Until You Read online

  A grin cracked her lips. “I’m used to guys wanting to get to second base, but they usually buy me the coffee first.”

  “I…” Jesus. What was wrong with him? He was never tongue-tied with women, but with her…“I thought you were burned. How are you not burned?”

  Gripping her shirt closed with one hand, she glanced at his open coffee cup and stuck her finger into the remaining liquid, then licked it. “It’s not hot. All you’re missing is the ice if you’re going for an iced coffee.”

  “Uh…no.” He needed to get his shit together. And quick. He was acting like an inexperienced moron. But her scent filled his nose as she stood next to him, an exotic blend of citrus and floral, distracting him even more.

  “Then you should demand a refund.” She didn’t look angry; if anything, she looked amused. She nodded toward the stunned cashier. “You should either give him a refund or make a new whatever he had.” She turned to Tyler. “Americano?”

  “Uh…yeah.”

  She winked. “I know my coffee.” Then she lowered her voice. “It’s Colombian. If you asked for the Kona, you got ripped off.”

  “I didn’t specify.” What the hell was happening? One minute he was ripping her shirt off in front of the entire coffee shop, and the next she was quizzing him on coffee blends.

  The cashier stood behind the counter gaping at both of them, but then she gave a slight head shake and asked, “So which do you want?”

  He barely heard her; he was too busy studying the brunette next to him, in complete shock that she hadn’t reamed him up and down.

  God, she was even more beautiful than he’d remembered her. Her hair was piled into some kind of elaborate knot on the back of her head, and she wore less makeup than she had a couple of nights ago, giving her a more natural look. But with the silky blouse, the skirt, and the sexy heels, her face didn’t need to be made up to make her look classically beautiful.

  “Which one?” the cashier repeated with more force.

  “Which what?”

  The sexy brunette rolled her eyes and chuckled as though he were an adorable three-year-old. “A new coffee or a refund?”

  Good God. Get it together, Norris. “It’s hard to demand a refund when you could have had second- to third-degree burns if she’d made it correctly.” He picked up his cup and reached over the counter for a new lid. He snapped it on and lifted her gaze to hers. “I’ll stick with this one.”

  “But I stuck my finger in it.”

  He gave her a look of nonchalance, but refrained from telling her that was part of the reason he was keeping it. He turned to the cashier, who was still staring at them both as though they had asked her to do backflips.

  “I’ll take a Grande Chai tea,” the sexy brunette said to the cashier.

  Tyler reached for his wallet. “I’ll pay for whatever she’s having.”

  “You don’t have to do that,” she said. She held her blouse closed with one hand while trying to reach into her purse.

  “It seems the least I can do after I just ripped your shirt off in front of Martha and Greg back there.” He gave his colleagues standing five places back in line a half wave. God. Could this get worse? He was never going to hear the end of this in the office.

  Still gripping her shirt, she turned at the waist and gave a half wave of her own before she looked up at him. “Had I known I was going to have an audience, I would have worn my Agent Provocateur bra.”

  “The one you’re wearing is really pretty,” a boy who looked to be in his late teens said as he leaned forward, trying to peer over Lanie’s shoulder for a better look. “You’d make a sexy secret agent. Just like on TV.”

  “Jesus,” Tyler said to the boy as he shrugged out of his jacket. “Didn’t your parents teach you about sexual harassment?”

  “Hey, old dude,” the kid protested. “You’re the one who ripped her shirt open. It was just like something you’d see in the movies. You must have experience. Can you teach me how to do that?”

  Old dude?

  The sexy brunette began to chuckle. “The boy has a good point.”

  “About which part?” Tyler dared to ask. Surely she didn’t think he was old. They had to be around the same age.

  “Your shirt-ripping skills, of course. Quite impressive. Every single button popped off.”

  “I’ll be happy to pay to replace your shirt.” His face began to burn as he held his suit jacket out to her. “Here. Take this.”

  “You can’t replace it,” she said, slipping her arms into the sleeves, then buttoning one of the higher buttons on his jacket. “It’s…uh…vintage.”

  “Then can I reimburse you for it?”

  “Don’t worry about it.” She glanced down at her chest. The damp cloth was plastered to her skin again, hugging every curve, and revealing a plentitude of cleavage. She reached up to the base of his throat and started to undo the knot of his tie.

  “Are you planning to rip my shirt open as payback?” he asked, regaining his confidence.

  She looked up at him through her long eyelashes and grinned. “It wouldn’t be nearly as impressive as what you just accomplished.”

  “I’ll say…” the teen said wistfully.

  “Hey!” Tyler said in a warning tone as he pointed to him. “Be respectful.”

  She seemed surprised at his authoritative tone as she slid his tie free from his collar and looped it around her own neck. “I hope you don’t mind me borrowing this, but I’m headed to a meeting.” A shadow crossed her face, but it quickly faded and a slight smile lifted her mouth. “I’d rather not be mostly naked for the appointment.”

  Horror washed through him. “God. I’m so sorry.”

  She shrugged, then sighed. “C’est la vie.”

  Other than her sudden shock at being drenched in coffee, then stripped in public, this was the first time he’d seen any sign that she’d seemed negatively affected by any of this. She’d definitely taken this far better than any other woman he knew would have done.

  He reached for the tie and gently brushed her fingers away as he took over tying the knot. “I really am sorry.”

  She kept her gaze down. “It’s hard to fault you for trying to save me from scalding burns.”

  He finished with the knot and resisted the urge to smooth the silk between her breasts.

  “Of course, you helped only because you tossed your coffee on me, but I can overlook that part.” Her smile was back in place as she looked up at him. “I’ll be sure to give the jacket and tie to Brittany. Hopefully, she can get it back to you before the wedding.”

  He started to tell her that he’d see Brittany on Saturday, but the cashier was holding out her coffee. She grabbed it and took a step back.

  Tyler reached for his wallet again. “I insist on paying.”

  The cashier shook her head and handed him a new cup with a sheepish look. “We remade yours, and both are on the house.”

  “Thanks,” he said as he stuffed his wallet back into his pants. When he turned around to ask if he could walk her to her car, he did a double take. She was gone.

  And he still didn’t know her name.

  Chapter Six

  Lanie hurried toward the elevator, sure she was now late for her meeting with Randy, but at least she had her coffee and what was left of her dignity. She was no prude, but flashing her bra in front of half a dozen people was pushing her limit. Still, she thought she’d recovered well, even after the shock of seeing Tyler again.

  And that had been a shock. Especially since she’d just been thinking about him. She had no idea why she was so intrigued by him, but there was no denying that she’d loved his reaction. While she inherently knew he was a player, she’d completely knocked him off his game. Watching his horror when he realized he’d torn her shirt open, then the appreciation of what he saw…

  She really did wish she had worn her Agent Provocateur bra.

  She’d found his floundering amusing, and then the way he took charge when that kid had
tried to sneak a peek…

  If only she could ask Brittany about him without tipping her off that she was interested.

  The elevator opened to the twelfth floor, and her phone began to ring. She considered letting it go to voice mail, but Stephanie had been anxious about possibly starting the interviews without Lanie. After her wardrobe malfunction, Lanie would need to go home to change, making her even later to the interviews.

  But to her surprise, the number said Aiden, and she answered the phone with a grin. “Aiden, as usual, you have terrible timing. I haven’t heard from you in months, and you call me just as I’m about to go into a meeting.”

  She glanced down at the end of the foyer to the reception desk with the name Goldman, Taylor, Hughes, and Evans plastered on the wall. Randy stood at the desk and did a double take when he saw her get off the elevator. She lifted a finger to tell him she’d be with him in a second.

  “I’m dropping into the land of barbecue myself, Lane,” Aiden said.

  “When?” she asked, giving Randy a nervous look. The receptionist was already giving her an odd stare. Clearly “menswear chic” wasn’t going to be the next fashion trend.

  “This weekend, and I have tickets to the Royals game on Sunday. Come with me.” He laughed. “And don’t tell me you have to work. I’m not falling for it. No self-respecting construction crew is going to work on Labor Day weekend.”

  She did have work, but she could let Stephanie handle things for a few hours. Still, she had to give Aiden a hard time. “You know I hate baseball.”

  “All the more reason for me to make you come. I have something I’d like to talk to you about.”

  She hesitated. “Okay…I’m intrigued.”

  “Great, I’ll pick you up at noon. Text me the address.” Then he hung up.

  Shaking her head, she dropped her phone into her purse. It was just like Aiden to call her out of the blue and expect her to drop everything to see him. Not that she minded. She’d met Aiden in college. They’d dated a few times until they discovered that they worked better as friends than lovers. Still, Aiden was one more person to add to her growing list of neglected friends. She needed to change that.

  “Sorry about the delay,” she said as she walked over to Randy. “Thanks for seeing me.”

  “I know Britt says part of the perks of your job is that you occasionally get designer clothes, but this wasn’t what I expected.”

  She’d seen her reflection in the stainless-steel walls of the elevator. Tyler’s jacket covered enough of her skirt to make it look like the only thing she was wearing was the jacket and his tie. “It’s a long story, but let’s just say I’m planning on going home to change as soon as we’re done.” If it were anyone else, she would have cancelled, but he was family now, and he’d squeezed her into his schedule. She could deal with it.

  He led her down the short hall and into his office. Shutting the door behind them, he led her to a chair in front of his desk.

  “Brittany tells me you’re dealing with some legal issues with your job—your secret job that I can’t know about,” he said, sitting in his chair. “However, since you’re here seeking my legal advice, I’ll point out that you can confide in your attorney.”

  “Honestly, at this point it doesn’t matter,” she said wryly. “I told Britt about my job years ago, so I’m surprised she hasn’t told you.”

  “You should know by now that Britt’s a vault when it comes to secrets.”

  She used to be, Lanie thought. It was good to hear that hadn’t changed. Lanie gripped the arms of her chair and looked him in the eye. “I’m not a time management consultant. I’m here opening a store on the Plaza, and yesterday we received an injunction that shut down the work site. But late last night I got word that corporate already has their legal team on it. They’re positive they can reverse the injunction today, and we should be back to work by the end of the day.”

  Randy laced his fingers together on his desk. “But you’re still here, so tell me what I can do for you.”

  Reaching into her purse, she pulled out her folded contract. “I need to figure out if it’s in my best interest to let my VP fire me or turn in my notice.”

  She handed it over his desk, and he took it from her. “I’m guessing the question is over any severance package you might receive.”

  “Actually, a bonus package. If I leave in good standing I’m entitled to stock and a nice cash bonus. This store is scheduled to be completed in four weeks, then I’m supposed to move to Phoenix. If I lose my job, I don’t have anything else lined up. I need to make sure I’m compensated. I’ve made good money over the last ten years, and I’ve saved a lot, but…”

  “You don’t want to leave any money on the table. That’s smart.” He studied her and asked, “What makes you so sure you’re going to be fired? From what little Britt says, you’re very good at your job.”

  “Let’s just say I’ve been investigating my new VP’s employment history, and she likes to go in and make a clean sweep of things. She’s made it obvious she doesn’t like me, so the proverbial handwriting’s on the wall. I’d rather be proactive rather than reactive. I know my contract has several clauses for both scenarios. I need to know which one is to my advantage, especially since I know my company will be doing the same.”

  Randy glanced down at the contract and nodded. “Do you have any idea what you’ll do?”

  “Not a clue. I’ve worked for Montgomery Enterprises since I got out of college, which probably means I’m due for a change anyway,” she said. “No one sticks around in one place too long anymore.”

  “Maybe you’ll find something here,” Randy said. “Brittany would love for you to be closer.”

  “Yeah,” she said, surprised the thought hadn’t even occurred to her. She’d been too busy worrying about a possible exit strategy to think about where she’d land. She stood and started to reach out to shake Randy’s hand, but his averted gaze as he stood and took her hand reminded her that she’d let go of her blouse.

  “I have a spare shirt you can put on if you like.” He walked over to a closet, pulled a pale blue shirt off a hanger, and handed it to her. “I have meeting with some clients in about fifteen minutes. How about I go check to make sure everything’s on track? That will give you time to change.”

  “I’ll take off when I’m done. Thanks.” She held up the shirt. “For everything.”

  “No problem.” He stopped at the door and paused, his hand on the knob. “Britt thinks the world of you.”

  “I think the world of her too.”

  “I’m not sure you know how much she appreciates you doing all these wedding activities.” He grinned. “It’s excessive; trust me, I know. But I’d give her anything she wants. And she wants this.”

  Lanie was surprised at the twist of jealousy in her gut. “She’s lucky to have you.”

  Randy’s eyes twinkled as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Can you say that again, only this time to the camera?” Then he laughed and walked out the door.

  * * *

  Tyler headed up to the twelfth floor, trying to get in the right head space for his deposition, but he kept thinking about the sexy brunette from Britt’s shower. He was trying not to dwell on the fact that she was walking around with his jacket and tie next to her creamy skin. He was no romantic, but he couldn’t deny it kicked his imagination into overdrive.

  Maybe he was ready to start seeing women again. Nothing serious, but maybe it was time to get back in the game.

  His thoughts drifted back to his phone call with his father. Did his father have a point? When was the last time he’d made any effort to spend time with his family?

  He stopped by his assistant’s desk to pick up a file for his deposition, but as he headed to his office, he saw Victor heading toward him and thought of a way to start things in the right direction with his brothers.

  “Hey, Victor,” Tyler said as he started to walk by. “Does your offer include your Royals season tickets
?”

  Victor’s smile wavered. “Yeah. What day?”

  “Sunday?”

  “Sure. I’ll give them to you by the end of the day.” Victor waved and continued down the hall.

  “Thanks.”

  Randy walked up behind Tyler and released a low whistle. “Was I hearing things? Did Victor willingly hand over his Royals tickets?”

  “I gave him some legal advice, and he said he owed me. I just had to name the price.”

  “Nice. You do know we have a photo shoot Sunday night too, don’t you?”

  “The game starts at one. I’ll make it.”

  “I’d beg to come along, but Britt would kill me.”

  “And any other time I’d take you, but I’m going to ask my dad and my brothers.”

  Randy’s eyes widened in surprise, not that Tyler blamed him. Randy knew he wasn’t close to his family. “Do you think your dad will come?”

  “No. But at least I’ve made the offer.” Time for a subject change. “Are you ready for the deposition?”

  Randy stopped and did a double take. “Yeah, but where’s your tie? You usually wear one when we’re meeting with clients.”

  “Yeah.” Tyler sighed. “Long story.”

  “There’s a lot of those going around.”

  “What?”

  Randy shook his head and grinned. “Never mind. I have a spare in my office if you want to borrow it.”

  “You have a spare tie?”

  He shrugged. “You never know when you’ll have a fashion emergency. Do you want it?”

  Tyler grinned. “Fashion emergency. You never used to say things like that before Britt. It’s not purple or covered in flashing lights, is it?”

  “No,” Randy said in mock disgust. “You think I’d actually let you steal the limelight more than you usually do with a blinking tie?”

  Tyler laughed. “I can’t help it if the women love me.”

  “Yeah, they love you a little too much.” But Randy cringed after he said it. “Sorry, Tyler. Not so funny.”