Chapter Six

A few days later, Andrea sat outside Gerald Rogers’ office, legs crossed at the ankles and hands in her lap. She rubbed the fingernail of her left forefinger against her thumb, fighting against the old nail-biting habit she’d thought she left back in college. Rumor around the small office was that her name was on the shortlist of potential partners in the agency, and all morning her stomach had been rolling. She hadn’t been able to sit still. This was exactly what she’d been working toward, practically since she started at Regal.

Also at the top of the list would be Jack Hoffman, and he was the reason for a good portion of her anxiety. Jack was the kind of man Gerald liked. A young, no-nonsense go-getter who knew how to get the job done. At least that was the face he presented around their boss. Andrea had worked with the younger man long enough to know he was a shark who would do whatever it took to protect what he perceived as his. And he was arrogant enough to believe the partnership was already in the bag for him.

If Gerald really had Andrea on his list of candidates, she’d do whatever it took to prove Hoffman wrong. Anything. The man deserved to be torn down a few pegs.

She shifted her feet and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, wishing she’d pulled it back into a bun today. The long strands were anything but professional. She’d gotten used to Brian running his hands through it when they were alone. Now it didn’t feel right to pull it back.

The door opened and Gerald stuck his head outside. “Come on in, Andrea.”

She stood, smoothed her skirt down her thighs, and followed him into the office, settling into the chair across from his desk when he gestured to it.

“Do you know why I called you in here today?” he asked.

“No, sir.”

“I’m sure you’ve heard by now that we’re looking to promote someone to partner in a few months.”

“Yes, I did.”

“I would like to let you know I’m considering you for the position. But just to let you know, Jack Hoffman and Stuart Michaels are also in the running.”

Andrea fought back the smile, knowing Gerald wouldn’t like any overt display of emotion. She’d have to wait until she was back in her office. And then she’d call everyone she knew. Her dream was to be partner by the time she hit thirty. If all went well, she’d be two years early.

Stuart Michaels wouldn’t be any sort of competition for her. She worked harder than he did, and got the job done faster. But Jack Hoffman was another story. She’d have to start putting in even more extra hours if she wanted to prove to Gerald that she was the right person for the job.

“Thank you, sir.”

“You’re a hard worker, Andrea. Don’t think that hasn’t gone unnoticed. I’m also giving you the Mallory account.”

Now she couldn’t pull back the smile, though she tried to tone it down some. She’d gone with Gerald to meet with Glen Mallory, owner of the Mallory’s grocery store chain, on his last two appointments to try to woo the man. Mallory had just signed with Regal last week. Andrea had headed projects before, but never one this big.

“Thank you again. I appreciate it.”

“I want to see some preliminary ideas by Monday, Andrea. Will that be a problem?”

“Of course not.”

“Well, then, I look forward to working closely with you.”

She stood, taking his dismissal for what it was. She didn’t have the partnership yet, but she was so close she could almost taste it.

When she got back to her office, Brian was waiting for her, seated in a chair against the wall with his feet propped on her desk. He dropped his legs and sat up as she closed the door behind her.

“Well?”

“I don’t have the partnership…yet…but I’m in the running.”

A smile as wide as hers spread across his face. “Congratulations.”

“It’s a little early for that, but I’ll take it.” Unable to help herself, she wrapped her arms around his neck and drew him down for a kiss. She tried to pull away after a brief brush of lips, but he held her against him, his touch lingering. When he finally released her, she was shaking all over.

“We have to celebrate tonight.”

“I don’t know if I have time. I also got the Mallory account, and he wants to see some preliminary ideas on Monday.”

“That’s incredible! I’m so proud of you. But I have to tell you, I’m not taking no for an answer. Just give me a few hours of your time. You don’t need to jump right into work after a day like this one. You need to be out celebrating and enjoying yourself for once.”

She frowned. She’d been enjoying herself with Brian all week, and her work had to have slacked a little. She was lucky she was even still in the running for this job. No way could she jeopardize what she’d been waiting all her life for. Not for sex, of all things.

But then again, she did feel like celebrating. She hadn’t been waiting all this time for nothing. “Your place or mine?”

Brian’s smile dropped and his eyes narrowed a little. “No. I want to go out. To dinner. At a restaurant.”

She nodded, but dread settled in her gut. Confusion had reigned supreme in recent days. She’d grown even closer to Brian, but now the partnership she’d always wanted was right there in front of her. Sooner or later, she was going to have to choose.

Her cell phone rang and she hesitated to pick it up. So busy with work and Brian, she’d been avoiding Lena’s calls for the past week and had told their mother she needed to step up and help with a little of the wedding planning. She hadn’t taken it well, but Andrea couldn’t help the woman’s reaction. Andrea was slowly learning she couldn’t do everything for everybody. At least not unless she found a way to add a few extra hours to each day.

A quick glance at the caller ID box confirmed her suspicions. She mouthed her sister’s name to Brian as she answered the call.

“Hey, kiddo. What’s up?”

“Mom said you won’t help me anymore. I can’t believe you. I thought I could count on you.”

Andrea shook her head as Lena launched into a two-minute litany. By the time Bridezilla finished speaking, Andrea’s free hand had clenched into a fist. “I explained all this to Mom. I’m up for a partnership at work. I no longer have the time it’s going to take to help you plan this. Mom doesn’t work. She has plenty of time.”

“But Mom has no clue what she’s doing. Please, Andrea. This is my wedding.”

Andrea narrowed her eyes. If Lena told her the wedding was more important than Andrea’s potential promotion, Andrea would find a way to reach across the phone line and strangle her. Lena didn’t mention it, so her life was saved. For now.

Lena’s huff of breath carried across the line. “I can’t talk to you when you’re like this, Andrea. I’ll call you tomorrow when you’ve had a chance to calm down.”

Andrea ended the call and dropped the phone onto the desktop. So much for her euphoric mood.

Brian propped his hip on the desk. “What was that all about?”

“Lena. This whole wedding planning thing sucks. My family expects me to do everything. I’d love to know where they think I’m going to find the time to deal with Lena and her indecisions and hissy fits.”

She expected Brian to commiserate, but he only smiled. “I have a solution, you know. I don’t know why you didn’t think of this. What about hiring Amber?”

Andrea frowned at the mention of his sister-in-law. She hadn’t thought to hire a wedding planner since she hadn’t realized how detailed and time consuming the process really was. “Jake’s wife?”

“Yeah. I’m sure she’d be glad to help Lena out, and it would be one less thing for you to stress about.”

Andrea shook her head. “It’s a nice thought, but Lena is turning into a first class witch about this wedding and I don’t want your family to hate me because I sicced my sister on your brother’s wife.”

“You’d be surprised. Amber can be tough as a drill sergeant when she needs to be, and she has a knack for calming people. At least meet with her and see what she has to say.”

He picked up her desk phone and dialed a number. A few minutes later, he set the receiver back on the cradle. “Amber says she’d be glad to take over. You guys can meet with her on Saturday morning.”

“Okay. I think we will.” And she would be forever grateful to Brian for getting this particular monkey off her back. She stood up and hugged him tight. “You’re really too good to be true. Did you know that?”

“Yeah. I’ve just been waiting for you to realize it. Took you long enough.”

 

 

 

Brian reached for Andrea’s hand, almost expecting her to pull away. He let out a breath heavy with relief when she didn’t. She hadn’t wanted to go out to eat, but the thought of eating in yet again had started to give him a headache, so in the end they’d compromised with a quick meal at the Chinese place down the block from her apartment. Now, while she finished her tea and he downed the last sip of his beer, he wished they’d been able to make decent conversation.

The whole meal had been stilted, like a blind date where the two participants had nothing in common. He and Andrea used to share so many things. Now they didn’t have anything left except what happened in the bedroom. Though it baffled him, he’d been growing tired of the sex. No, not the sex exactly, but the lack of any real substance to their relationship.

“So tell me,” she started as she set the empty teacup down on the table. “Why did you get the other two tattoos?”

“You’re still stuck on that?” He raised his eyebrows. He was surprised she’d even remembered. Most of the time he tended to forget they were there. “Why do you want to know? Do you like them?”

She’d seemed to when he’d shown them to her last week, but they’d been in bed. She liked just about anything then. His best buddy was turning into a regular sex goddess. Not that he was complaining, since he was reaping all the benefits of her sexual awakening.

“I think they’re sexy.” She smiled in the way that made his cock stand at attention. With the mood she was in, he was definitely getting some tonight. Oddly enough, he had mixed feelings about that. Part of him would rather stay dressed and fall asleep in her arms. “But if your girlfriend prodded you into getting the other two, I really don’t think I want to hear it.”

Jealousy. That was a good sign. She hadn’t shown a sliver of it yet, and he was beginning to wonder if she’d meant it when she’d said she didn’t want to get emotionally involved. Didn’t she realize it was too late for that? Being friends made them emotionally connected. He’d thought sex would show her they were meant to be together. Apparently, he’d been wrong. Now he wondered if it was worth the trouble. They couldn’t go on like this forever.

“I got the first one because she thought it would be cool. I got the other two on my own a few years later.” He dropped a couple of tens on the table to take care of the bill and stood. “It’s getting late. I know you said you had some work to do. We should probably get out of here, huh?”

It would kill him to leave her, but he had to. As much as he wanted her to lighten her workload a little, he wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize the partnership for her. If she even thought it was his fault, she would never speak to him again.

Andrea stood and took his hand, squeezing his fingers. “I’m not ready to call it a night yet. Why don’t we go dancing?”

Dancing? Just the thought had him gulping. She had no idea she was talking to a man with two left feet. The best thing to do would be to turn her down, but he couldn’t manage to say the words. Dancing would give him an opportunity to spend more time with her in a social setting, out of the bedroom. “Are you sure?”

“Uh-huh. Nervous?” she asked, her tone dripping challenge.

Hell, yes. “What do I have to be nervous about?”

Andrea just smiled. She brushed her fingers along the line of his jaw. “There’s a club down the street my sisters and I go to once in a while. We can walk from here.”

Despite his misgivings, he nodded. “Sounds great. Lead the way.”

 

 

 

The music in the club pounded a heavy beat that made Andrea want to move to the rhythm. She’d been able to tell right from the start Brian wasn’t sure what to expect. As soon as they’d walked through the door, he’d made a beeline for the bar, and she hadn’t been able to drag him away since.

“I don’t dance,” he told her when she tried to lead him onto the packed floor. “I probably should have mentioned that, huh?”

She’d known that, had tried to drag Brian to the club when she’d gone in the past, but he’d always turned her down. That didn’t mean she couldn’t have a little fun with him. “You, Wild Man, doesn’t know how to dance?”

“I didn’t say I don’t know how.”

He didn’t have to. The insecurity in his expression told her all she needed to know. She stood on tiptoe and placed a quick kiss on his lips. “But you don’t.”

Brian relented with a sigh. “Okay, you’ve got me. I can manage a passable slow dance at a wedding, if I absolutely have to, but that’s about it.”

She grinned. This time, she might actually get the chance to teach him a thing or two. “I know you have rhythm. All you have to do is stick close and move with me.”

She led him onto the floor, draped an arm around his neck, and pulled him close. “Lena and I used to go out dancing all the time when we were in college. We still try to get out a few times a year, and Claire comes with us now, too. If Lena and I enjoy it, so will you. Lena’s got even less rhythm than you do. Trust me. You’ll have fun.”

She moved up right against him, and it didn’t take him long to get into the swing of it. Soon he was dancing like an old pro, though she had to admit, she didn’t dance this close with most of the men she went out with. She told herself she was just trying to help him learn, but that was only part of the truth. The rest was as simple as it could get. She liked being close to him.

Before she knew it, he’d managed to move her to the edge of the floor, his hands on her hips to hold her near. He ground his hips against hers and she let out a whimper.

“This isn’t the place for dirty dancing.”

He shrugged, smiled, and kept right on with what he was doing. The night seemed to go on and on, Brian tempting and teasing, until she couldn’t take it anymore. Okay, so dancing hadn’t been a great idea. He’d just proven that fact to her without a doubt, and she knew he’d done it on purpose. He’d been trying to drive her crazy.

Damn him, it had worked. Every nerve in her body hummed and her skin practically itched with the need to have his hands all over her. When he leaned down to kiss her, she put her hand on his chest.

“Do you want to go back to my place now?”

He actually looked relieved. “I thought you’d never ask.”