could tag along on the tour,” a deep voice said from directly behind her.
Heat spread down the length of Kendall’s body at the sound of that rumbling tone. She spun around so fast she bumped against the receptionist desk. Ty Bishop stood silhouetted in the bright light spilling in from the large windows that encircled the lobby.
Wearing dark blue jeans, hiking boots, a burgundy button-down shirt, and a gray fleece vest zipped half way up, he looked like the poster boy for clean mountain living. He smiled and Kendall’s knees turned to rubber. It had been a much more enjoyable sensation when she’d been drinking.
She thought about her own outfit. She wore a snug fitting crew neck sweater, tennis shoes, and blue jeans. She’d changed several times, wanting to find the jeans that showed off her figure to the best advantage without being too obvious. Obvious like the blush she could feel creeping up her cheeks as he watched her, a smile curving one side of his mouth.
“I’m sorry,” Mary said quickly. “I didn’t have a chance to tell you. Your appointment is already here.”
Kendall struggled to keep the whirling emotions out of her voice. “That’s fine. Dr. Bishop can come with us.”
She introduced herself to the students, chaperones, and teachers and briefly explained how the station operated and what they’d see. Kendall had enjoyed leading the tours when she’d been new to her job and she didn’t mind filling in, especially when it gave her time to curb her reaction to Ty.
As she led the group toward the newsroom on the main floor, Ty followed close on her heels. “What was so fantastic about your weekend?” he asked, his voice pitched so only she could hear.
“Nothing special. It’s my standard Monday morning response.”
“I had a great weekend, too,” he said. “Want to know why?”
“Nope.”
“There’s this woman,” he continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “She smells like vanilla but tastes like chocolate. I think I may be addicted.”
She stumbled, her shin banging against the edge of the raised platform in the news studio. “Damn.”
“Ok there?” Ty took her elbow.
She shrugged off his touch and straightened. As the students filled into the rows of seats in the studio, she turned to face him. “I was eating ice cream when you came over. That’s where the chocolate taste came from.”
“What flavor?”
“Rocky Road. That doesn’t matter.”
He raised an eyebrow and flashed her a grin that turned her insides liquid. “I don’t know. I would have pegged you for more of a strawberry girl. Rocky Road adds something to the equation.”
“Stop distracting me. And don’t talk about how I taste. I’m working here.” She waved him away. “Go sit down.”
He gave her a small salute. “Yes, ma’am.”
She explained to the kids how the news broadcast was formatted then gave them a demonstration of the teleprompters and meteorology equipment, which was always the most popular part of the tour. She guided the tour upstairs for a walkthrough of the station offices before ending back in the lobby. After those first minutes, Ty hung back with the parent chaperones, which allowed her to gain a modicum of self-control.
The tour ended in the lobby, where she answered questions from the students. After a few random queries about their favorite TV shows and a reminder from the teacher to keep the questions focused on the tour, a small boy in front raised his hand. “Did you know there are over 200 dinosaur species that haven’t even been discovered yet?”
“That’s interesting,” Kendall answered.
“Have you ever been on an airplane?” he continued, ignoring the teacher who was shaking her head.
“It’s ok,” Kendall told the woman then smiled at the boy. “I have. Have you?”
“Nope.” He frowned. “They took away Mom’s car last month so now we take the bus. But when I grow up I want to be a paleontologist and fly all over the world. I’m going to
Heat spread down the length of Kendall’s body at the sound of that rumbling tone. She spun around so fast she bumped against the receptionist desk. Ty Bishop stood silhouetted in the bright light spilling in from the large windows that encircled the lobby.
Wearing dark blue jeans, hiking boots, a burgundy button-down shirt, and a gray fleece vest zipped half way up, he looked like the poster boy for clean mountain living. He smiled and Kendall’s knees turned to rubber. It had been a much more enjoyable sensation when she’d been drinking.
She thought about her own outfit. She wore a snug fitting crew neck sweater, tennis shoes, and blue jeans. She’d changed several times, wanting to find the jeans that showed off her figure to the best advantage without being too obvious. Obvious like the blush she could feel creeping up her cheeks as he watched her, a smile curving one side of his mouth.
“I’m sorry,” Mary said quickly. “I didn’t have a chance to tell you. Your appointment is already here.”
Kendall struggled to keep the whirling emotions out of her voice. “That’s fine. Dr. Bishop can come with us.”
She introduced herself to the students, chaperones, and teachers and briefly explained how the station operated and what they’d see. Kendall had enjoyed leading the tours when she’d been new to her job and she didn’t mind filling in, especially when it gave her time to curb her reaction to Ty.
As she led the group toward the newsroom on the main floor, Ty followed close on her heels. “What was so fantastic about your weekend?” he asked, his voice pitched so only she could hear.
“Nothing special. It’s my standard Monday morning response.”
“I had a great weekend, too,” he said. “Want to know why?”
“Nope.”
“There’s this woman,” he continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “She smells like vanilla but tastes like chocolate. I think I may be addicted.”
She stumbled, her shin banging against the edge of the raised platform in the news studio. “Damn.”
“Ok there?” Ty took her elbow.
She shrugged off his touch and straightened. As the students filled into the rows of seats in the studio, she turned to face him. “I was eating ice cream when you came over. That’s where the chocolate taste came from.”
“What flavor?”
“Rocky Road. That doesn’t matter.”
He raised an eyebrow and flashed her a grin that turned her insides liquid. “I don’t know. I would have pegged you for more of a strawberry girl. Rocky Road adds something to the equation.”
“Stop distracting me. And don’t talk about how I taste. I’m working here.” She waved him away. “Go sit down.”
He gave her a small salute. “Yes, ma’am.”
She explained to the kids how the news broadcast was formatted then gave them a demonstration of the teleprompters and meteorology equipment, which was always the most popular part of the tour. She guided the tour upstairs for a walkthrough of the station offices before ending back in the lobby. After those first minutes, Ty hung back with the parent chaperones, which allowed her to gain a modicum of self-control.
The tour ended in the lobby, where she answered questions from the students. After a few random queries about their favorite TV shows and a reminder from the teacher to keep the questions focused on the tour, a small boy in front raised his hand. “Did you know there are over 200 dinosaur species that haven’t even been discovered yet?”
“That’s interesting,” Kendall answered.
“Have you ever been on an airplane?” he continued, ignoring the teacher who was shaking her head.
“It’s ok,” Kendall told the woman then smiled at the boy. “I have. Have you?”
“Nope.” He frowned. “They took away Mom’s car last month so now we take the bus. But when I grow up I want to be a paleontologist and fly all over the world. I’m going to
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