by A. D. Ellis
He walked to the door and pulled it open. His mind filled with a strange and unfamiliar mixture of confusion, frustration, and lust. Katie Smith stood in front of him. Sticking her hand out, she spoke as she shook his hand; he attempted to decipher her words through the roar in his ears as he fought the heated feeling her hand in his brought to his body.
“Good morning, Mr. Morgan. Katherine Turner. Nice to meet you.” She spoke professionally, but the glint of humor flickered across her face.
“Ms. Turner, it’s a pleasure, but I’m sure you can understand my confusion.” Decker attempted to keep it light, but he was feeling extremely aggravated at feeling duped. He didn’t like feelings of confusion or being out of the loop.
“Mr. Morgan, may I speak freely?” At the nod of his head, she continued, “I knew that the position I was applying for was to be your assistant manager. I didn’t reveal to you who I was because I wanted to be hired based on my skills and qualifications, not because I used to date your brother. Also, I feared you would possibly not hire me if you knew who I was; I know how you are with rules, and I figured you’d see this as some form of rule breaking.” She spoke matter-of-factly. “My name is Turner now, I took my mom’s maiden name after she divorced my father. I still go by Katie, but Katherine is more professional sounding for interviews and job applications. Remember when I asked you to keep in mind how perfect I am for the job? I hope you’ll do that, Mr. Morgan.”
Having this beautiful, well-spoken, intriguing girl call him Mr. Morgan was doing weird things in his mind; things that he’d never thought about before were now playing out in an overly active imagination he never knew he had.
“Please, Ms. Turner, call me Decker.” They were going to be colleagues and, he hoped, business partners in this undertaking with The Center+ so he needed her to be comfortable with him.
“Fine, Decker, I’ll call you by your first name if you promise to call me by mine. Katherine is acceptable, but I prefer Kate or Katie. Shall we try this again?” She smiled and stuck out her hand, and he felt his heart all but stop. What had he gotten himself into?
“Good morning, Decker.” The jolt of awareness that traveled up his arm as her skin touched his was unnerving.
He pushed the unwanted feelings away and smirked at her, “Good morning, Kate. I’m glad to have you here. Come on in, we’ve got a lot to get done and then we’ll get the day started. Do you want coffee?” His words came out just as he realized she held a coffee cup in her hand.
Katie smiled, “I’m tough in business, but my weakness is frou-frou coffee drinks. The stronger and sweeter the better.” She tipped her cup at him before taking a drink.
He laughed and poured himself a cup of coffee, and they settled in to get the necessary paperwork done.
Chapter 6
After a week of working with Kate, Decker knew a couple things. One, he had absolutely made the right decision in hiring her. She was a force to be reckoned with when it came to business; together they already made the perfect team, growing and perfecting The Center+.
Two, he had resigned himself to cold showers and gritted teeth. Never in his life had he felt such a strong physical attraction to a woman. He was drawn to her brilliant mind, her sparkling sense of humor, and bright personality; but his body ached with wanting her on a purely physical level as well.
The problem with admitting this little bit of knowledge was two-fold. First, he had a hard and fast rule that didn’t allow for dating in the workplace. He knew dating could get messy and he didn’t have room for messy in his business life. Nothing would be worse than losing a girl he cared about who was also his kick-ass assistant manager. But he was really struggling with that rule after his time with Kate.
Second, Katie and Sawyer had dated in high school and he had another rule about not dating girls who had been involved with his cousins or brother. He was pretty sure that Sawyer and Katie hadn’t gone very far physically, he and his brother had shared a lot of details on this subject and nothing had been mentioned about more than making out with Katie. It wasn’t so much about not wanting “sloppy seconds,” although, if he were honest, that would sort of turn him off if he thought the two had gone that far; it was more loyalty and respect for his brother and cousins.
As much as he hungered for this woman, he couldn’t make a move on her. Could he? No….no. Well, at least not until he knew where Sawyer stood on things with Katie. But, even if Sawyer didn’t have feelings left for her, that wouldn’t change the fact that they worked together. Maybe that was a hurdle he could jump if it ever got to that point. He shook his head at the fact he was already questioning his rules; Kate made him think about things in a totally different way.
But he couldn’t just ask Sawyer, “Hey man, remember when you were heartbroken over Katie Smith in high school? Well, I was wondering if you’d care if I made a move and asked her out.” Yeah, that wasn’t really a conversation he wanted to have.
Maybe he could get the two of them together and gauge his brother’s feelings toward Katie. Picking up his phone, he texted Sawyer.
Decker: Hey, man. If I can get Kate to agree to it, would you like to meet up with us for drinks later? Old times’ sake and all that.
Decker shook his head; when had he become such a pussy? He and Sawyer had always had an open relationship, no secrets between them.
“Fuck this. I’m not going to hide this from him.” Decker jerked his office door open and started towards the new art wing, knowing he’d find his brother there. Before he reached his destination, his phone binged with a new text.
Sawyer: Sure, sounds good. I miss that girl; it would be great to hang out.
“Fuck.” Decker quickly changed his direction and headed back toward his office. He’d wait to see how drinks played out before he approached Sawyer. Even if Sawyer didn’t have an interest in Katie, Decker didn’t know if he could break his rule about no dating in the workplace.
“Hey, Kate, I was just talking to Sawyer. Want to meet up with us after work for some drinks? He’s been wanting to get together and tonight seemed like the perfect time.” Decker poked his head through their adjoining office door. He knew when he helped draw up the plans for the new addition that the adjoining offices for manager and assistant manager was a good idea; they worked together so much that it was perfect to have access to her office without having to walk down the hall.
“That sounds great. I wanted to get a quick workout in before leaving, but I can shower and change here and meet you wherever you’re going.” She smiled brightly at him as he tried to block out the image of her body sweaty from a workout climbing naked into a steam-filled shower. She gave a little foot tapping squeal as she spun around in her desk chair, “Decker! This will be so much fun! I haven’t really been out much since returning to Torey Hope. You guys can be my first. Now, I better get this report finished if I’m going to work out and meet you guys on time. Just text me the time and location.”
She turned back to her work as his brain continued to short circuit over her words. “Be my first” kept floating through his head; he knew the chances of her being a virgin were few and far between, but the thought of it filled him with a carnal lust that he’d never experienced before. He shook his head and retreated into his office, closing the door, before she saw just how much her words had affected his body.
Whether the girl was a virgin or not, he wanted her. Badly. But, with the excitement Sawyer had shown about their get together, he needed to prepare for the fact that his brother wasn’t over her. Decker knew he’d have to step back and let the two of them rekindle their romance if push came to shove. Maybe he should also consider that Katie didn’t feel the same about him as he’d been feeling about her.
“Damn it! This right here is the exact reason why dating and business don’t mix.” He shook his head, disgusted with himself that he’d let his lust for a beautiful woman break into his perfectly regimented business life.
Chapter 7
Katie
tried to calm her nerves and excitement as she parked in front of the bar where she was meeting the Morgan/Jordan boys. Men was the more accurate term. She’d grown up with them as boys, but she’d seen them all around The Center+ and they were most definitely men now. She gathered from Decker’s text a bit ago that the planned get together between the three of them had expanded to include Zach and Kendrick as well. Katie was glad they’d all be there; she hadn’t lied when she told Decker she hadn’t been out much since returning to Torey Hope. She’d had friends when she was growing up, but most of them had moved away for college and had no plans on returning; knowing she’d have the Morgan/Jordan crew to pal around with gave her a warm feeling and made her heart go pitter-patter.
That pitter-patter feeling was one she’d have to temper and fast. She’d been in “puppy love” with Sawyer Morgan back in high school, but soon realized that they could only be the best of friends. Zach Morgan was a cutie and a lot of fun, while Kendrick Jordan was devastatingly handsome with that bad boy vibe, but neither of the three men caused her heartbeat to speed up. No, that position went to one Mr. Decker Morgan. Of course it did, because he was her boss and wasn’t that just lovely. She’d never really dated a lot; she’d preferred hanging out with large groups of people. The guys she hung out with always seemed to think she was unapproachable and regarded her as just “one of the guys.” That was great for always having friends to hang with, but it didn’t do much for her romantic experiences.
Once she got to college, she was so busy juggling classes, studying, and working that she barely had time to date. She’d gone on dates here and there, but never really felt that any of the guys were worth more than a date or two. During her sophomore year, after watching girlfriend after girlfriend go through pregnancy scares and the heartache of sleeping with a guy only to find out he was a jerk, she made a pledge to herself. She’d hold on to her virginity at least until she found a guy who made her heart beat faster. And once she found the guy, she wouldn’t just hand it over on a silver platter; he’d have to earn it and deserve it. From that point on, she dated with the goal of finding “the one,” but it just didn’t happen. Maybe she was too business minded, too driven, too serious?
She shook her head. “Stop it, Turner. You are fun and know how to have a good time. There’s nothing wrong with the fact that you’ve not slept around. You’ll find the right guy someday. Until then, enjoy hanging out with these guys as friends.” She pushed away the nagging thought in her head that whispered, “Decker Morgan makes your heart beat faster. He makes your palms sweat and your body feels warm in all the right places whenever he’s around.” Decker Morgan was her boss, he couldn’t ever be “the one” no matter how much he made her heart feel all fluttery. Decker was a rule follower and she knew the handbook at The Center+ clearly stated that dating relationships at work were frowned upon.
Walking into the bar, Katie smoothed her skirt and gazed around trying to spot the guys. She saw Decker raise his arm to signal her. Calming her heartbeat, she waved back and wondered what it would be like to be meeting him for a real date. “Never gonna happen, Turner, so get it out of your mind.”
**********
Decker took a deep breath and forced his lusty thoughts to take a back seat as he watched Kate walk toward their table. He very much wished that she was walking toward just him and not to a night of drinks with his brother and cousins. “Not gonna happen, Morgan, so get it out of your mind.”
Kendrick looked at him with a raised eyebrow, “Did you say something, Deck?” At the abrupt shake of Decker’s head, Kendrick glanced briefly toward Katie and back at his cousin. A smirk of dawning comprehension formed on his face and Decker felt the urge to punch him right then and there.
Gritting his teeth, Decker growled, “Let it go, man. It’s nothing.” His gaze was direct and fiery. Kendrick gave a curt nod, but Decker knew he wasn’t going to drop it completely.
“Katie Smith, as I live and breathe!” Zach, ever the charmer, stood and pulled her into a hug. She assumed there were many women who would envy her position in Zach’s arms, however, she felt nothing for Zach.
Smiling, she returned his embrace, “It’s so good to see you. And it’s Katie Turner now. I took my mom’s maiden name after my dad left.” Turning to the rest of the men she found Kendrick Jordan on her right; he stood and pulled her into his chest. If she’d been anyone else, she may have responded to the way his hand traveled up and down her back and lingered just a little longer than necessary, but she just shook her head and wondered at the death glare Decker directed toward Kendrick.
She wanted Decker to pull her into a hug, but he just nodded in her direction. “Kate, glad you could make it.” She pushed down the feeling of disappointment and turned to find Sawyer waiting on her with open arms.
Tears filled her eyes and she walked into his warmth. “Sawyer, it’s so good to see you. I hate that we lost touch after graduation. I’ve missed you so much.” She was surprised at her reaction to seeing Sawyer again after all this time. For the short time they dated during high school, she had fancied herself in love with him, but she realized shortly after their relationship began that he didn’t feel the same for her. After they broke up they formed a very close friendship and were practically inseparable for the rest of high school.
“Katie, it’s so good to have you back home with us. I’ve missed you, girl.” He rubbed her back and tucked her head under his chin. She breathed him in and knew again, for the millionth time since moving back to Torey Hope, this was where she belonged; she was truly home in this place.
Hearing Decker clear his throat, she backed away from Sawyer’s touch. She had been wrapped in the arms of three extremely attractive, sexy men and yet her heartbeat didn’t double until she looked across the table at Decker. It would be so much easier if she was attracted to one of the other men, or none of them at all. Having feelings for Decker was just really bad timing, and she couldn’t risk messing things up at work. Maybe she should talk to him about it, just lay it all out there and let him know how she felt. She could tell him the truth about her feelings, but let him know that she understood they were unreciprocated and she wouldn’t let the feelings cause any trouble at work. Decker was a straightforward type of guy; he’d probably appreciate her openness. Taking a deep breath, she decided she’d speak to him at the next available opportunity.
**********
Decker took his one hundredth deep breath since she’d walked in the door and felt his jaw clenching as she moved from Zach to Kendrick to Sawyer. He knew Zach was just being his usual charming self, Kendrick was purposely trying to piss him off letting his hands linger like that, and Sawyer…well, his brother looked like he’d reunited with his long lost love. He had known this was a very real possibility. Hell, he’d done everything he could to prepare his heart and mind for Sawyer and Katie to rekindle something, but seeing her in his brother’s arms was a little too real for him and the spark of feelings he’d had for her took a crashing nosedive straight to his gut. Taking another deep breath, he chastised his mind, “This is for the best. Nothing could have come from it since you work together. If they are happy together, just be happy for them.” While his mind tried to adjust to being happy for his brother, he decided maybe he should just be upfront with Kate and let her know his feelings. She was an upfront type person, maybe letting her know about these feelings would be helpful; he could assure her that his feelings would not interfere with her and Sawyer or with their work relationship. Cementing the plan in his brain, he decided he’d talk to her at the next opportunity. Just to clear the air.
**********
The night had been filled with laughter and memories and rebuilding friendships, but the five of them knew they had work in the morning so they finished their drinks and prepared to leave.
“We should definitely do this again, maybe make it a weekly thing? What do you guys think?” Zach had a sparkle in his eyes and dimples to die for, who could say no to the man?
>
“I’m up for it! I don’t have much going on outside of work and spending time with my mom and grandma.” Katie raised her eyebrows expectantly at the other men, hoping they’d want to make this a regular thing.
“That and burning cookies, huh?” Decker spoke with a wink and Katie groaned at the memory.
“Mmm, that sounds like a story for next time. Be ready, Katie, I think Decker has a good tale to share from the looks of that smirk on his face.” Sawyer put his arm around her as he teased her.
“I think a group thing once a week is a great idea, let’s make it happen. But, what about you two? Are you two going to rekindle that romance from high school?” Kendrick asked innocently enough, but Decker saw the gleam in his cousin’s eyes as he threw a glance his way; Kendrick was purposely trying to rattle him.
Sawyer shuffled his feet and mumbled a bit as he grasped at an answer. “Um, yeah, that sounds great. What do you say, Katie-girl? Want to set up a date?” The other men either missed or chose to ignore the strange look she gave to Sawyer and the sheepish, desperate look he returned to her.
With an understanding and comforting hand on his arm, Katie replied, “Yeah, Sawyer, that sounds great. How about you call me and we’ll set something up.”
As they paid their bills and left the bar, hugs were given all around with promises to see each other next week.
Decker gave her an awkward hug and then glanced between her and his brother as they stood together on the sidewalk. “Well, I’ll let you two have some privacy. Really good to have you back home, Kate. I’ll see you first thing in the morning. Get your coffee good and strong in the morning and come to my office first thing. We’ve got some things to go over.” He’d break it down for her tomorrow, first thing, so they could move past this, and he could get his head on straight again.