had assets and knew how to use them, that was for sure. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from muttering about the woman’s familiarity with her boss.
“I can’t even believe you’re here. You have to dance with me. Dance with me? Please? For old time’s sake?” She slipped her hand into his and gave a hearty tug.
He frowned but let her drag him away from the group. Even as she pasted on a bright smile, Kira hoped the disappointment wasn’t clear on her face. For old time’s sake? Like they had a past. No doubt she was an ex-lover. But how ex and how far in the past? Even though she had no right to be jealous, the idea of Blake dancing with an ex stung, and she didn’t like it.
Tish looked at Keith. “Is that Blake’s latest?”
“Blast from his past. I vaguely remember her.”
“Why is Superman not dancing with Lois Lane?” her friend asked in almost too loud a voice.
Kira wondered the exact same thing, but she didn’t voice her agreement. After all, he might have kissed her, but he also admitted he thought it was a mistake. She had no claim to him. He could dance with whomever he pleased, and so could she, now that she thought about it. Keith must have read her mind, because he turned to her and said, “I could use a dance or two. I’m wicked out of practice.”
She laughed. “Wicked, huh? I’ll bet you spent too many summers yachting in Nantucket.”
His eyes widened. “I did!”
“Come on.” She laughed. “Let’s dance.”
Tish rolled her eyes. “Great. You two can bond over New England boarding schools. I’ll save your seat.”
“Join us!”
“I’d rather not.”
She glanced once more at her friend before shrugging and facing Keith. “Okay.”
His voice hummed close to her ear as they made their way to an open space on the dance floor. “Boarding school beauty. I should have known by the way you walk.”
She snorted but refrained from commenting.
“So, beauty and brains. I have to admit you’re the most competent secretary Blake’s ever hired.”
The compliment sounded sincere, and wouldn’t her life be so much easier if Keith gave her the same goose bumps as her boss? After all, the VP wasn’t insisting that he keep business separate from pleasure. “I’m flattered, thank you—” Would it still impress him to know she’d pictured Blake bending the rules with her bent over his desk on a number
“The reason I was so late was because of your note.”
She looked down at their hands and then back to his face. “Oh.”
“We’re going to make the downtown revitalization work, but there are financial issues I need to address with some of the board.”
She chewed on her lower lip, and now that he knew how she tasted, he wanted more. Kissing her had been a mistake. But one he wanted to repeat. He had to get her back to Tish, back to where he’d be forced to keep his hands to himself.
He released her hand as she stepped back into the bar, and just before they reached Tish, sitting at the bar, he leaned in to her ear, and whispered, “I’m sorry for—crossing the line outside.”
B lake thought that tiny kiss outside was crossing the line? Before she could argue, a girl she didn’t recognize from the office sidled up to them and called to him in a high-pitched voice. “What a great costume! I love Superman!”
Kira stepped back, inadvertently allowing the pixie intruder enough space to sneak into his space.
“Hi, Ginny.”
Tish whispered, “So much for the private party sign and security guard.”
That confirmed the woman was not an employee of Whitman-Madison, but given the late hour and the lapse by the security guy, Kira did nothing more than watch as Ginny batted her fake eyelashes and pressed her chest into Blake’s arm. The girl had assets and knew how to use them, that was for sure. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from muttering about the woman’s familiarity with her boss.
“I can’t even believe you’re here. You have to dance with me. Dance with me? Please? For old time’s sake?” She slipped her hand into his and gave a hearty tug.
He frowned but let her drag him away from the group. Even as she pasted on a bright smile, Kira hoped the disappointment wasn’t clear on her face. For old time’s sake? Like they had a past. No doubt she was an ex-lover. But how ex and how far in the past? Even though she had no right to be jealous, the idea of Blake dancing with an ex stung, and she didn’t like it.
Tish looked at Keith. “Is that Blake’s latest?”
“Blast from his past. I vaguely remember her.”
“Why is Superman not dancing with Lois Lane?” her friend asked in almost too loud a voice.
Kira wondered the exact same thing, but she didn’t voice her agreement. After all, he might have kissed her, but he also admitted he thought it was a mistake. She had no claim to him. He could dance with whomever he pleased, and so could she, now that she thought about it. Keith must have read her mind, because he turned to her and said, “I could use a dance or two. I’m wicked out of practice.”
She laughed. “Wicked, huh? I’ll bet you spent too many summers yachting in Nantucket.”
His eyes widened. “I did!”
“Come on.” She laughed. “Let’s dance.”
Tish rolled her eyes. “Great. You two can bond over New England boarding schools. I’ll save your seat.”
“Join us!”
“I’d rather not.”
She glanced once more at her friend before shrugging and facing Keith. “Okay.”
His voice hummed close to her ear as they made their way to an open space on the dance floor. “Boarding school beauty. I should have known by the way you walk.”
She snorted but refrained from commenting.
“So, beauty and brains. I have to admit you’re the most competent secretary Blake’s ever hired.”
The compliment sounded sincere, and wouldn’t her life be so much easier if Keith gave her the same goose bumps as her boss? After all, the VP wasn’t insisting that he keep business separate from pleasure. “I’m flattered, thank you—” Would it still impress him to know she’d pictured Blake bending the rules with her bent over his desk on a number
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