Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 83070 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83070 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of,” I groan, my body tightening.
I grab my water and head back to the gym.
Chapter Eight
Carys
“Hey, Carys,” Amanda says brightly. “Did you get everything figured out?”
I exit the elevator and step onto the executive level for the second time today.
Amanda was surprised to see me this morning, especially considering Tate is still in Portland and Gannon left his office just moments before I arrived. He left no instructions for me, and I was afraid to text him. So Amanda called Keisha in human resources, and off I went.
“Kinda,” I say, my arms wrapped around a potted snake plant. “Gannon hadn’t mentioned me to Keisha either, but she managed to get ahold of Tate before his plane took off to come home.”
“Oh, good.”
“Yeah. I’ve spent the day on a scavenger hunt around the office, cataloging every plant I can find.”
“How’d you do?”
I set the pot on the floor and sigh. “Not too bad. I’m about ninety-percent sure I found them all.”
“Did you find the ones in the conference room downstairs? Those are practically dead.”
“Yeah, I found them. Some guy with short light brown hair and an olive-y colored suit pointed me in that direction. Everyone I met today was super helpful, actually.”
“I’m glad. Everyone here is pretty nice.” She glances over her shoulder. “Really, Gannon is the prickliest out of the whole staff.”
“Must come with being the boss.”
She laughs. “It must.”
My stomach tightens at the thought of Gannon and his prickliness, and I look away from her.
I spent the entire weekend trying not to think about him. It turned out to be one of the hardest tasks I’ve had in a while. There’s no topic that doesn’t somehow lead back to the stunning businessman with the sexy smirk.
If I think about my business, my thoughts go to working at Brewer Group. If I think about food, my mind races back to the breakfast we shared. If I think of hanging out with friends, my brain reminds me that Tate is Gannon’s brother, and then I’m imagining Gannon’s hidden grins and the feel of his palm on the small of my back.
More than once, I’ve let my mind wander through a dangerous little game of what-if. What if he wasn’t Tate’s brother? What if I wasn’t on their payroll? What if he wasn’t a grumpy asshole and willing to lean into the attraction that I’m pretty certain he feels for me?
Because I see the wicked sparkle in his eyes. I notice how he unintentionally blurs the line between professional and personal—and then pulls himself back again just before he crosses the line. I hear the mischief riding just beneath the surface of his innuendos.
I’d ride that man like a horse.
“Mr. Brewer is back in his office,” she says, bringing me out of my reverie. “Want me to see if he’s available?”
I clear my throat. “Yes, please. Keisha asked me to check in with him before I leave, and I’ve finished up for the day.”
She nods, lifts the phone receiver, and presses a couple of buttons. “Mr. Brewer? Carys Johnson is here to see you.” She pauses, hiding a smile. “Sure. Thank you.”
My heart pounds.
“Go on back,” Amanda says.
“Thanks.” I pick up the pot again. “Wish me luck.”
She laughs in response.
I make my way down the hallway, catching my reflection in the glass. My overalls and sneakers are no match for the woman coming the other way in a smart suit and perfect makeup. I could’ve at least pulled my hair back again before I came up here.
My heart beats harder as I reach Gannon’s office. The door is cracked, leaving a sliver of visibility leading straight to his desk.
I stutter a breath. Damn.
He’s sitting with one hand in his hair and the other holding a pen. His sleeves are rolled part way up his muscled forearms. Without his jacket, his shoulders are even broader. Thicker. Sexier.
“It’s rude to stare, Miss Johnson,” he says without looking up.
Shit. I take a deep breath and push the door wider. “I was trying to decide whether to knock or just say hello.”
His hand slips off his head, and he sits upright, his eyes finding mine.
A shiver coils slowly up my spine, spreading through my limbs as I absorb the heat and intensity of his stare.
“I came by this morning at nine o’clock on the dot,” I say, entering his office like I do it all the time. “Amanda said you had just left.”
He doesn’t respond. Instead, his gaze drags down my chest, over the plant in my arms, and down the length of my overalls. A small smirk toys at the corner of his lips before he lifts his eyes to mine again.
Get it together, Carys. Ignore the pheromones and save the philodendron.
I shift from one foot to the other. “I know this isn’t exactly a Fortune 500 outfit, but I’m literally digging around in dirt all day. I hope that’s okay.”