Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25839 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Tor gives a few sharp answers when Jamie asks him questions, but other than that he says nothing. His eyes are on me the entire four hours of our program.
By the end, I’m as exhausted as if I’ve run a marathon. My heart is racing, palms sweaty. I’ve scratched my forehead, taking little looks at him from between my fingers, a thousand times, and my panties?
Toast. Wet, soggy toast.
“Okay, well, Natalie…” Jamie gives me a tight smile and a wave of his hand. “Anything to add? Any questions for Mr. Saman?”
Somehow, I manage to say the right words in the right order in my usual closing statement and questions. Tor gives quick, yes and no answers, interjects where he should, but every word to me sounds sexual, and I’m a throbbing, needy mess by the time I’m done.
Words like aggression and intent never sounded so steamy.
“So, did I pass?” he rumbles, his white shirt tight over his chest as I’m hypnotized by the way his Adam’s apple moves under the dark scruff of his beard. His blood-red tie points directly at his crotch like a flashing sign.
Right here. Look here. One look won’t hurt…
“Miss Fillmore will send the results to your HR department,” Jamie chimes in impatiently when I don’t answer. “We are all set for today.” He taps his phone. “Thank you for coming in.”
“Turned out much better than I expected.” He turns to Jamie. “I need a minute with Miss Filmore, if you don’t mind.”
Jamie shoots me a look, closing his laptop and slipping it into his bag.
When I don’t say anything, his eyes widen in annoyance. “I’m sorry. That would not be appropriate, considering…”
He hesitates as Tor levels a dark look at him, but to his credit he recovers way faster than I would in his position.
“Miss Filmore needs to remain neutral. Isn’t that right, Natalie?”
They’re both staring at me as I nod slowly, blankly.
Jamie flashes his eyes at me, and mouths, Are you having a stroke?
Gah.
Get yourself under control, Natalie. Say something. At this point, anything.
“Company policy,” I mumble, finally finding my tongue.
My fingertips are cold and I need to be away from him so bad my pulse is pounding in my ears.
“Company policy,” Tor repeats, twisting his head back and forth, and I hear his neck crack twice. “Got it, Miss Filmore. Wouldn’t want you to get in trouble.”
“Right,” Jamie interjects. “Again, thank you for coming in. We both need to get to the airport, so…”
He leaves it hanging there as Tor arches an eyebrow.
“Business or pleasure?” He aims his words right at me, and when I don’t answer, he starts to smirk. “Well, I don’t want you to miss your flight.”
He nods to Jamie, then spins and heads out the door, as I lean on the table to keep from falling down.
“Jesus, Jennifer and Joanne.” Jamie turns my way as we walk through the automatic doors at the airport. “That guy was intense. And, girl, what is with you?”
“Yeah,” I manage. “Intense.”
My new urge is to race back outside, hail another cab and beat it back to Hicks, Saman and Blunt, where I’ll throw myself on his desk and beg him to pick up where we left off last night in his sister’s office.
“That’s it? Yeah? You are a mess today.”
I take a deep breath, press a smile to my lips and shrug. “Just an off day.”
“Fine, well…you better hope Mr. Smolderson there doesn’t give you a bad review. Paula is this close to canning you.” He squeezes his thumb and index fingers together as a voice comes over the com system, calling for boarding on his flight home. “Shit, I gotta go. You okay?”
I wave him off. “Yes, go. I’m in the other terminal, got to get to my sister’s wedding in Massachusetts.”
Two hours and one flight delay and terminal change later, I’m racing to the security line because I didn’t hear the announcement an hour ago about the gate change for my flight, probably because I was busy daydreaming about those tattooed hands and that masturbation-inspiring voice of Mr. Tor Saman.
I drag my roller bag behind me. One wheel is loose, so the handle wobbles and shakes against my palm. I remain an even hotter mess than I was during the training session, because he’s turned my insides to goo and my brain to lusty mush. But I’m determined to shake this off.
A few days away will do me good.
Thank God I always keep my passport up to date, because I never did find my wallet, so getting through security with my driver’s license was out.
I spent three hours last night online and on the phone, canceling credit cards and checking my bank balances, which, well, there’s not much there to take to be honest.
I shake my head.
Get it together.
One kiss and a little groping, and you’re having visions of white dresses and unprotected honeymoon sex. Keep walking, in a few minutes he’ll be nothing more than inspiration for the next time I’m in the shower with my handheld.