Deadly Dosage by Cheryl Richards Page B

didn’t already have plans we could grab a quick lunch before I visit my
dad.”
         Shantel’s lunchtime. “Sure. I’ll see you then.”
         “Okay, bye.”
         “Bye.”
         I walked over to Shantel’s desk and waited for
her to finish her phone call. She caught a glimpse of me out of the corner of
her eye and jumped in her chair, knocking her coffee cup over, the contents
spilling into her calculator.
         “What’cha doing sneaking up on me? I hate that.”
She placed her coffee cup right side up and began wiping down her calculator
with some tissues. “Sheesh, what a mess.” She turned the calculator on its side
and coffee drained out. “Do you think it’ll still work?”
         “Sorry ‘bout that. Yeah, it should work. I’ve
done that a few times. It just needs to dry out. Better hide it from The Hawk
though.”
         She unplugged it and placed it under her desk.
“Hope nobody needs to use it.”
         “Shantel?”
         “Mmm…yes, Miss Sunny?”
    “Would you mind switching
lunch hours with me today?”
         “This better be good, ‘cause I’m starving half to
death.”
         “It is. Lloyd Harper asked me to lunch.”
         “Damn girl. Wish I was you.” She fluffed my hair.
“No wonder you got yourself all dolled up today. I was thinking you had a job
interview.”
         “So it’s okay?”
         “Girl, would I stand in the way of true love?”
         “We barely know each other.”
         “That’s today.”
         “You’re a romantic. Guess what?”
         “He has a hot brother interested in me?”
         “Sorry to disappoint. No. My sister Spring is
getting married!”
         “Not Spring? Well, I’ll be damned. I thought she
was married to her career. It’s going to be a ‘spring’ wedding?” She chuckled
loudly.
         “Cute.” I looked at my watch. “Okay, let me know
when he comes.”
         “Maybe I’ll steal him from you?”
         “You probably could. You’re a real charmer.” She
gave me that smile of hers and I wondered if she could steal him away, not that
he was mine to take.

 
     
     
     
     
    Chapter
19
     
     
    Not long after I returned to my desk, Shantel called
saying Lloyd was at the front desk. I grabbed my handbag from my desk drawer,
took out my mirror, and made sure I didn’t have anything in my teeth. Earlier
in the day, I was munching on a lemon poppy-seed muffin and I usually end up
with at least two poppy-seeds stuck between my teeth. I used a piece of paper
from my desk to remove one seed lodged between my front teeth. I reapplied my
lipstick and returned same to my handbag. I stood and took my coat off the hook
on the back of my office door, and went out the front door to greet Lloyd.
         “All ready,” I said as the door closed behind me.
I glanced at Shantel and she winked. I felt like a silly schoolgirl going on
her first date, which was totally absurd.
         “Okay.” He held the door open for me and once again,
the passenger door of his car.
         “Thanks.” I pulled my legs in and he closed the
door and came around to his side. It still smelled nice inside, and I wondered
if the scent was on him or just the car. When he got in, I adjusted the
position of my handbag in an attempt to sniff him. I sniffed unintentionally
loud.
         “Getting a cold?” he asked. He reached behind his
seat and offered me a box of tissues.
         I politely took a tissue and pretended to wipe my
nose. “I hope not,” I said. “Probably just the cold temperature.” The tissue
had no scent. It must be him that smelled so sexy. I started imagining
unbuttoning his shirt, smelling his muscular chest, letting my hand reach down
into his…
         “Is something wrong?” he said, waking me from my
fantasy. “You looked all glassy-eyed for a moment.”
         Caught. “Um just my contacts. They’re okay now.”
I