Jameson slammed the door behind him. “Fuck.” He muttered under his breath rolling to his desk. He pulled out the bottom drawer. It was way too early for a shot but the bottle they used to toast a job well done was right there. Unfortunately, it would take a hell of a lot more than one shot to wipe the last twenty minutes from his memory. He looked at his hand flexing repeatedly. The one he touched her with. “Gimme a break.”

There was a knock on the door and the woman causing his confusion walked in. He could see she was still shaky. His first instinct was to yell at her to suck it up but Karen had been harping on him for months to at least pretend to be civilized. She’d said it was that or he’d be forced to do all his own, and everyone else’s paperwork. He thought about the scar he’d traced out. He could take a guess at how it got there. He had to give her some credit for getting on with her life but working here? Maybe not the best idea.

The rest of him wanted to give her something to distract her from her fears. Something they both could enjoy. Jesus, look at her. Even her curves had curves. Blonde curls, big brown eyes, that dress should be classified as a deadly weapon, the way it crossed her chest like the X on a pirate map. He slammed the drawer closed before she got close enough to see inside.

“I made coffee. I didn’t know how you take it. I can go get creamer or sugar if you...”

“Black, Thanks.” She put the mug on his desk and sat in the chair across from him.

“I’m sure you don’t want to be bothered but, um, Karen was planning to show me everything this week. We hadn’t really talked about what I would be doing.”

“You’re the office manager. You manage the office, do all the paperwork and shit.”

“I, you know what, never mind I’ll figure it out myself.” She popped out of the chair like there was an IED under it, executed an about face in her red heels with military precision and left. His chest hurt and he dug his fingers into the spot above his heart.

Axel walked in without even a knock. When the kid saw him rubbing at his chest his face got concerned. “You okay.”

“Must have tweaked something when I was lifting.”

“Tough getting old.” The kid’s grin was gonna get him punched one of these days.

“Was there a reason you came in here or you just needed more practice being a smart ass?”

“So about the cream puff. Cute, huh?”

His stomach burned. Was the kid serious? He had been using enough lines on her to bring in Moby Dick. “Didn’t know you had mommy issues.”

Axel looked at him like he had lost his mind.

“No, asshole. Isn’t she more your age?”

“She has to be younger, close though. Why?”

“I meant, you gonna go after her?” He uttered each word separately like he was talking to someone stupid. Then again, maybe he was.

“No.”

“Seriously? Thought the whole bombshell thing was your type.”

“Type or no type, she works here for now so no, I’m not going after her. And besides, I’m pretty sure after this morning she wants as far from me as she can get.” Except she’d brought him coffee. That had to mean something, right? He dragged the cup to him and let the aroma fill his head. Oh yeah, maybe she could stay then he took a tentative sip. Karen kicked ass at handling all the billing and record-keeping but they had all learned quick to ask who made the coffee when she was around. This, he inhaled deep, was damn near perfection. So good, he groaned out loud.

“Was that a ‘I’ve found heaven and it’s been distilled into this cup’ moan or a ‘dear God how could she take perfectly good beans and make this out of it’ groan?”

“The first.” He took another swallow and let it slide down his throat. God, this was perfect. And she brought it to him. Candy, huh? He could feel his sweet tooth kicking in. “Shit.”

“What? Not so good?”

“Nah, the coffee is fine. I gave Karen three months maternity leave.”

“You’re objecting to three months reprieve from her coffee? Are you nuts?”

“No, but it means I’ve got to tread water for three months before I can...”

“Thank fuck. I was wondering if we’d need to see if the health insurance covered ED meds.”

“You do realize I’m only twelve years older than you.”

“Yeah, but you act like you’re ancient so...”

He winged a pen at the kid. “Get out.”

“Sure thing, if her coffee is as good as it smells, the shop down the street is going to send us condolence cards.”

After the kid left what he said stuck in Jameson’s head. He was older, the chair added years, or more like how he got there, added years to his age. She didn’t look freaked out by it. She’d definitely checked him out. The thought making him grin like a freaking chimp. Damn, it had been too long since he’d felt a woman’s eyes on him like that. He’d forgotten how good it felt. Women complained about being objectified when a guy checked them out, men were just happy someone noticed. Except she already thought he was an asshole and she wasn’t completely wrong. He needed to man up and apologize if he was going to keep her around, as soon as he finished his coffee.

By the time Jameson made it out to her desk she was surrounded. Everybody in the office was hovering near her. The guys were standing around with their hands in their pockets checking her out. The few women he employed were chatting her up asking her questions about herself. Axel cut in to ask about her relationship status and looked pointedly at him when she said she wasn’t in one. He could have told the kid that. No ring, not even a mark where one had been so if she was ever married it was over a long time ago. Which made him wonder how far to the right she fell on the Crazy/Hot spectrum because she was definitely hot, maybe not every guy’s type but you couldn’t be a guy and not see how soft and... As he pushed through the kids thronging her he watched the smile she had been giving them fade to nothing. Yep, still thought he was an asshole.

Then he saw the newspaper open on the desk.

“What are you doing?” As a rule he didn’t care much what people did in the office as long as the work got done. But he was pretty sure her paper was open to the want ads. He should just let her go but there was his damned ‘dame in distress’ tendencies making him want to keep her around and he really did need someone.

She tracked his gaze to the paper and back to him. “What does it look like I’m doing?”

“Looks like you’re looking for another job.”

“You’re the big shot PI. You tell me.”

“I need to speak with you in my office.” The two of them sat there in silence for too long. Finally, he rolled his eyes. Fine, he could be the bigger man. “Please.” He fought to keep his voice even and not yell.

“Yes sir!” Fuck him, the combination of the sir and the bratty way she said it raised goose bumps on his arms. The little salute was pure sass. Damn he had the urge to take her over his lap and... No, not happening, not even a little with the way he had screwed this up.

She walked into his office a minute later followed by the eyes of most of the guys who were in today.

“Close the door, Candy.” He had to find another name to call her, any other name to call her. Three months of that and he’d be useless with the ideas it put in his head. Of course at this rate she might not be here a week. “Is there something you would rather be called? Something more, professional?” Please dear God.

“My name is Candace but I never use it anymore. It reminds me too much of, never mind.” Did she realize she was rubbing at her scar? “I’m an office manager, not a doctor or anything. I like Candy, I think it sounds fun.” She had a point, which was why he was going to call her damn near anything but that.

“Can I call you Ms. Grant?” As soon as it was out of his mouth he knew it would never work. The office was too informal and it made her sound older than she was. She actually growled at him. The asshole in him wanted to see if he could get her to do it again but he needed her to stick around.

“No, you may not. I don’t think it will matter anyway.”

“So I’m assuming you are looking for another job already because of me.”

“You must be really good at your work.” Her smirk and narrowed eyes sent a damn chill racing down his spine. He may not be able to stand or walk but he hadn’t lost all his capabilities below the waist and right now he wanted to see what kind of fireworks this little bombshell hid. Shit, he should let her go but he hadn’t had this much fun in a while. It couldn’t hurt to keep her around a few weeks.

“I’d rather you don’t go. What can I do to keep you here?” In his head she was tied to... He sucked in a long breath and let it out to an eight count.

“More money would be nice.”

“Done.”

“Do you even know how much I am making?”

“I’ve got an idea but that was before I knew you could make decent coffee.” That actually got a smile out of her. No chills this time, just something warm turned liquid in his chest.

“No more cursing around me.” He groaned. Fuck, she had to be kidding? If she was serious, that was going to be goddamned hard to get everybody on board with.

“Just me or everyone?”

“You seem to be the only one who actually swears at me so I guess just you. Besides I’m guessing everyone else is in and out of here all the time but you and I are going to be here together a lot.” Well shit, that was going to make coming to work more fun and a hell of a lot harder.

“Fine, I’ll try to keep it clean.” He couldn’t keep the grimace off his face. This time she laughed and he couldn’t help smirking back at her.

Her legs were crossed at the ankles and tucked to the side under her chair. Something about the pose made her look all kinds of demure, but in a sexy way like she’d be fun to muss up. “Relax, I’m not the church lady and I promise no swear jar.”

“I’ll try.”

“For an ex-marine, just that should be enough torture.”

“How’d you...” She pointed to his arm. He wasn’t the only one who was observant. “Anything else?”

“Other than cutting me a little slack since I didn’t get to train with Karen, no. I may have some questions for you though.”

“I probably won’t have answers. I pretty much let Karen do what she wanted as long as I wasn’t going to get in trouble with anyone.”

“Still, you’re all I’ve got. I’ll be back with my I-9 paperwork.” She read the look of confusion on his face perfectly. “My driver’s license and passport so you know I can legally work in the country? I’ll fill it all out, all you’ll have to do is sign it.”

A few minutes later she walked back in with her stuff. He signed the form and she scowled at him. “Aren’t you even going to check it?”

“I believe you were born here.”

“I could have written the numbers down wrong, heck I could have signed it Mickey Mouse and you would have signed off on it.” Now would probably be a bad time to tell her Karen forged his signature half the time. He was trying to not piss her off so he took the sheet back and her IDs. Everything was fine just as he knew it would be. She seemed the kind of woman who would have double checked it herself before she gave it to him. The address on the driver’s license caught his eye.

“You really live down there? That isn’t the safest neighborhood.”

“My parents bought the house before it became mostly industrial, it’s safe enough. It’s paid for and the taxes won’t break me.”

“But you’ve got a security system, right?”

She smirked at him. “Oh yeah, the Hope Diamond is safe inside my little bungalow.”

“I’m serious. You at least have a dog, right?”

“No, just me. There is nothing much to steal. I don’t even own a TV.” Crazy random violence happened all the damn time. He should know. How did she not get that she could be the target?

In personal security you think on your feet. Time for a new plan. “So you were told there is the mandatory fire arms training for all staff, including office staff.”

She stepped back and looked at him. “Karen didn’t mention that.”

He did his best impression of a choirboy. “Must have forgotten it. You know, mommy brain.”

“Actually, I wouldn’t. No kids. When do I have to do this?”

“We could start later this afternoon, after you get your bearings.”

She groaned. “This place is bigger than I thought it was. Karen was supposed to give me a tour today.”

“Guess we’ll be spending a lot of time together.” And he was going to have to get his mind out of the gutter and not curse all while playing host. Fuck.