Chapter Two
Amber Garrett could feel her co-worker’s eyes on her.
It was James, from sales.
She wasn’t surprised. He had a habit of wandering toward her desk and chatting her up.
This particular instance, she just happened to be on her feet, bending over to retrieve a file that had fallen on the floor.
She’d registered the movement behind her as he arrived, but then she could outright feel his eyes practically burning a hole in her as she scooped up the strewn documents.
Amber didn’t mind. James was hot. And it wasn’t like she was exactly cheating.
For one thing, he was just checking her out. She couldn’t control the man’s actions. And it was relatively harmless.
He’d talk to her. But it wouldn’t go any further than mild flirting.
But there was a second thing. The most important thing.
Her husband didn’t mind—to put it mildly. Aaron was beyond cool with it.
In fact, he encouraged such. She’d even text him about it later, knowing it would drive him wild all day. Then, when she got home, she’d relay a more detailed account, and he’d get rock hard.
They’d played this little game before, always to the same results.
The thought almost made her giggle, but she caught herself as she stood straight, turned around, and faced her visitor.
Slapping the file atop her desk, she smiled and said, “Something catch your eye?”
She was being forward, sure. But it was obvious that James was gawking. Why not tease him a bit? Besides, pushing the envelope a little would make Aaron insanely turned on later.
This would be fun.
James smirked. He wasn’t the type to get easily flustered. That confidence was one of the things Amber found so attractive about him.
“You caught me. I was coming to ask you about the Willis file, but then I saw the most beautiful woman and got distracted.”
Amber wasn’t going to let him off the hook that easily. Placing her palms on her desk, she leaned in a bit, knowing her blouse was gaping just a tad, revealing a hint of cleavage. “You were distracted by my ass.”
Letting the words hang in the air, she brought her right leg back, hooked it around the bottom of her chair, and brought it forward. Once the seat was lined up behind her, she plopped down, and kept her eyes trained at her visitor.
James still wore that playful smirk. “Busted.” He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “You going to report me to HR?” There was a healthy dose of humor in the question.
She shook her head. “No. You can’t help that you just happened to come in at that moment.” She shrugged. “Besides, I kind of like it. Good to know men would still look at me.”
Amber wasn’t fishing for compliments. Body image was something she struggled with.
But James scoffed. “What? You don’t think you’re pretty?”
She thought about it, wanting to give him a sincere answer. “I’m forty-two. Not old. But not young. Let’s just say my best days are probably behind me.”
James took a seat in one of the two visitors’ chairs in front of her desk and shook his head. “You’re gorgeous, Amber. Don’t sell yourself short.”
His eyes darted to one of the framed pictures of Aaron that rested atop a filing cabinet in the corner. Amber wasn’t sure if it was guilt or not.
Oh, if James only knew, she thought with a smile.
“He thinks your gorgeous, too.”
“Yeah. You’re right about that,” she replied. “He practically worships the ground I walk on.”
Again, she thought, if James only knew…
But now was not the time nor place to elaborate.
“Would he, uh, mind that I’m in here talking to you?”
“You’re here to ask me about the Willis file. Which is the one I was picking up, by the way.” She patted the manilla folder.
“Sure. But you caught me looking at your ass.”
She laughed. “So you admit it?”
“I never denied it.”
They held one another’s gaze for a few seconds longer than they probably should have.
Finally, she answered the initial question. “No. He wouldn’t mind. If he did, I wouldn’t flirt with you. I’d keep the conversation strictly professional.”
James leaned back cockily and crossed his legs, seemingly more comfortable now. “Oh. So, we’re flirting?”
Amber nodded.
A few moments of silence passed, the tension growing thicker.
“Would he mind me taking you to lunch next week?”
My, my, she thought. We’re being a bit forward now.
Good.
“He wouldn’t.” Her smile widened. “And neither would I. The only problem is I won’t be here. I’m on vacation.”
“People take vacations at car dealerships?” he asked.
She laughed. “Every now and then we’re allowed to. I’m off all week. Can we take a rain check and shoot for when I get back?”
He stood, nodded, and then looked at the picture of Aaron again before returning his attention to her. “He’s a lucky man. I hope you two have fun on that vacation.”
James was almost through the door when she called out to him. He turned back. “Yeah?”
She chuckled. “You got so caught up in flirting with me that you forgot why you came in here. I got the Willis couple a good rate. Three banks offering two percent. Pre-approved for up to seventy grand. They can pick out whatever car they want.”
James smiled. “Hey, thanks! I knew you’d work your magic. See you when you get back?”
“It’s a date.”
He sucked in his bottom lip, his eyes glazing over for a moment with a faraway look, as if he were dreaming of the possibilities. After returning to the present, he responded, “I can’t wait.”
And I can’t wait to text Aaron and tell him all about this latest development, she thought, snatching her phone up. It’s going to drive him wild.
Absolutely wild.