The Love Game

by Regina Hart

  “You, too, Sherry.” Iris accepted the items.

  After two meetings, Iris and Sherry seemed like friends. In contrast, after more than two months, Lauren didn’t know Sherry’s name. But then, Kayla couldn’t remember Lauren’s name, either. That wasn’t like his aunt.

  Tyler set aside his concern for now. “Keep your key card with you at all times. Most doors on this floor—including this entrance—and our research floor downstairs are kept locked.”

  Sherry lifted her key card, which she wore suspended from the lanyard around her neck. “No one wants to be locked out of the office after a bathroom break.”

  “See you later, Sherry.” Tyler started back down the hallway. “You may have noticed most of us prop our office doors open.” He glanced at Iris. Was she still thinking of Donovan? Was she attracted to his friend? “The doors lock automatically when they’re shut. Always lock your computer and close your door when you leave your office.”

  “That’s going to take some getting used to.” Iris’s shoulder-length, sable hair shone beneath the office suite’s fluorescent lights. “Why do I have to lock my computer if the office door automatically locks?”

  “It’s an added precaution.”

  “Is this security meant to prevent corporate espionage?” Iris’s eyes searched his. “I’ve read there’s a lot of spying in the computer gaming industry.”

  “We trust our employees. The security measures give us an added comfort level.” Tyler passed his office and stopped in front of a small conference room, which would serve as Iris’s office for the duration of the project. “Let’s see if your key card works.” His pulse kicked up with the knowledge she would be steps from him for the next four months. Keep it professional, Ty. She’s your consultant. That’s all.

  Iris swiped the card through the lock on the glass door. A green light blinked and she let herself into the conference room.

  The space was bright and spare: six gray cushioned chairs surrounded a rectangular glass-and-sterling-silver table. A gray metal filing cabinet stood in one corner. A small blond wood table was tucked into another. Three glass-framed photographs lined the beige wall behind the table. One was of the current building, which Anderson Adventures had moved into ten years before. The middle picture was a black-and-white image of the first space the business had rented. The third picture, also black-and-white, showed a very small dining room.

  Iris studied the last photograph. “Is this where your father and uncle started Anderson Adventures?”

  “Yes. It’s the dining room of the apartment they shared when they first graduated from college.”

  “Your family’s come a long way.” Iris stepped back and scanned the supplies and equipment arranged at the head of the table.

  “Ted from IT will come up later to connect you to the printer.” Tyler pointed toward her telephone. “Your extension, fax number and other codes are on the paper beside your computer.”

  “Great.” She lowered herself onto her chair. “I’ll get started on the plans for the internal launch.”

  “There’s one other thing.” Tyler hesitated. Something had to be said, though. Right?

  Iris looked up at him. “What is it?”

  His mind shouted that he was making a mistake. Don’t say anything. Leave it alone. Just turn and walk away. But he couldn’t tear from his mind the image of Donovan smiling at her—and of her smiling back.

  His mouth kept moving. “As our contracted vendor, you have to adhere to the same office policies as our employees.”

  “That won’t be a problem.”

  “That means no office romances.” He tried but he couldn’t stop talking.

  “All right.” Iris’s brow creased. Tyler sensed her confusion.

  “That includes Van.”

  She blinked. “Excuse me?”

  “During the meeting, you smiled at him.”

  “And you interpreted my smile as flirtation?”

  When she said it like that, it sounded really stupid. This time, Tyler was able to keep his mouth shut.

  “I realize you don’t know me, but I’m asking you to step out on faith and trust me.” Iris’s eyes cooled. Her voice was even colder.

  “I want to be clear that you’re here for the product launch—and that’s all.” He was making things worse.

  “We’re crystal clear,” Iris’s voice dropped another ten degrees.

  “Good.” Tyler fought the urge to fidget under her glare. “If you need anything, let me know.”

  “How about a little trust?”

  Tyler hesitated. He didn’t want Iris to be angry. For one thing, they needed to work together. But he didn’t want her to flirt with Donovan, either. She wouldn’t be the first woman to fall for the sales executive’s good looks and natural charm. He just didn’t want her to be the next.

  “I’m sure the trust will come.” Tyler turned to leave. Part of him believed he could trust her. Then what was holding him back? The part that worried that, with Iris, he had more at stake than the product launch.

  * * *

  “How’s your first day with your newest client going?” Cathy took a huge bite of her frosted fudge-walnut brownie while her soup and sandwich lay untouched.

  “This morning, Tyler Anderson accused me of using his company as a matchmaking service.” Iris stirred sweetener into her hazelnut coffee.

  “What?” Cathy’s interjection triggered an unfortunate coughing fit.

  While her friend caught her breath, Iris surveyed their surroundings. The little café where they were meeting for lunch was within walking distance of Anderson Adventures’ offices in Columbus’s Short North district. Several of the gaming company’s employees were at nearby tables. They’d greeted her with curious smiles and nods of recognition.

  Iris sipped her coffee. She and Cathy were using their lunch break to review the progress of several joint projects. Normally, they’d meet at one of their home offices. However, since Iris had allowed Tyler to talk her into using an office at Anderson Adventures—how did he convince me to do that?—Cathy had agreed to meet here.

  “Why would he say that?” Her friend had regained enough breath for a follow-up question to Iris’s matchmaking comment.

  “Because I smiled at one of the other vice presidents.” Iris gritted her teeth over the absurdity of Tyler’s accusation and his supposed basis for it.

  Cathy gaped. “Is he nuts?”

  Why did the question make Iris a little defensive for the high-powered computer geek? She shrugged off the feeling with a restless movement of her shoulders. “I think he’s under a great deal of pressure.”

  “I don’t care how stressed out he is.” Cathy scowled. “He shouldn’t have said that to you.”

  Iris didn’t disagree. “I have a feeling a lot is riding on this game launch. And we’ve gotten a late start.”

  “Whose fault is that?”

  Iris smiled at her friend’s unwavering support. Sometimes the little designer was like an overprotective pit bull. “This is also the first time he’s led a product launch.”

  “Stop defending him.” Her friend waved both arms in an impatient gesture. “He was way out of line.”

  Cathy was right. Tyler had crossed the line. Then why am I making excuses for him?

  Iris dropped her gaze to her sandwich. But instead of turkey and provolone on rye, she saw Tyler’s chiseled sienna features, penetrating ebony eyes, leanly muscled frame and tight, tempting glutes. She put a lid on her rising attraction. Being tall, dark and handsome didn’t give him a pass.

  “You’re right.” Iris picked up her sandwich. “There’s no excuse for his accusation. It was insulting and unprofessional. I’m just trying to understand his perspective.”

  “Don’t.” Cathy’s tone was firm. “Instead of
getting in touch with Tyler Anderson’s feelings, you need to work on strategies to protect yourself.”

  “From what?”

  “His warped sense of reality.” Cathy snorted. “Make sure you continue to act in a professional manner. You have to remain above reproach. And document everything.”

  Iris swallowed a bite of her sandwich. Now that her appetite had disappeared, the turkey and provolone tasted like sawdust. “I know all of this, Cathy.”

  “Obviously, you need to be reminded. Remember, he didn’t want you.”

  Iris caught her breath. “No, he didn’t.” The words hurt more than they should. Why? Tyler Anderson was just a client.

  After vanquishing her brownie, Cathy dug into her chicken-noodle soup as though she hadn’t eaten in days. The gray scarf around the neckline of her black blouse hung close to the bowl. “No doubt he’s looking for you to slip up and show some kind of weakness to prove he’d been right in the first place and shouldn’t have hired you.”

  “But he did hire me.”

  “He never should have hesitated in the first place.” Cathy adjusted the length of her scarf with jerky motions, pulling it away from her soup bowl. “But he only came to his senses after Kimball & Associates ignored his request for a bid. That doesn’t mean he has faith in you. He may be digging for evidence that his first instincts were right.”

  Iris shook her head. “Any mistakes could put his product launch and his company in jeopardy. Why would he want that?”

  “You know these corporate types.” Cathy gave her a superior look. “They’re not rational.”

  “They say the same thing about designers.” Iris could understand why. She considered her friend, seated on the other side of the small square table.

  “You need to protect yourself.” Cathy apparently chose to ignore Iris’s comment. “Play it cool. No personal conversations—you’re all about business.”

  “You know that’s not me. I’m naturally outgoing. I can’t be something I’m not.” She wished she could. Something told her she would need to keep her guard up around Tyler. Iris stared morosely at her sandwich.

  “You have to try. You’re too trusting. That’s one of the reasons RGB was able to take advantage of you for so long.”

  “Anderson Adventures isn’t RGB.”

  Cathy lowered her half-eaten sandwich. “What does he look like?”

  “What does who look like?” Iris squirmed under her friend’s narrow-eyed stare.

  “You know who I’m talking about. Tyler Anderson. What does he look like?”

  “You know. Tall. Fit.” Iris shrugged. Her gaze darted around the little café, landing anywhere but on her friend.

  “Handsome?”

  “Very.”

  “That explains why you keep defending him.” Cathy’s sigh seemed exaggerated. “Don’t allow your client’s good looks to make you lose sight of your goal. You’ve got one foot in the door. You need to get the rest of your body through it, too. I’m not just saying this because I’m working on the designs for your project.”

  “I know that.”

  Cathy leaned into the table. Her tone became more urgent. “Once you pull off their product launch, Anderson Adventures will realize you’re the best marketing consultant they’ve ever had. They’ll keep coming back to you.”

  “And hopefully other companies will want to work with me, too.” Iris sent up a prayer.

  “They will.” Cathy’s earnest expression softened with a smile. “Pretty soon, people will be asking, ‘Kimball & Associates, who?’”

  “Tempting.” Iris’s chuckle went a long way toward easing her tension. “But I don’t wish any ill will on Pete Kimball.”

  “That makes one of us,” her friend said dryly. “But, Iris, this plan won’t succeed if you allow yourself to be distracted by a pretty face.”

  Or a set of broad shoulders. “Don’t worry, Cathy. I’m not about to ruin this opportunity. I can stay focused on the job.”

  Her mind was willing. Hopefully, her body wouldn’t be weak.

  * * *

  Tyler stood outside Donovan’s office Monday afternoon. He was still stinging from his last encounter with Iris. His request that she maintain a strictly professional relationship with the vice president of sales couldn’t have gone worse. Maybe he’d misinterpreted that look between them. He didn’t think so. But just in case, he should also have a talk with Donovan. It was only fair. But what was his concern? That their beautiful marketing consultant was attracted to his best friend? The possibility only bothered him because it was unprofessional; not because he had a personal agenda.

  Tyler knocked on Donovan’s open door, shaking off the uneasy feeling that he was making another mistake. “Van, do you have a minute?”

  “Sure.” Donovan spun his chair from his computer and faced him. “What’s up?”

  Tyler’s gaze shifted from his friend to the Excel file on the computer screen behind the sales executive. His shoulders slumped in resignation. “You’ve forgotten to lock your computer. Again.”

  “But I’m sitting right here.”

  “I’ve told you that doesn’t matter. You should develop the habit of locking your computer when you’re not using it. It’s a security precaution.” His IT and product-development staffs were the only ones who appreciated the importance of computer security. Everyone else, including his father, needed constant reminders.

  “Do you think a competitor will teleport into my office and steal my computer while we’re talking?”

  “Get into the habit of locking it so—”

  “So it will be second nature whenever I step away.”

  “You do listen to me.”

  “Do I have a choice?” Donovan tapped a couple of computer keys before turning back to Tyler. “We have this conversation every time you come to my office.”

  “We wouldn’t have it at all if you’d lock your computer.”

  “Did you come all the way down the hall just to nag me? If so, you’ve accomplished your mission.” Donovan waved. His hazel eyes twinkled. “Have a nice day.”

  There’s my opening. Where do I begin?

  Tyler crossed into Donovan’s cluttered office. How could his friend keep anything straight? File folders layered his desk. Industry periodicals grew from his conversation table. Advertising schedules littered his bulletin board. Even from across the room, Tyler could tell several of the advertisements had been completed. Why hadn’t Donovan archived the schedules? The sales executive swore he had a system. What could it possibly be?

  “I didn’t come to lecture you about computer security. That was just a lucky coincidence.” Tyler took a seat in front of Donovan’s desk. His friend had discarded his jacket and rolled the sleeves of his brown jersey to his elbows. “What did you think of the meeting this morning?”

  “It went well.” Donovan folded his hands on his desk. “I’m excited that we’re finally going to have an internal launch. I know you and Xavier have concerns. But trust me, an internal launch will boost our external campaign, especially in this age of social media. What did you think?”

  Proceed with caution. “You and Iris appeared to be on the same page.”

  “That’s not surprising.” A smile eased into Donovan’s eyes. “Sales and marketing philosophies are similar.”

  “It seemed to be more than professional interest.”

  Donovan gave Tyler a considering look. In the silence, Tyler heard the murmur of a song coming from the CD player beside the computer.

  “I hadn’t realized you were so perceptive, Ty.” Donovan’s voice was grave. “You’re right. I felt a strong and instant attraction for Iris the minute she walked into the conference room. She’s a very beautiful woman. She’s smart, friendly, sexy as—”

  “Hold on.” Tyler raise
d one hand and interrupted Donovan’s words. “She’s also our consultant.”

  “I know.”

  “You can’t have a personal relationship with our business consultant.”

  “Why not?”

  Tyler gave the other man an incredulous look. “Your feelings for her could influence your decisions.”

  “I’m not the one working with her. You are.” Donovan chuckled, leaning back on his chair.

  It wasn’t the first time Tyler hadn’t gotten his friend’s sense of humor. In fact, Donovan’s hilarity often escaped him. Today, it was especially annoying because not only was the other man right but the situation wasn’t funny. Not at all. The thought of Donovan with Iris made Tyler’s blood run cold. Women flocked to the sales executive like bees to honey. What was the attraction? His bright hazel eyes, quick smile, natural charm? For Donovan, flirting was as easy as breathing. It had never been that simple for Tyler. How could Tyler compete with the other man?

  Why am I so anxious to try?

  “Aren’t you dating someone?” Tyler’s scowl deepened. How many women did Donovan need at one time?

  “No, I’m not. In fact, I’m going through a dry spell.”

  “That’s unusual.” Almost unbelievable.

  “Actually, it’s not.” Donovan’s eyes twinkled as though he was laughing at Tyler. “I’m not the ladies’ man you seem to think I am.”

  “I know.” Tyler’s words were almost grudging. Donovan wasn’t a shallow, insincere cheat. He was just very popular. “Are you going to ask Iris out?”

  “No, but obviously you should.”

  Tyler’s pulse jumped. “Have you been playing me this entire time?”

  “Of course I have.”

  So Donovan wasn’t interested in Iris? Great. Not that it mattered. “It’s not a good idea to mix business and pleasure.”

  Donovan flashed a grin. “Do your contradictions ever confuse you? Because they confuse me.”

  “Are you trying to be funny?”

  “You design cutting-edge computer games with fake worlds that push the envelope. But your real life is very conservative.”