shook her head.
“So do you think you’d like to hit the mall this Su nday? I also have two passes for the six p.m. act at Laugh ‘n Stuff. We can shop and then grab drinks and the show. Maybe an order of nachos?” Alita double-lifted her eyebrows, trying to entice Regina with her favorite indulgence.
“Okay, I can do that. I just don't want to stay out too late. I have an early meeting on Monday. I need to look for a new purse anyway. Can you believe how stunning these shoes are?” They both admired her heels some more.
“I still can’t believe how my heel broke yesterday. That has never happened to me.”
“Me either, but I usually have on wedges. I need all the height I can get.” Alita snorted.
“So what’s going on in here anyway?” Regina needed to get these people back to work.
“Reddick brought in bagels and chocolate for ever yone. He's great, isn't he?”
Regina rolled her eyes.
“What is your problem? He’s sweet on you, ya know?” Alita teased.
“Will you stop it? He is not. He just likes to needle me to catch me off my game.” I could feel his eyes still hot on my skin.
“Maybe, but I see the way he watches you. That might just be his tough-guy mask he thinks he needs to wear.”
“Whatever. I’m here to work and make money, not play footsies with my co-workers.” Regina ey eballed Alita's bagel and her stomach rumbled.
“I’m going to see if I can fight my way to the coffee machine and grab a bagel. We can talk later about Su nday.”
REGINA PUT A chocolate hazelnut pod in the machine. While her cup was brewing, she felt someone press against her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she felt the breath of her co-worker dance across her skin.
“Did you see what I brought?” Reddick’s woodsy scent filled her nostrils, even over the smell of her freshly brewed cup of coffee.
“Yup, two platters of distraction.” She didn’t bother turning to face him.
“Will you stop? A happy worker is an efficient worker. You’re wrapped too tight. Sugar?” He handed her the sugar dish, but it sounded more like he was calling her sugar than offering it to her. “I brought more than just b agels.”
“Chocolate too?” Regina stirred her coffee with slow intent.
“Not just any chocolate. I brought in the chocolate-covered bacon. They go crazy over at Swanson’s. They even cure their own meat. They must have ten varieties of the chocolate-covered bacon. I’m sure one of them will be your new favorite. All shades of chocolate over there. What do you prefer, light or dark?”
“I prefer rich dark chocolate. Godiva actually, not bacon dipped in cheap chocolate.” She lifted her spoon to her mouth to taste the sugar level in her coffee. She rotated the spoon upside down and slowly removed it from b etween her lips.
Reddick watched and wondered if she knew what she was doing. He took a deep, cleansing breath.
“Don't knock it before you try it. You’ll be surprised how much you might like a little chocolate-dipped pig.” He proceeded to snort in her ear.
“You’re nasty.” She pushed her hand against his chest to shove him away. But she couldn’t help but feel the definition to his pectoral muscles and let her hand linger a li ttle too long. He didn't move an inch. She found herself wedged between him and the counter. She tried to cover up her indiscretion by interjecting the important staff meeting they needed to discuss.
“Listen, Serena called me. She and Michelangelo won’t be in today. She wants me to have a quick meeting. Maybe since you rallied everyone in the conference room with your food, we can see if everyone is here and do it now.”
“So are you asking me for my help?” Reddick questioned, enjoying her hand still on his chest.
Reddick flexed his chest muscles and Regina moved her hand away quickly. He laughed to himself.
“No, not really. More like I’m telling you what we’re doing. She’s postponing the cocktail
“So do you think you’d like to hit the mall this Su nday? I also have two passes for the six p.m. act at Laugh ‘n Stuff. We can shop and then grab drinks and the show. Maybe an order of nachos?” Alita double-lifted her eyebrows, trying to entice Regina with her favorite indulgence.
“Okay, I can do that. I just don't want to stay out too late. I have an early meeting on Monday. I need to look for a new purse anyway. Can you believe how stunning these shoes are?” They both admired her heels some more.
“I still can’t believe how my heel broke yesterday. That has never happened to me.”
“Me either, but I usually have on wedges. I need all the height I can get.” Alita snorted.
“So what’s going on in here anyway?” Regina needed to get these people back to work.
“Reddick brought in bagels and chocolate for ever yone. He's great, isn't he?”
Regina rolled her eyes.
“What is your problem? He’s sweet on you, ya know?” Alita teased.
“Will you stop it? He is not. He just likes to needle me to catch me off my game.” I could feel his eyes still hot on my skin.
“Maybe, but I see the way he watches you. That might just be his tough-guy mask he thinks he needs to wear.”
“Whatever. I’m here to work and make money, not play footsies with my co-workers.” Regina ey eballed Alita's bagel and her stomach rumbled.
“I’m going to see if I can fight my way to the coffee machine and grab a bagel. We can talk later about Su nday.”
REGINA PUT A chocolate hazelnut pod in the machine. While her cup was brewing, she felt someone press against her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she felt the breath of her co-worker dance across her skin.
“Did you see what I brought?” Reddick’s woodsy scent filled her nostrils, even over the smell of her freshly brewed cup of coffee.
“Yup, two platters of distraction.” She didn’t bother turning to face him.
“Will you stop? A happy worker is an efficient worker. You’re wrapped too tight. Sugar?” He handed her the sugar dish, but it sounded more like he was calling her sugar than offering it to her. “I brought more than just b agels.”
“Chocolate too?” Regina stirred her coffee with slow intent.
“Not just any chocolate. I brought in the chocolate-covered bacon. They go crazy over at Swanson’s. They even cure their own meat. They must have ten varieties of the chocolate-covered bacon. I’m sure one of them will be your new favorite. All shades of chocolate over there. What do you prefer, light or dark?”
“I prefer rich dark chocolate. Godiva actually, not bacon dipped in cheap chocolate.” She lifted her spoon to her mouth to taste the sugar level in her coffee. She rotated the spoon upside down and slowly removed it from b etween her lips.
Reddick watched and wondered if she knew what she was doing. He took a deep, cleansing breath.
“Don't knock it before you try it. You’ll be surprised how much you might like a little chocolate-dipped pig.” He proceeded to snort in her ear.
“You’re nasty.” She pushed her hand against his chest to shove him away. But she couldn’t help but feel the definition to his pectoral muscles and let her hand linger a li ttle too long. He didn't move an inch. She found herself wedged between him and the counter. She tried to cover up her indiscretion by interjecting the important staff meeting they needed to discuss.
“Listen, Serena called me. She and Michelangelo won’t be in today. She wants me to have a quick meeting. Maybe since you rallied everyone in the conference room with your food, we can see if everyone is here and do it now.”
“So are you asking me for my help?” Reddick questioned, enjoying her hand still on his chest.
Reddick flexed his chest muscles and Regina moved her hand away quickly. He laughed to himself.
“No, not really. More like I’m telling you what we’re doing. She’s postponing the cocktail
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