Just the Sexiest Man Alive
Page 19
Apparently, she did.
“Let’s get something straight, Mr. Andrews,” she said steadily. “This is business. Nothing else.”
Before Jason could get in one word edgewise on the matter, Taylor backed away and turned to leave. “And I’ll expect you to be at my office first thing tomorrow morning. Do try not to be late.”
Then she flipped her hair over her shoulders and, in what was admittedly not a half-bad impersonation, threw the very words Jason had said earlier right back at him.
“Surely you understand, Mr. Andrews . . .” she drawled mockingly, “I am a very busy woman.”
And with that, she turned on her heels and strode out of the bar.
Jason stood there, staring after her once again. How the hell the woman kept getting the last word in, he just didn’t know.
As he watched Taylor pass by the windows outside, Jeremy pulled up next to him. For a moment, even he seemed uncertain what to say.
“Well,” Jeremy finally managed, “she seems very nice.” He appeared to have enjoyed Jason and Taylor’s little exchange. “Very spirited.”
“You’re right about that.” Jason shot Jeremy a devilish look. “Now I just need to channel that spirit into a more . . . enjoyable outlet.”
Jeremy shook his head doubtfully. “I don’t know. I think you’ve met your match.”
Jason scoffed at the very idea. “There’s no such thing.”
“Well, from what I’ve seen and heard so far, the lawyer is up by two.”
Jason considered this. He may not have liked losing, but he loved the thrill of the game.
“We’ll see how long that lasts . . .” he mused out loud. Then he followed Jeremy back to the pool table and confirmed that the next shot was his. He studied the pool table, suddenly feeling lighter, more alive than he had in a long time. In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time something had piqued his interest as much as this lawyer had.
Jason leaned over the pool table and aimed. He shot and expertly fired the cue ball off the corner of his own striped nine ball, which spun and rolled neatly into the left side pocket. He straightened up and smiled confidently at Jeremy.
Game on.
THE NEXT MORNING, Taylor could feel the buzz the minute she stepped off the elevator. Perhaps it was the fact that everyone stopped and stared as she walked through the corridor on the way to her office. Or perhaps it was the gaggle of secretaries who huddled around Linda’s desk, passing a mirror between them as they reapplied lipstick and fluffed their hair. It could mean only one thing.
Jason Andrews was in her office.
Taylor headed over to Linda’s desk. When she got there, her secretary pointed to her office, then raised a finger to her lips to indicate they should be quiet.
“He’s here!” she said in an excited whisper.
“I guessed that, yes.”
Linda looked ready to burst into a million happy pieces as she babbled on. “I showed him straight to your office—I can’t remember anything I said after ‘hello’—oh my god, he’s even hotter in person—and then I shut the door because people were staring.” Then she quickly added for Taylor’s benefit, “Not that I would do anything like that.”
Taylor nodded. She realized then that she hadn’t thought he would actually show up. If anything, she had expected an angry phone call from Sam that morning, asking her what the hell kind of apology involved imitating Jason Andrews to his face.
She turned toward the closed door of her office. Time to face the enemy. She glanced back at Linda, trying to buy another minute or two. “Uh, Linda, could you reserve us one of the mock trial rooms? Maybe—”
“It’s already taken care of. You’re in conference room A.”
“Oh. Good. Lovely.”
Taylor still found herself stalling. By now the entire office was watching.
Linda gestured to the door. “Well, go on. He’s all yours,” she said with a wink. The other secretaries giggled.
Not wanting to draw any further attention to the situation, Taylor grabbed the handle to her door and strode resolutely into her office.
“Mr. And—”
Her words trailed off because Jason, who had been standing in front of her office window checking out the view, turned around when she entered. Like a shot from a movie, the morning sun shone brilliantly around him like a god—his dark hair glinted warmly in the light, and his eyes gleamed bluer than the south Pacific Ocean.
Taylor’s mind went blank. And suddenly, she couldn’t remember why the hell she ever had been angry with Jason Andrews.
But then he spoke.
“Sleeping in this morning, Ms. Donovan?” he drawled.
Moment over.
“How lovely to see you again, Mr. Andrews,” Taylor replied sarcastically. At least he wore a suit this time, she noted. No comment on how he looked in it.
From behind his back, Jason pulled out a medium-sized box with a blue ribbon wrapped around it.
“I brought you a peace offering.”
He held the box out to her.
Taylor looked over, caught off guard by this. After hesitating for a moment, she took the box from him and sat down at her desk. Jason took a seat in one of the chairs across from her.
“I guessed you’re not the flowers type,” he said. Taylor glanced sharply at him, wondering how he knew that from their short interactions.
“This seemed more appropriate for you. I thought you could wear it the next time you’re in court.”
“Let’s get something straight, Mr. Andrews,” she said steadily. “This is business. Nothing else.”
Before Jason could get in one word edgewise on the matter, Taylor backed away and turned to leave. “And I’ll expect you to be at my office first thing tomorrow morning. Do try not to be late.”
Then she flipped her hair over her shoulders and, in what was admittedly not a half-bad impersonation, threw the very words Jason had said earlier right back at him.
“Surely you understand, Mr. Andrews . . .” she drawled mockingly, “I am a very busy woman.”
And with that, she turned on her heels and strode out of the bar.
Jason stood there, staring after her once again. How the hell the woman kept getting the last word in, he just didn’t know.
As he watched Taylor pass by the windows outside, Jeremy pulled up next to him. For a moment, even he seemed uncertain what to say.
“Well,” Jeremy finally managed, “she seems very nice.” He appeared to have enjoyed Jason and Taylor’s little exchange. “Very spirited.”
“You’re right about that.” Jason shot Jeremy a devilish look. “Now I just need to channel that spirit into a more . . . enjoyable outlet.”
Jeremy shook his head doubtfully. “I don’t know. I think you’ve met your match.”
Jason scoffed at the very idea. “There’s no such thing.”
“Well, from what I’ve seen and heard so far, the lawyer is up by two.”
Jason considered this. He may not have liked losing, but he loved the thrill of the game.
“We’ll see how long that lasts . . .” he mused out loud. Then he followed Jeremy back to the pool table and confirmed that the next shot was his. He studied the pool table, suddenly feeling lighter, more alive than he had in a long time. In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time something had piqued his interest as much as this lawyer had.
Jason leaned over the pool table and aimed. He shot and expertly fired the cue ball off the corner of his own striped nine ball, which spun and rolled neatly into the left side pocket. He straightened up and smiled confidently at Jeremy.
Game on.
THE NEXT MORNING, Taylor could feel the buzz the minute she stepped off the elevator. Perhaps it was the fact that everyone stopped and stared as she walked through the corridor on the way to her office. Or perhaps it was the gaggle of secretaries who huddled around Linda’s desk, passing a mirror between them as they reapplied lipstick and fluffed their hair. It could mean only one thing.
Jason Andrews was in her office.
Taylor headed over to Linda’s desk. When she got there, her secretary pointed to her office, then raised a finger to her lips to indicate they should be quiet.
“He’s here!” she said in an excited whisper.
“I guessed that, yes.”
Linda looked ready to burst into a million happy pieces as she babbled on. “I showed him straight to your office—I can’t remember anything I said after ‘hello’—oh my god, he’s even hotter in person—and then I shut the door because people were staring.” Then she quickly added for Taylor’s benefit, “Not that I would do anything like that.”
Taylor nodded. She realized then that she hadn’t thought he would actually show up. If anything, she had expected an angry phone call from Sam that morning, asking her what the hell kind of apology involved imitating Jason Andrews to his face.
She turned toward the closed door of her office. Time to face the enemy. She glanced back at Linda, trying to buy another minute or two. “Uh, Linda, could you reserve us one of the mock trial rooms? Maybe—”
“It’s already taken care of. You’re in conference room A.”
“Oh. Good. Lovely.”
Taylor still found herself stalling. By now the entire office was watching.
Linda gestured to the door. “Well, go on. He’s all yours,” she said with a wink. The other secretaries giggled.
Not wanting to draw any further attention to the situation, Taylor grabbed the handle to her door and strode resolutely into her office.
“Mr. And—”
Her words trailed off because Jason, who had been standing in front of her office window checking out the view, turned around when she entered. Like a shot from a movie, the morning sun shone brilliantly around him like a god—his dark hair glinted warmly in the light, and his eyes gleamed bluer than the south Pacific Ocean.
Taylor’s mind went blank. And suddenly, she couldn’t remember why the hell she ever had been angry with Jason Andrews.
But then he spoke.
“Sleeping in this morning, Ms. Donovan?” he drawled.
Moment over.
“How lovely to see you again, Mr. Andrews,” Taylor replied sarcastically. At least he wore a suit this time, she noted. No comment on how he looked in it.
From behind his back, Jason pulled out a medium-sized box with a blue ribbon wrapped around it.
“I brought you a peace offering.”
He held the box out to her.
Taylor looked over, caught off guard by this. After hesitating for a moment, she took the box from him and sat down at her desk. Jason took a seat in one of the chairs across from her.
“I guessed you’re not the flowers type,” he said. Taylor glanced sharply at him, wondering how he knew that from their short interactions.
“This seemed more appropriate for you. I thought you could wear it the next time you’re in court.”
