Both women looked at Lydia. “I want to have sex with a stranger, no strings, no names, just sex.” Or maybe with two, she thought, but she wasn’t ready to admit that.
Jeanette’s jaw dropped and Roni’s eyes filled with awe. “Damn, I’ve never admired you more than I do right now,” Roni mused.
Jeanette laughed and soon they were all cracking up. Deep down Lydia shook like a teenager on prom night. What the hell did I just get myself into?
1
“Good morning, Mr. Gentry,” Lydia said as Dane Gentry of the Gentry, Anderson & Dailey Law Firm strode through the door, a scowl marring his handsome face.
A grunt seemed to sum up what he thought of her chipper greeting. One thing Lydia had learned over the two years since coming to work for Dane, the man hated mornings. “Coffee’s on your desk and here’s your schedule for the day.” She handed him the printout. If it were possible, his frown deepened as he looked her over.
“What time did you get here?”
She pushed her glasses higher on her nose and said, “Uh, five, Mr. Gentry. I had a few things to catch up on.”
He rubbed his jaw. “Do I pay you overtime?”
Lydia was so confused by his question she just sat there, staring at him as if he’d lost his mind.
“Lydia, answer the question. It wasn’t that hard.”
“No, sir, you don’t. I’m salary.”
“Then it makes no sense to work overtime, now does it?”
“I suppose not, but I needed to finish up some research.”
Dane shook his head. “You work too much.”
Lydia was beginning to feel a spark of anger. She liked her job, but there were days when working for three lawyers really was a joke. “Are you complaining about my performance, Mr. Gentry?”
He frowned. “Of course not, but you put in way too many hours.”
“Someone had to finish the research. I don’t have a magic wand here . . . sir,” she said, allowing a hint of sarcasm to seep into her voice.
Her boss leaned across the desk, coming way too close for comfort, and whispered, “You have a very smart mouth, Lydia. One of these days it’ll get you into trouble.”
Lydia tamped down the urge to move her chair closer, to inhale his clean masculine scent. She’d always had a weakness for Dane. He was so tall and broad s
houldered. His messy dark hair with the little curl at the collar always made her want to reach out and play with it. Deep brown eyes watched her with an intensity that had her feeling as if someone had jacked up the temperature. It was no wonder he had so many female clients. She thought of his statement and answered, “There are times when I find my quick wit to be rather helpful, Mr. Gentry.”
“Dane,” he gritted out. “Will you ever call me Dane?”
“I see no reason to, no.” This was an old argument between them. She stood on formalities and it drove him crazy, which was partly why she did it, of course.
“I can make it mandatory.”
She laughed. “That can’t be legal.”
“Who gives a damn if it’s legal or not?”
She was about to remind him that he was a lawyer when another voice intruded. “Is he giving you a hard way to go, sugar?”
Dane straightened and turned around. Lydia peered around Dane’s massive body to see Mac Anderson striding through the door, a bagel in one hand and his briefcase in the other. Lydia went back to work mode. “Good morning, Mr. Anderson. Your schedule,” she explained as she handed it over. “Don’t forget you said you’d have lunch with your mom today at one.”
Mac grinned and looked at Dane. “Think she’ll ever call us by our first name?”
Dane snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. “Unlikely.”