Six
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Logan found it difficult to keep from taking sideways glances at Samantha Kielty. She had fallen into step beside him, and despite their height difference, she managed to keep up with his long stride. Making a conscious effort to slow down, he let her get a step or two in front of him as they descended the stairs.
Admittedly, since he’d seen her that morning, Logan had found everything difficult. He couldn’t focus; he’d barely suffered through the last three meetings he’d been in. This woman managed to do what no other had done in years. She’d overwhelmed his mind since their conversation last week and that was before he’d seen all of her. When he’d gotten a close look at her in the hall that morning, Logan had been doomed.
Samantha Kielty was – what was the word he was looking for? Hot? No, that sounded too immature. But, it was one hell of an adjective.
Of course, there were other attractive women who worked at XTX, some who even made Sam look almost plain, but none that he had ever encountered turned him on like she did.
He wasn’t just captivated by her looks. No, with Samantha, it was more the whole package. Maybe the first hint of attraction had been when he saw her on the vid-con call, but the second she opened her mouth and he got a hint of her intelligence and wit, he knew he was a goner. Now, he had the pleasure of being in her company and no matter what mental lecture he gave himself about right, wrong, or indifferent, he wanted to spend more time with her. Just to get to know her better.
Looking at her was just an added bonus.
When they made it to the lobby, he motioned to the front doors which would lead them to the parking lot. As he held the door open, she barely brushed up against him, obviously not intentional because she flushed beautifully.
As he looked down at her, he grinned. Sam wasn’t tall, but she wasn’t short either. In those three inch heels that made her legs look incredibly long, not to mention sexy as hell, she came about chin level. She’d fit perfectly against him, and wasn’t that the most inappropriate thought he’d had in quite some time. Well, maybe not too long ago. Shit, he’d been thinking about her naked all weekend.
That was before he’d seen her body. Now he was still picturing her naked – except she was still wearing those sexy red heels. Damn it.
Making their way down the front steps, Logan caught a few other men who took second glances and despite his desire to shoot daggers from his eyes, he couldn’t blame them.
The short, black skirt she wore accented her well defined legs and her luscious ass. And honestly, her skirt wasn’t all that short, coming to the top of her knees, but she was every man’s wet dream.
Fuck. He had to get his head back in the game and off of this woman’s smoking hot body. This was his job, his life, and he didn’t have time to be entertaining any ideas about someone who worked for him. Not to mention, it wouldn’t look good for him to be eyeing her as he walked through the building.
When they approached his car, another man’s head turned, this time lingering a little too long for his own preference on her legs. His reaction was anything but professional. More possessive than anything and he knew when it came to this woman, he would make sure everyone knew she was off limits.
Especially to him.
He realized they’d walked the last few minutes without saying a word and he felt like an ass. Here she was, visiting the Dallas office as she pondered over a job offer he found himself hoping she would take and he was eyeing her rather than telling her as much as he could about the ins and outs of the corporate headquarters.
He clicked the key fob to unlock the doors on the black Cadillac CTS parked in the first row of the parking garage, and motioned for her to step in front of him. It took more will power than he thought he possessed not to let his eyes travel down the length of her backside, but somehow he managed.
He opened the passenger door and waited for her to get seated inside. Before shutting the door, he smiled again. Damn, this was going to be one hell of a lunch.
Once inside the car, he finally managed to find his voice. “So, what sounds good for lunch?”
He risked a glance in her direction, and when their eyes met, he could have sworn, for a brief second, he saw the same burning intensity in her gaze that he felt in his blood. But it could have been his imagination because just as quickly as he’d seen it, it was gone. He had to get his hormones under control. This was just business. He was taking her to lunch to get to know her a little bit better – strictly from a work perspective.
“Since I’m not from around here, you’ll have to give me some suggestions.” Sam’s voice jolted him into the moment, and he realized he’d asked her a question. Did her voice always sound so husky and breathless? Or was that just his imagination?
“You’re in luck. We’ve got just about anything around here. Chinese, Japanese? Or maybe a burger? And the best damn steakhouse around. Your choice.”
“I’m game for a steak if you are.”
That he could get on board with.
Logan backed out of the space, turned the wheel and put his foot on the gas. Once they were headed toward the main road, he’d managed to get his head in the game.
He debated on whether to break the silence in the car. For the first time in years, Logan found he was incredibly nervous. His senses were flooded with the intoxicating scent of her, something exotic, spicy, but sweet at the same time. Maybe that was affecting his brain to mouth function.
She didn’t seem to be worried about their lack of conversation; instead she busied herself with staring out the window. He punched the volume control a couple of times to provide them some background noise, but it didn’t seem to faze her. Once, he thought he’d seen her sneak a look in his direction, but he kept his eyes on the road although he grinned like a teenager.
The short drive, though longer than he remembered, finally ended when he pulled into the parking lot. Once parked, Logan climbed out of the car and walked around to the passenger side door. By that time, Sam had already gotten out of the car, but he was quick to shut her door for her.
He’d been raised to be a gentleman, but he recognized her independent streak. She was a strong woman, likely set in her ways, but when they reached the doors to the restaurant, he noted she did allow him to open the door for her.
The smile she shot back at him went straight to his groin, and he fought the urge to release the groan that lodged in his throat. It wasn’t until they were seated at a table in the back and served the complimentary bread that either of them actually spoke.
“So, how did it go with Jeff this morning? I noticed he was more optimistic than he has been the past few days.” Logan asked as he leaned against the seat back, resting his arms on the table in front of him.
“We had a bit of a rough start.”
“How so?” Logan watched as Sam seemed to be examining his hands. In turn, he saw that she had her hands clasped together in her lap, and she looked just as nervous as he felt.
“He’s dealing with some personal issues, but we worked through it. He offered some excellent insight into the team, and we discussed a couple of the smaller projects he’s got going on.”
Logan realized what she said, and for the first time, he felt disconnected from a member of his team. Personal issues? Sure, he thought Jeff seemed stressed lately, but the man wasn’t generally a bottle of sunshine, so it hadn’t caught his attention. “What type of personal issues?” He found himself asking.
“I don’t think it’s my place to tell.” She smiled and took a sip of the tea the waitress had just delivered. “Without overstepping my bounds, I would suggest, however, that you take the time to talk to him before he leaves for good.”
Overstepping? He wasn’t sure Samantha Kielty knew how not to overstep, but she seemed genuinely concerned, so he smiled back. At least she wasn’t intimidated by him. He liked that she valued other people’s privacy. Most people answered whatever question he threw at them with full disclosure. It was refreshing to meet someone who wasn’t going to give him every detail just because he wanted to know.
“Understood. Glad to hear it turned around for you. I’ve heard you have that effect on people.” It was actually one of the reasons Logan had been so interested in her for the position, but he wasn’t going to tell her that just yet.
“It’s a useful skill, I’ll admit.”
“How so?” He asked, trying to get her to open up a little more.
“When you’re managing people and projects, sometimes, well, most of the time, in my experience, those projects don’t go as you expect them to. To be successful, you’ve got to be able to rally the troops and get them to want to do it. Being able to get them to open up is a good start.”
“You passed the interview with flying colors, Samantha. You don’t have to try and sell yourself anymore.” Logan laughed. She sounded so serious and as much as this was an official business lunch, he found himself wanting to get to know more about her personally.
“Right. Sorry. I guess I just get carried away sometimes.” Samantha replied, her cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink. “And please, call me Sam.”
That was the second time she’d asked him to call her Sam. He made a mental note to lose the formality, as he’d advised her originally. Nodding his understanding, he continued. “Tell me a little about you. I know about your career with the company, but I don’t know much about you.”
“Let’s see if I can give you the watered down version. Born and raised in San Antonio. One brother, older. I graduated from high school with honors, went straight to college, graduated early by doubling up on some of my classes. That’s my entire life story in a nutshell.”
Ahhh. Ok. That was how she was going to play it.
“I’ve seen your resume. It’s rather impressive.” He liked the innocence that lit her eyes when she talked about herself. There was something about her vulnerability that intrigued him. However, this woman was a contradiction in itself because when it came to business, she was cool and confident.
~*~*~
“What about you? I haven’t seen your resume. Fill me in.” Sam countered, watching Logan closely to see his reaction to her turn of the tables. It wasn’t that she couldn’t talk about herself; it’s just she wasn’t all that comfortable with it.
And truth be told, she honestly did want to know more about this man. She’d be working for him, and if she could get a better understanding of what made him tick, she’d be able to determine the boundaries.
“My personal resume? Or the professional one?” He asked, his large, sexy hand curving around the glass of tea sitting in front of him.
Sam had been watching his hands for the last few minutes, trying her damnedest not to think about what they would feel like on her skin. When she’d brushed up against him as they were leaving XTX, she’d gotten a feel of his rock solid chest and she’d been flooded with totally inappropriate thoughts since then.
“Let’s start with the personal one.”
“I’ve got one brother also. We were raised by my grandfather since I was eight. Both of my parents were killed when I was young. Drunk driver.”
“I’m sorry.” Sam reacted on pure instinct. Knowing the man was probably close to forty, that was a very long time ago, but her heart suddenly ached for the eight year old Logan who had to go through that.
“Thanks. My grandfather was tough, but he loved me. I didn’t stray from my path. I graduated from high school, going straight to college. Had a fantastic time while I was there, but I did try to focus on my studies. I graduated and went to work for a competitor of XTX, working there for about seven years, and then I came here. Been here ever since.”
“And how long have you been with XTX?”
Logan smiled his crooked smile which nearly stole her breath.
“Are you trying to figure out how long I’ve been here, or how old I am?”
Sam laughed unexpectedly. Had she been trying to figure out how old he was? Probably.
“You got me.” She had to give him credit for reading between the lines. “Maybe both. So?”
“I’ve been with XTX for ten years now. So, how old does that make me?”
Sam did the math quickly in her head. She figured he was roughly around forty, based on the calculation, but she’d already guessed that. She just smiled back at him.
It didn’t matter how old he was or that he was probably close to ten years her senior. Well, it shouldn’t have mattered. She had no reason trying to determine if they were compatible. It wasn’t an option. He would be her boss if things continued to go the way they were going now.
“Well? I’m still waiting. I think you have it all figured out.” Logan pushed her, and Sam noted the mischievous look in his eye.
God, maybe this was an exceptionally bad idea.
“Doesn’t really matter, does it?” She quipped, a little harsher than she meant. “I don’t need to know how old you are to work for you.”
He seemed to let her frustration roll off of him when he said, “So, you’re planning to work for me?”
The anticipation she heard in his voice was a good sign, or so she thought.
“I’m leaning in that direction, sure. It just depends on this afternoon and what Jeff can tell me about the upcoming project. I’m qualified, I get that. I can do the work. It’s a big step for me though. I’m leaving my entire life to come up here for an undisclosed amount of time.”
That was only partly true. Her entire life consisted of XTX as it was, so not much would change except for her location. But he didn’t need to know that.
“As I mentioned before, this is certainly a long term option. We need you here, and I know you’re capable of doing the work. If you weren’t, I wouldn’t have asked for you specifically.”
Sam got the impression he was still trying to sell her the job, and he probably was. A little bit of disappointment crept through her. Part of her wanted him to try and convince her because he wanted her here, not just because she was the most qualified for the job.
“Why exactly did you ask for me?” Sam had to get the conversation back on safer ground. Work was safe.
She wanted to know what made him believe she was qualified for the job. Her resume spoke for itself, but she was pretty sure Logan wasn’t the type to rely on a one page bio to give him the information he needed to make this type of decision.
“James is very fond of you. So much so, I was almost inclined to see if the two of you were related.” He joked. “When I called him to see if he knew of anyone who would fit the qualifications, already knowing you would, he confirmed it. He mentioned you, and we discussed the accomplishments you’ve made thus far. They’re rather impressive.”
“Thank you.” At that moment, the waitress chose to interrupt them.
The woman was young, maybe early twenties and Sam didn’t miss the way she batted her eyelashes and bit her lower lip as she ogled Logan. It was the look that told him she was extremely interested and that if he asked for her phone number, she would probably already have it on a slip of paper in her pocket.
“Are you guys ready to order, or do you need a few more minutes.” The young lady asked, her voice soft and sexy as she eyed Logan, her eyelashes sheepishly fluttering.
Neither of them had looked at the menu, so Logan glanced over at Sam. “You ready?”
Sam didn’t hesitate as she rattled off her order, her eyes never leaving Logan’s. She wasn’t sure what made her stare back at him, but something deep inside of her felt threatened by the young woman with the perky breasts, blonde hair and big, blue eyes. Something so powerful she forgot for a single moment that she wasn’t on a date, but rather a casual, business lunch.
Something inside of Sam tingled, her thighs clinching tightly as he seemed to be eyeing her with as much heat as she was him.
“I’ll have the same.” Logan’s deep voice rumbled, sending shockwaves of electricity reverberating straight to her core. He never broke eye contact, and Sam was sure he could see her interest.
“I’ll put your order right in. If you need anything else, my name is Heather.” The perky, young woman said sweetly, clearly oblivious to Logan’s lack of interest.
“Thank you, Heather.” Sam managed a professional tone, briefly glancing up at the other woman, before her eyes locked with Logan’s again.
A chill ran down her spine, physically making her tremble, as the thought of kissing Logan ran through her mind. Would sparks fly if he kissed her? She could almost feel the warmth of his lips on hers, and she fought to erase the inappropriate thought. Although it continued to teeter on the edge of her conscience.
“I take it you’ve been here before?” Logan asked, still holding her gaze.
“Sure. This chain is all over Texas. I’ve always liked it.” Ok break the eye contact Samantha. Take it back to safer ground. “So, where were we?”
Thankfully Logan picked right back up where they had left off.
“After talking to James, I discussed you with a few of the PMs in my office, and they had good things to say about you. Even Jeff offered up your name as a replacement for him. At that point, I was sold. I didn’t even need to hear the feedback I received from your team. You’re a very popular person within the company.”
Sam was embarrassed by his praise, but she did her best to keep her composure. She found she wanted this job more and more. Unfortunately, she also wanted this man.
“I’m glad to hear that. To know I’ve managed to build some strong relationships makes it all seem worthwhile. I enjoy working for XTX, and I think I’ll enjoy Dallas just as much as San Antonio.” If not more. She thought the last part, and was glad it hadn’t tumbled out of her mouth.
The remainder of the lunch went well, the two of them discussing more in depth what the priorities of the organization were and the overall objectives of the upcoming projects. By the end, Sam was ready to tell him yes, she would take the job, but she still wanted to talk to Jeff a little more. If for nothing else than to make Logan sweat a little.
The thought of him sweating nearly had her coming undone.
Sam offered to pay for her own meal, but Logan insisted, using the excuse that it was on the company. As they walked out to the car, she could almost feel his body heat as close as he seemed to be. Maybe it was her imagination.
Logan had been completely professional all through lunch. After all, she was the one with the devious thoughts that seemed to be wandering into unchartered territory. Sam had to get over the school girl crush she seemed to have developed and keep the relationship professional.
As they reached the car, Sam reached down to open the door at the same time Logan reached for the handle, and their fingers brushed lightly. The sparks that ignited between the two of them were instantaneous and almost visible to the naked eye.
Pulling back quickly, Sam managed to avoid his gaze. Her physical reaction to the boss was highly inappropriate, unprofessional and just plain wrong, but the heat that flamed around her threatened to turn her into a quivering mass of lust.
Maybe the best thing to do would be to refuse the job and go back to San Antonio as fast as she possibly could. Since that seemed a bit hasty, Sam hoped she could find a way to avoid him for the next few days. Some time to get her head on straight was what she needed and being within one hundred feet of him would make that nearly impossible.
As she slid into the car, Sam’s eyes met his once again, and she knew she had to stick to her plan. She wasn’t imagining the heat she saw this time. There was no way she could have predicted the storm of energy that ignited between the two of them, but she knew he felt it as much as she did. She’d seen that look on a man’s face before, and if she wasn’t mistaken, he wasn’t thinking about how well she would perform at the job. Neither was she.
That was the problem.
She let her hair drape her face as she broke eye contact, letting him shut the door. She avoided watching him as he moved to the driver’s side.
She truly needed to consider what she would be getting herself into if she accepted this job. This was her life. If she did something so stupid as to believe she could balance both her career and a man like Logan McCoy, she’d be setting herself up for failure.
Not only was he going to be her boss, which made him totally off limits, Sam wasn’t sure she could handle the firestorm he ignited within her.
Damn, she was in big trouble here.