Читать книгу The Prescription Playboy - Grayson Reyes-Cole - Страница 6

Chapter 3

Hunny thought of every description of him she’d read. How many times had she seen him in magazines or in society pages or even heard from Med Sol employees that he was a total hunk? He was exactly what she should have expected. So—logically—she shouldn’t be so overwhelmed by it. Or so curious… But, the Kevin Carter she had interacted with had been so far away from that image.

Absently, she put a hand over her eyes. Kevin turned away to adjust the blinds over his right shoulder against the afternoon sun.

Kevin sheepishly tidied the desk. “Really, I’m not normally this messy. I just need drawers. The designer said he was going to do a couple of rolling file cabinets for me to fit under the desk. They’d match the wood and inlay, of course,” he told her self-consciously.

Trying to avoid staring at his the succulent lip—or the play of the muscles in his arms as he moved, or the charming and humble attempt he made to both explain and tidy his desk—Hunny focused on his hands. Big, broad, manicured hands with strong and deft fingers. Inside, she groaned in agony. Damn. Damn. Damn. She dropped her gaze to the presentation material she held. Safer that way.

“Well,” he startled her with his deep expectant voice. “Where would you like to start?”

Staring him directly in the eye, she and smiled. Then, she took a breath and presented him her work. The tension eased out of her quickly, and she became lost in her presentation. She loved what she did, and her love for it managed to prevent her from staring open-mouthed at the specimen across from her.

Kevin proved to be a very attentive listener. He inserted a question here or there, but mainly sat across from her, seemingly paying rapt attention. Not once did she sense those waves of heat pouring off him again.

“Legal has redlined the contract already,” Kevin told her. “I anticipated that I would like what I saw,” he offered as explanation. “We’ll probably get that back to your folks by tomorrow.”

“Well, it is Tuesday,” Hunny stated, glancing at her watch. “I’m sure I can get the specs back to you before I leave Friday. Then you can contact me or Arthur back at—”

“I’d rather you stayed here.”

The voice was so quiet and non-intrusive Hunny barely noticed it and continued. “Once you give the final thumbs up, I’ll have my team working solely on this project. Of course I’ll oversee and be the final judge on everything after—”

“I’d prefer you to be more involved with the project than that,” he stated, looking directly into her eyes. This time she was unable to look away. “Have you ever worked with your team remotely?”

“I’m sorry?”

“I think it would probably be better if you worked out of this office for a while. That way, I can be readily at your service to review and approve the material produced. I have all the faith in the world in your work. I just don’t want to be in the dark during the process.”

“But I’m on the sales team now, and—”

“I see.” He licked his lips. “I didn’t know you didn’t do any of the work anymore. I have to admit I’m surprised. From everything I’ve seen you—”

Hunny swallowed. She hadn’t wanted the “promotion” to sales but Arthur had pushed her. He wanted her to learn every aspect of the business, when all she wanted to do was put her nose to the grindstone and solve problems. Kevin had it wrong. “I’m not saying I can’t or don’t want to do the work. There’s no problem. But me staying here is wholly unnecessary,” she argued. “I’ll work directly with my old team but, if they do the mock ups in D.C., we’ll still be faced with either evaluating them online or waiting for them to come in an overnight delivery.”

“That’s fine,” the stubborn man answered.

Hunny’s jaw worked as she tried to work out what she was going to say. “I’m not sure that it is fine. I understand your company is doing very well, but my remaining here will be an added and completely avoidable expense for my company, and it would take me away from my other duties.” With what she hoped was a cheeky smirk, she added, “And, you can be assured that G and A would charge you for the travel expenses.”

Kevin returned her smiled but with a hard glint in his eye that didn’t fit with either the nice guy she knew or the philanderer depicted in the media. He picked up the phone and dialed an extension.

“Hey, Tim,” he greeted congenially.

Oh God, he was calling Tim Morris, Head Counsel, had to be.

“Yeah. How’s it coming?” He paused. “Oh yeah? Let me look.”

Huntington watched him wedge the phone between his head and shoulder. His hands flew over the keyboard of his computer. “Yep. Good for me… No. I was calling about the contract to make sure you put in language ensuring that the Account Manager will work out of this office for the duration of the contract negotiation. At least three weeks out of the month. Well, of course… Weekends… Yep. That’s your job.” He chuckled then added, “I’m sure you’ll work out the pricing.” He hung up the phone and grinned at her.

That’s when Hunny processed the meaning behind the words. Weekends. Her heart was beating so hard she thought her chest would burst open. She could hear the blood rushing in her ears, which had all of sudden turned hot. Her whole body had gone still with the tension of fury. She tried to hold on to it. She really did. And, when she tried to hold on to her temper, it always worked. Except with her brother and now, apparently, with this overbearing CEO.

“I’m not staying here,” she bit out. As soon as the words left her lips she thought of Arthur Gentry. He was going to kill her.

“There’s no need,” she added quickly.

“Firstly, it’s in the contract that this could be necessary.”

It may have been in the contract, but he well knew there was no need. Huntington started to say something again but clamped her mouth shut. She was liable to kill him if she kept going. The audacity of the man. The ever-loving gall. “Secondly—”

With more calm than she felt, she interrupted, “Perhaps we should talk about this more once the final ink dries.”

“Perhaps,” Kevin agreed with a small shrug though his demeanor indicated he had no intention of that ever happening. His body language oozed determination. Then, he reached over to one of the tidy stacks and picked up something completely familiar to Huntington. “Secondly, have you seen this?”

“Yes, I have,” she assured him. The magazine from the story about him. That morning, Hunny had even seen a quick segment about it on an entertainment news program. Interesting, since absolutely none of the three in the overexposed love triangle were entertainers.

“Do you think either of our interests would be best served with you back in D.C.?”

Hunny gritted her teeth considering all the factors the investigation and the PR nightmare. “No,” she answered honestly.

“Shall I go ahead and book you on my calendar for tomorrow, too? We meet with the board every other Wednesday, and I’d like you there.”

“Of course,” she answered with a professionalism that belied her internal exasperation. She was done with this meeting. Standing, Huntington told him she would see herself out. Carter stood as well and showed her to the door.

“We’ll talk again soon, Huntington.”

Hunny didn’t trust herself to respond.