The shoes again. He wanted to ask, but became distracted as his gaze traveled up, admiring her slim build in the most stylish, fitted outfit he’d seen her in. Actually, the only stylish outfit he’d seen her in. Those others didn’t fit in the same category. When he realized he was staring, he gave himself a mental shake and said, “I’ll leave you to it, then.”
She didn’t even look at him, bruising his ego some as he took a seat at his desk and began working on the project budget according to the specs of her design. This presentation would have to be seamless.
Almost a half hour later, Marley surprised him alongside his desk. “This isn’t a cruel initiation joke or something, is it?”
He hadn’t heard her enter, but there she stood, hands on her hips, waiting for an answer. He avoided looking too long at the front of her blouse and met her suspicious gaze.
“No joke. Would you like to see the e-mail?”
“I’m going to need help,” she stated, ignoring his question.
He sat back in his chair. “What do you need?”
“At least two more people with experience.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” He reached for the phone. She didn’t wait for an answer and as she returned to her own office, he watched the barely perceptible sway of her hips. It wasn’t deliberately sensual, just Marley—which made it sexier than ever.
Ten minutes later, he joined her to relay his progress. “Vincent will be up in a few minutes. He has experience. But our other guy, Dan, is on vacation this week.”
Her expression conveyed no more satisfaction than when she’d accepted the job. “For something this important, can’t you call him in?”
“He’s in Alaska. On a cruise with his wife for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. He didn’t leave the ship’s number, but I’d be happy to locate it for you.”
She glared at him for a second, then surveyed the already cluttered drafting table between them.
“We’ll put in a few extra hours,” he said. “It’ll get done.”
“I don’t plan to sleep the next forty-eight hours as it is. Where exactly do you propose I pull those extra hours from?”
A knock at the door stalled his reply.
“Come in,” she commanded.
Vincent entered the office, and Justin made introductions. They promptly ignored him as Vincent—or Vince as he insisted Marley call him—gushed over her design, then set to work following her explicit instructions without question.
Bonnie came in through Justin’s office to give him a message, but when she showed interest
in the project, Marley put her to work as well.
If he didn’t know better, Justin would think Marley owned the company—or she’d been their boss for years. He wasn’t sure whether to be impressed by her ability to adapt and delegate, or worried that she’d take over before he knew what had happened.
****
Marley studied the model that had begun to take shape over the past two hours. So far, so good, but she feared it wouldn’t be enough. And Justin made her nervous, coming in to stand over her shoulder almost every hour. Didn’t he trust her to get the job done? Breathing down her neck would make it all the harder for her to actually finish this insane assignment.
Finally, she couldn’t take anymore. “Hand me that cardboard, would you?”
His gaze followed her finger. She nodded when he reached for the item with raised eyebrows. He handed it over, but when he started to step back, she commanded, “Now hold this. No, right here.”
He didn’t say a word while she cut the stiff cardboard. Her fingers brushed his once and her breath caught as warmth radiated up her arm. Quickly, she handed him an uncut piece and barked out the measurements.
After watching for a few seconds to make sure he did it right, she turned back to Vince. She directed his next few steps, answered a couple of Bonnie’s questions while gathering the supplies she’d need next, then looked back at Justin to find him finishing his task. Checking it, she apparently decided she’d found another worker and gave him more to do.
When he hesitated, she asked, “What?”
He glanced at his office before drawing in a deep breath. “Nothing, forget it. What’s next?”
Marley realized she’d pulled him from his own work. “If you need to go, then go.”