“Sorry,” he repeated, gently chafing her arms. “You okay?” His perfect mouth slanted up on one side, and his eyes sparkled.
Lucy had always been fascinated by the way hazel eyes seemed to change color from day to day, or even hour to hour. Right now, Aaron’s seemed to be reflecting the dark, steely gray of the stripes in his necktie, with just a hint of ocean blue threading through them. But regardless of what color they looked, his irises always had a way of making her feel she could drown in them if she let herself.
“I-I’m okay,” she stammered, tearing her gaze away.
“Good, good, glad to hear it.” Then Aaron looked at the floor and groaned. “Oh, man, look at all your stuff. It went everywhere. Here...” He crouched and started picking things up. Or trying to. His big hands fumbled with the tiny paper clips and miniature markers scattered all around him.
“Oh, no, you don’t have to do that, I’ll get it.”
Lucy fell to her knees beside him and started raking together her pens and highlighters, snatching up hair elastics and tubes of lip balm, tossing handfuls of stuff into the bag with a carelessness that would’ve normally made her break out in hives. But running into Aaron like that had rattled her. She was too nervous to slow down and arrange everything properly, let alone stop, until she heard him say, “Oh, hey, you’re having a Halloween party?”
She looked up to see him holding up her planner, smiling at the orange sunburst in the middle.
“Oh, um, actually Jessica is. At her new bookstore.”
“Yeah?” Aaron looked intrigued, one eyebrow cocking.
“Yeah, it’s part of this big book release thing…” She hunted around for the postcards Jessica had given her. Finding one, she held it out to him, but he didn’t notice. He was too engrossed in the planner, gazing at the pages in something like awe. Or maybe horror.
“Wow, you’re really organized, aren’t you?”
Lucy bit her lip.
“Like, really, really organized.” His eyes grew as he flipped more pages. He looked up and caught the mortified expression on her face. “Not that I didn’t already know that,” he added quickly, “and not that there’s anything wrong with it, either.” He grinned, closing the planner and passing it back to her. “I guess that’s part of what makes you such a good assistant. I know I couldn’t get through a week without you around to keep me in line.” He winked as he pushed to his feet and extended a hand to her.
With her face on fire, Lucy tucked the notebook into the bag. Hoping he wouldn’t notice the nervous tremor in her arm, she slipped her fingers into his and let him help her up.
“I, uh, I’d better get back to work,” she said halfheartedly. In reality, she’d have stood in that hallway for the rest of her life if it meant he’d keep holding her hand like this. His touch was electrifying, making her blood hum, and she was convinced she’d never felt anything nearly as exciting before. She wondered if he felt it, too. She doubted it, since he didn’t look electrified in any way. He just looked cheerful, and vaguely amused—the way he usually did.
“Ah, yeah,” he said, “that boss of yours—he is a bit of a taskmaster, isn’t he?”
Lucy chuckled nervously.
Maybe it was how discombobulated his touch made her feel, or the silly ideas Jessica had put into her head earlier, but she found her mouth springing open and the words tumbling out before she could stop them. “Would you like to come to Jessica’s party, Aaron?”
“What?” he paused, blinking as he looked down at her.
Oh, no! Had she actually said that?
Why had she said that?
“To, um, Jessica’s party. Would you like to go? G-go to it, that is? Would you like to come?”
Aaron blinked again, a slight furrow appearing between his brows before his smile returned. “Are you asking me out, Lucy?”
To her consternation, she thought she detected a laugh in his voice. Her face blazed anew. “N-no. No, of course not, I would never ask you out!”
Oh, geez.
“I mean, of course I would. If I could. If I thought you would say yes. It’s not that you aren’t super-attractive or anything, it’s just…”
Oh, my WORD.
She sighed, briefly closing her eyes to get ahold of herself. When she opened them again, she forced herself to look at him evenly. “I just meant it probably wouldn’t be appropriate,” she said primly. “Since you’re my boss and everything. You know.”
She was only being honest here. Jessica could maybe afford to be flippant about the subject, but it was a genuine concern for Lucy. It seemed like every other week there was another required training course for Acray-Sys employees about avoiding workplace harassment. Lucy needed this job. She couldn’t afford to get caught up in any sexual misconduct scandals. Especially since she was highly unlikely to even get any sex out of it first.
Aaron’s confusion faded into understanding. “Oh, yeah,” he said. “About that. I can trust you to keep a secret, can’t I, Lucy?”
Lucy’s ears perked up. A secret? What secret?
He still hadn’t let go of her hand, and now, before she could answer, he tugged her into his outer office and shut the door behind them. He led Lucy to her desk, turned her around to face him, and, raising a finger to his lips, said, “Shh, don’t tell anyone, but I’m not going to be your boss for too much longer.”
It took a second for his words to register, and then Lucy gaped at him. Again, she thought about how much she needed this job. She’d spent over a year only working part-time temp jobs around the city, so that she could help her mom take care of her dad after his stroke. She didn’t regret helping her family in the least, but the break in steady employment had set her behind on her bills. Her parents had saved up a lot of money over the years; they’d have given her some if she’d asked, but she hadn’t wanted to. Their goal had been to retire early and move to Italy, and Lucy hadn’t wanted to stand in their way. Now her dad was a lot better, he and her mom were off living the dream, and she was happy for them. As far as Lucy was concerned, they never needed to know how long it’d taken her to get her head back above water after they’d left the country. Working at Acray-Sys had boosted her income enough that she didn’t have to worry about getting angry phone calls and scary letters from the credit card people anymore. These days, she could afford to treat herself to brand-name breakfast cereals, full-size sandwiches from Dos Lunas, and the occasional splurge at the comic book store. She’d be right back where she started, though, if she got canned.
“Are you…are you firing me?” she squeaked at Aaron, wracking her brain for any mistakes she might’ve made around the office lately. She came up blank. As with everything else in her life, she was meticulous about her work, painstaking, even…
“What?” Aaron laughed. “No, of course not. I just mean I’m quitting Acray-Sys soon.”
“What?!”
He nodded, looking eager. “I’ve got something else lined up. Starts pretty soon. I can’t wait.”
Lucy was stunned. She’d had no idea Aaron was even looking for another position. And now he said he’d landed one? He was leaving?
Sheesh, what was going to be the point of her even coming to work anymore? Aside from the generous paycheck she so desperately needed—but which still paled in comparison to the reward of seeing Aaron’s gorgeous face smiling at her every day.
Oh no, this is awful! she thought, and sank an inch against her desk. The total depth of her dejection must’ve shown, though, because now Aaron was looking at her funny. “O-oh, that’s great!” she blurted, straightening up again. “Congratulations!”
His smile reappeared, like the sun breaking through clouds. “Thanks.”
“Where are you going?” she wondered.
“A buddy of mine’s opening up a gastro pub nearby. I’m going to tend bar for him.”
Lucy blinked, unsure she’d heard him correctly. “You’re quitting…to go be a bartender?”
But Aaron grinned at her
like he’d just won the lottery. “Yeah, isn’t it great? I tended bar all through college, and I really liked it. I’ve always thought about going back to it. Now, I finally can.”
Lucy gathered her brows and examined him curiously, still not quite understanding what was going on here. She could see he was telling her the truth, though, and how genuinely thrilled he seemed about switching careers. In the end, she decided, that was all that really mattered. If Aaron was happy, then so was she.
She grinned back at him and said, “Well, good luck. I hope it works out for you.”
“Thanks,” he said again. “Listen, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but the higher-ups asked me to keep it under wraps for the time being. I guess they don’t want any rumors starting just yet, about who might be taking over my department when I leave.” He rolled his eyes.
“I understand.” And then she felt her heart twist painfully, thinking of someone else trying to take Aaron’s place here. Someone else sitting behind his desk while she sat in front of it, going over his schedule for the day or taking notes. No matter who it ended up being, it wouldn’t be the same. Not even close. With a pang of dismay, she felt tears sting the corners of her eyes. Ugh, don’t make a spectacle of yourself, Lucinda! she yelled at herself. But then she decided there was no shame in telling Aaron at least one thing. Looking into his eyes, she said softly, “I’ll miss you.”
“Aw,” he tilted his head. “For what it’s worth, I feel the same way, Lucy.”
“Y-you do?”
“Yeah, of course. You’re great. You’re the best.”
Her chest tickled with warmth. “Oh. You’re great, too,” she gushed. “I’ve loved being under you. I mean, working under you.” Ahhhh! “I’ve loved working for you!”
He chuckled and gave her a playful cuff on the shoulder. “See what I’m talking about? You crack me up. I’m going to miss that.”
“How long do you have left here?” she asked, dreading the answer.
“Three weeks.”
Three weeks! A sudden panic gripped Lucy’s heart. If she ever wanted to let Aaron know how she felt about him, time was literally running out now. And if he was really resigning, well then...propriety didn’t matter much anymore, did it? She looked up into his beautiful face, realizing she might not get too many other chances like this. Screwing up her courage, she spouted out, “So, um, about Jessica’s party…”
That faint frown of confusion resettled on his face. “Yeah?” he said.
She glanced at the postcard still in her grip. Even though it was a little creased and sweaty now, she shoved it toward him with a shaking hand. “It starts at ten. I know that’s late, but…”
He took the card and looked it over. Then he looked at her. A smile gradually spread across his mouth. “No, it’s perfect,” he said. “I’d love to come.”
A rush of surprised excitement rippled over Lucy’s skin. “Really?”
“Yeah, I’m taking Ava to the theater that night, but after it lets out, we’ll definitely drop by for a minute and say hello. I’d like to wish Jessica good luck with everything.”
Lucy’s smile froze on her face. She blinked. “Ava?”
“Yeah, you remember her, right? I introduced you when she came in to pick me up for dinner a while ago?”
Lucy did remember. Ava had been one of Aaron’s most recent dates. One of the few blondes she’d ever seen him go out with. “Yeah, I remember. I’m just not used to ever hearing any of your dates’ names more than once, I guess.”
Yikes. Lucy cringed inside. Way to make him sound like a total playboy.
Thankfully, Aaron just laughed this off and said, “No, I guess not, huh? Ava’s a little different, though.” He smiled crookedly, and Lucy’s heart plummeted.
All those girls and he’d finally found one he wanted to see again. Someone “different.” Well, that just figured.
What had she been thinking, asking him to Jessica’s party? Now she wanted to snatch the postcard out of his hand and pretend she’d never mentioned it.
But it was too late. He’d already crammed the card into his pants pocket and was pulling out his ringing cell phone. “Speak of the devil,” he said, checking the screen. “It’s Ava. I’d better go answer this.” He stroked his thumb over Lucy’s wrist—making her pulse run wild one last time—before finally letting her go.
“Hey there,” she heard him say affectionately as he headed toward his office. He grabbed the door latch and turned around, flashing a grin at Lucy as he backed into the room. The next instant, the door swung closed again, and Lucy flinched as she was shut out of Aaron’s inner office—and his future—with a resounding, uncompromising thud.
Chapter Two
The Red Palm was busy for a Monday night. Usually it was just the after-work crowd that gathered here at this hour, but tonight there seemed to be a lot of clubbers around, too, maybe stopping by for a starter drink before heading out on the town. It was just as well, as far as Aaron was concerned. Maybe the noise would help drown out the sound of his cousin’s groveling.
“Come on, Double A, it’s only ten grand. I know you could lose that kind of dough between your couch cushions and not even notice it was missing.”
No such luck, Aaron thought, and barely suppressed an eyeroll. Despite the dull roar of the crowd around them, he could still hear every word of Neil’s pathetic pitch for more money. He could also hear himself clearing his throat and saying, with as much steel as he could muster, “Sorry, Neil, but no way.”
“What?” Neil’s hazel eyes, so like Aaron’s own, grew. “No way? You’d really do your own family—some of your only family—like that?” As Aaron watched in amazement, his cousin’s eyes filmed over with tears, and he clasped his hands in front of his chest. His lips pouted and gave the slightest quiver. It was an impressive performance, Aaron had to admit, but he couldn’t let it get to him. This was the third time this year the guy had asked him for another “loan”—which, of course, he had no intention of ever paying back—and Aaron was determined not to give in again. Sure, he had a fat bank account, but it wasn’t bottomless or anything. And now that he was leaving his lucrative position at Acray-Sys, he’d need to be even more careful about how he spent his cash.
Some things were worth shelling out for, no question, but his wastrel cousin’s inability to budget didn’t make the cut.
Thinking of his imminent job change prompted Aaron to glance at the bartender, who was balanced on a footstool nearby, busily shuffling liquor bottles on a shelf. That’ll be me, soon, Aaron thought with a keen thrill of excitement. Soon I’ll be the one stocking drinks and polishing glasses, and not giving a fig about corporate sales projections and conference calls anymore! The thought made his heart feel lighter, and he smiled as he sipped his beer.
Neil’s brow furrowed into pleats. He dropped his hands, along with the pity-me act. “Get a kick out of punching a guy when he’s down, do you, Cuz? I see how it is.”
“Huh?” Aaron watched, befuddled, as his cousin swiped his Scotch and soda off the bar and angrily slugged the remainder of it down his gullet. Realizing what had just happened, he held up his hand. “Wait, Neil, that’s not why I was smiling, I was just—” But Neil was already off his barstool.
“See you later, Cuz. But just remember, what goes around comes around. Maybe someday I’m in a position to help you out and I say no. We’ll see how funny you think it is then.”
I seriously doubt that will ever happen, Aaron thought, but he didn’t say it. He didn’t say anything as his cousin stomped away, almost barreling over a rain-soaked couple coming in, on his way out the door. Aaron watched lightning whip across the sky just before the door fell shut again, and then he turned back to his beer. Whatever, he thought. It hadn’t been his intention to run off his cousin, but it was just as well he was gone. Maybe now Aaron could finish his drink in peace.
Reaching into his pocket, he took out his phone, along with the crumpled postcard Lucy had given him earli
er, and laid them both on the counter.
Lucy.
Lucy, Lucy.
Aaron couldn’t help but smile anytime he thought of her.
Over the past couple of years, it seemed he’d dated almost every unattached woman around his age in the city, and yet none of them could hold a candle to his assistant’s intelligence and sharp sense of humor. Sure, Lucy was a little awkward sometimes, but that was only because she liked Aaron so much. He really didn’t mind the crush she obviously had on him. He thought it was cute. And so was she, for that matter. He liked her clear brown eyes, fringed by thick lashes, and her pouty lower lip. He liked the demure way she smiled, and the tinkling delicacy of her laugh. Aaron had stayed on a lot longer at Acray-Sys than he should have because of those bashful doe eyes and that dulcet giggle. To say nothing about her tight little body—probably the result of all those exercise classes he’d seen marked out in her planner that afternoon.
For months after he’d met her, he’d hoped something would happen between him and Lucy, but the situation had turned out to be a lot more complicated than he’d expected. Not only was there seemingly no good way to hit on one’s assistant without feeling like a lech—and worrying about potentially losing the best employee he’d ever had—he’d eventually started to second-guess whether he was really the right guy for her, anyway. If her behavior around him was any indication, Lucy was inexperienced with men. As in, completely inexperienced. He wouldn’t have been surprised to learn she’d never had a serious boyfriend before. Or even a casual one. Aaron had never been involved with anyone that innocent before, and the idea made his skin itch with anxiety. If things didn’t work out between them, he’d feel like a cad, like he had ruined Lucy—and then he would feel terrible.
In the end, he’d decided he should probably just leave her alone, let her find somebody who deserved her. It was better for Aaron to stick to the types of women his cousin was always introducing him to, instead. They might’ve all been horrendous mismatches for him so far, but at least they were wise to the ways of the world. If Aaron did eventually connect with one, he wouldn’t have to handle her with kid gloves.
The Sharpest Kiss Page 2