“I’m getting a coffee. You three stooges can wait here for fifteen minutes, and go back to the session,” Magnus says.
“Wait, Mr. Heron. I thought you wanted to discuss something?” Angie asks.
He grunts. “I don’t remember. It’s not important.”
I look at Hugo, confused, my eyes trailing his tall, broad shoulders as he walks away.
“Was he speaking in code?” I wonder, blinking.
“The boss just needed a reason to get rid of that touchy-feely woman. He doesn’t like being fawned over, much less hit on by strangers at professional events.” Hugo chuckles and shifts awkwardly. “If only we all had that problem.”
The rest of the morning goes smoothly enough.
The main session ends early for a luncheon followed by some early afternoon socials. The HeronComm team takes up two tables. Mag and Ruby are at the one behind us with most of the marketers. I’m with our office intern and the creative team.
“So, Brina, how’d you like the conference?” Hugo asks.
“I’ve learned a lot. The sessions have been great, really an eye opener for how this whole industry operates.” I don’t say the obvious, though. It might be a good, long while before I forget about that crazy formal the first night. “I just wish we had more downtime. We could’ve seen more of Phoenix. It’s my first time here and we’ve been cooped up at the conference and the hotel every day.”
“That’s the bad thing about these conferences,” he says with a frown, repositioning his glasses on his nose. “We visit so many nice places and never really get to see any of them.”
“Such a shame. I’m grabbing dessert.” I push my chair away from the table and head for the buffet, deciding to make the most of my last time here.
Mag passes by, holding a scotch.
When he sees me, he stops. “Did I hear you say you’d like to see more of Phoenix, Miss Bristol?”
I nod, wondering what protocol I’ve broken now.
“Want to skip the rest and go for a desert cruise?” he asks.
I smile. “Really? You mean, the whole team?”
“Just us.” And Armstrong, I assume. “I’m not sticking around and waiting for a dozen more advances now that the drinks are flowing and everyone’s ready to party their last night away.”
“You’re so conceited,” I huff out.
“And I think you’re forgetting your place.” An odd thing to say, considering he just invited me out with him, alone.
“Someone has to be honest with you,” I grumble.
He steps closer and leans in, dancing blue flames for eyes. Up close, his good looks are intimidating, far too effective at rendering any normal woman speechless.
“Are you going to ditch this place with me or not?” he whispers.
Ruby walks by. “Mag?”
He straightens up and clears his throat, adjusting his tie. “We were just talking about a confidential account. What’s up?”
That’s right, Mag. Don’t let anyone know you’re flirting with your lowly secretary.
My heart kind of skips at the reality.
“Oh, nothing. As soon as I’m done here, I’m checking into the spa.” Ruby moves past us to go eat with one last look over her shoulder at Heron.
I can’t help but sense some unspoken message between them—a warning, maybe.
“Confidential account?” I ask.
“We’ll talk about it later,” he tells me, clearing his throat.
“On this desert cruise?”
“If you’re coming?” His eyes reach down inside me and set loose a hurricane of butterflies.
Dear. Freaking. Lord.
I mean...what could a ride through the desert with an egomaniac hurt? I don’t want to socialize with most of these people, anyway, and I definitely don’t want a rerun of the formal.
We leave the dining room and go into the hall.
“Are you going to call Armstrong?” I ask.
“How high are your heels today?”
I turn my knee in and pick up my heel to show him.
“Long enough?” I venture, watching the amusement lash hot in his eyes.
Then he gives a small shake of the head. “Can you walk a block in those, Miss Bristol?”
I nod.
“We’re going to rent a car, then,” he tells me. “I hardly get a chance to enjoy driving without the city traffic.”
“So, it’s going to be just—”
“You and me. Totally optional. Don’t tell me you’re getting cold feet?” His eyes sparkle when he smiles.
And just like that, I’m heading off into the desert with my boss, wondering if I’ll come back with my pride intact, much less my heart.12Tie-dye Sunset (Magnus)It’s like I’m on cruise control and I can’t pull out of it.
The black Ferrari I’ve rented is sleek, ready, and practically begging for some Arizona sun.
“How do you like the ride?” I ask my pain-in-the-ass EA.
“It’s cool! Never been in one of these before.” She climbs in the passenger seat with this wide awe-struck grin etched on her face.
I try to ignore how striking she looks in this car with the sun spilling down in gold rivulets, igniting the landscape around us in a promising spectrum of tans and reds. Phoenix shows most of its fall colors in an interplay of light and shadows.