Lawful Escort
Page 5
His pasty face was accentuated by an often slightly red nose, which could have been either caused by too much exposure to the sun or too much imbibing of alcohol. She suspected the latter. Hannigan wasn’t handsome, but he wasn’t particularly ugly either, even though this personality made him ugly from the inside.
If she had to describe him to anybody, she would have said he was average: just an average asshole.
“Sabrina, I’ll let you in on a little secret. You want to move up here, you just stick with me.”
Sabrina shuddered inwardly. Moving up wasn’t what he had in mind, she was certain. Moving down was much more likely, down his body. She’d heard enough from the secretaries who’d been harassed by him. The mere recollection of what she’d heard made the hair on her neck stand up in high alert. The man was a pig.
“I can revise the brief first thing tomorrow. It’ll be on your desk before you get in.”
“How about you’ll be on my desk first thing in the morning?”
Sabrina sucked in a quick breath. Yes, she’d heard all right. Hannigan was getting more brazen. She had to get away, now.
“I’d better finish off for today,” she said cautiously and powered down her computer.
Hannigan didn’t make a move, but remained standing behind her chair, preventing her from pushing it back.
Turning her head slightly in his direction, she made another attempt. “Excuse me, please.”
He moved back only a foot, enough for her to get out of her chair, but it brought her far too close to his body. She sucked in air and tried to squeeze past him. He had a sick grin pasted on his face. Did he really think he looked seductive like that? The homeless guy at the bus station had a better chance at getting into her pants than Hannigan.
“Why in such a hurry?”
“Doctor’s appointment. Excuse me.”
After giving her boobs another palpable glance, he moved aside and let her pass. Sabrina felt nauseous from the mix of his overwhelming cologne and his body odor. Without turning, she snatched her handbag off the desk and headed for the door.
“See you tomorrow, Sabrina.”
His voice, too close behind her, made her speed up. She had to get out of there.
Even though it was barely four in the afternoon, and normally she worked at least past six o’clock, she couldn’t stand it any longer. The doctor’s appointment had been an excuse to escape Hannigan. Another minute in his presence and she would have puked or passed out.
How she was supposed to stick it out in this job for at least a full year, with him heavily breathing down her neck, or rather her blouse, she had no idea.
“Gone for the day?” Caroline, the receptionist asked as Sabrina passed through the foyer.
Sabrina answered with a look that said more than she could have imparted in a ten minute conversation.
“Hannigan again?”
She nodded and leaned over the counter to whisper to Caroline. “I don’t know how much longer I can take this.”
“You know what happened to Amy. If you complain, they’ll just find a reason to get rid of you.” The receptionist gave her a pitiful look. It was true. Apparently the partners valued Hannigan’s achievements enough to overlook his indiscretions.
Old boys club, that’s all it was. Like swimming against the current. The question was, how long was she going to struggle, or was she going to get out of the river?
“Doesn’t leave me many options, does it? See you tomorrow.”
Despite the fact that it was a warm summer day, Sabrina found the air refreshing when she stepped out of the building. She hadn’t been able to breathe in her office at all, not with Hannigan around.
The funny thing was that the secretaries had been happy that the firm had finally hired a female junior associate. Now she knew why: Hannigan wasn’t bothering the secretaries much anymore. Sabrina had become their lightning rod. As much as she felt for the secretaries, she had to look after herself and make a decision about what to do. Could she risk filing a formal complaint? How would this impact her career?
Remembering that the fridge at home was nearly empty, Sabrina decided to use the extra time to go grocery shopping on her way home. The supermarket was incredibly busy, and only one of the checkouts was staffed. Apparently some computer glitch had shut down all remaining checkouts.
While she made sure she could keep her place in line, she went back to the freezer aisle and picked up a pint of ice cream. She hoped Holly, her roommate and childhood friend, was home. Then they could devour Ben and Jerry's together while bitching about men in general and Hannigan in particular.
If she had to describe him to anybody, she would have said he was average: just an average asshole.
“Sabrina, I’ll let you in on a little secret. You want to move up here, you just stick with me.”
Sabrina shuddered inwardly. Moving up wasn’t what he had in mind, she was certain. Moving down was much more likely, down his body. She’d heard enough from the secretaries who’d been harassed by him. The mere recollection of what she’d heard made the hair on her neck stand up in high alert. The man was a pig.
“I can revise the brief first thing tomorrow. It’ll be on your desk before you get in.”
“How about you’ll be on my desk first thing in the morning?”
Sabrina sucked in a quick breath. Yes, she’d heard all right. Hannigan was getting more brazen. She had to get away, now.
“I’d better finish off for today,” she said cautiously and powered down her computer.
Hannigan didn’t make a move, but remained standing behind her chair, preventing her from pushing it back.
Turning her head slightly in his direction, she made another attempt. “Excuse me, please.”
He moved back only a foot, enough for her to get out of her chair, but it brought her far too close to his body. She sucked in air and tried to squeeze past him. He had a sick grin pasted on his face. Did he really think he looked seductive like that? The homeless guy at the bus station had a better chance at getting into her pants than Hannigan.
“Why in such a hurry?”
“Doctor’s appointment. Excuse me.”
After giving her boobs another palpable glance, he moved aside and let her pass. Sabrina felt nauseous from the mix of his overwhelming cologne and his body odor. Without turning, she snatched her handbag off the desk and headed for the door.
“See you tomorrow, Sabrina.”
His voice, too close behind her, made her speed up. She had to get out of there.
Even though it was barely four in the afternoon, and normally she worked at least past six o’clock, she couldn’t stand it any longer. The doctor’s appointment had been an excuse to escape Hannigan. Another minute in his presence and she would have puked or passed out.
How she was supposed to stick it out in this job for at least a full year, with him heavily breathing down her neck, or rather her blouse, she had no idea.
“Gone for the day?” Caroline, the receptionist asked as Sabrina passed through the foyer.
Sabrina answered with a look that said more than she could have imparted in a ten minute conversation.
“Hannigan again?”
She nodded and leaned over the counter to whisper to Caroline. “I don’t know how much longer I can take this.”
“You know what happened to Amy. If you complain, they’ll just find a reason to get rid of you.” The receptionist gave her a pitiful look. It was true. Apparently the partners valued Hannigan’s achievements enough to overlook his indiscretions.
Old boys club, that’s all it was. Like swimming against the current. The question was, how long was she going to struggle, or was she going to get out of the river?
“Doesn’t leave me many options, does it? See you tomorrow.”
Despite the fact that it was a warm summer day, Sabrina found the air refreshing when she stepped out of the building. She hadn’t been able to breathe in her office at all, not with Hannigan around.
The funny thing was that the secretaries had been happy that the firm had finally hired a female junior associate. Now she knew why: Hannigan wasn’t bothering the secretaries much anymore. Sabrina had become their lightning rod. As much as she felt for the secretaries, she had to look after herself and make a decision about what to do. Could she risk filing a formal complaint? How would this impact her career?
Remembering that the fridge at home was nearly empty, Sabrina decided to use the extra time to go grocery shopping on her way home. The supermarket was incredibly busy, and only one of the checkouts was staffed. Apparently some computer glitch had shut down all remaining checkouts.
While she made sure she could keep her place in line, she went back to the freezer aisle and picked up a pint of ice cream. She hoped Holly, her roommate and childhood friend, was home. Then they could devour Ben and Jerry's together while bitching about men in general and Hannigan in particular.
