Chapter Five
Saylor
The moment I walked into Pete’s I smiled. I could see why Mason would come here. It was a higher class bar. Almost everyone was dressed in suits or business casual.
I made my way to the bar and sat on a stool. The gentleman next to me glanced my way and smiled. For a moment, I had to steady myself. For the briefest of moments, he looked like Ron, my ex back in Seattle.
Letting out the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, I returned his smile and shifted my focus to the bartender. When he made eye contact, he headed directly to me.
“What can I do you for?”
“Jim Ross around?” I asked.
He smiled bigger, which made me smile. Two good looking guys, two smiles, in less than two minutes. Nice.
But not interested. I swore off men until the end of time. Well, maybe not the end of time.
“I’m Jim. You must be Saylor Night.”
Reaching my hand out over the bar, I nodded. “You’re correct.”
“Well damn, had I known you were so good looking, I would have suggested dinner, pretty lady.”
With a polite chuckle, I opened my mouth to respond but was cut off by another voice.
“Mason Quinn. The pretty lady’s boss.”
With a quick turn of my head, I glared at Mason.
What in the hell?
He had made that sound possessive.
Jim laughed and shook his head. “Mason, how you’ve been?”
Taking the seat next to me, Mason grinned. “Good. You?”
“Well, I was doing pretty damn good until you put my fire out.”
Mason’s head tossed back in a laugh then he shook it and looked at Jim. “You’d be wasting your time on this one.”
With a frown, Jim slowly shook his head. “Damn.”
Pinching my brows hard, I knocked on the wood bar. “Hello. I am still sitting here.”
And what in the heck did Mason mean by that?
Both men turned to me. The evil smile on Mason’s face threw me for a loop. Why in the world would he say that to Jim? I mean, I wasn’t interested, but how would he know. The more I thought about it, the angrier I became.
“You know, Jim, I was actually thinking, maybe dinner would be a good idea.”
“What?” Jim and Mason said at the same time.
Nodding, I flashed him a sexy grin. “Sure, why not. We can talk all things rum.”
“You can do that now,” Mason added with a growl.
“Tonight?” Jim asked, his face laced with hope.
Sliding my phone across the bar, I replied, “I have no plans.” I did though. Mary and I were going to some dance club she insisted I had to check out.
He quickly added my number, and I couldn’t help but notice the guy next to me huff and get off his stool. Not bothering to look at him, I turned to see Mason staring at Jim as he typed his information into my phone.
I had to swallow the lump in my throat as I watched his jaw muscles flex from clamping down on his jaw so hard.
Shit. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to do that. After all, I’m with my boss, during a work meeting and I shamelessly flirted. I wished I could take the last five minutes back. I knew better, but Mason had made me so angry.
Jim handed me back my phone, and I gave him a weak smile and placed my phone in my purse while moving uncomfortably around on my seat. I could feel the heat of Mason’s stare. I had to fight to keep my cheeks from turning red with embarrassment for the childish stunt I just pulled.
“So, Jim, tell me why you picked Jameson Rum to serve at your bar.”
Jim launched into a whole explanation as to why he served Jameson. I was glad to see Mason wasn’t paying any more attention to Jim than I was. At least I was looking at him, pretending like I was paying attention. My boss, on the other hand, was staring at me then at his phone.
“Interesting. Would you be able to just jot down in an email the key points to your reason, so I have them in print and can refer back to them?”
With a huge grin, Jim replied, “Of course.”
I handed him one of my old business cards. “I’ve added my current email to the back of that card. Sorry, I haven’t had time to make up new cards.”
Risking it, I peaked over to Mason. He wore a pissed off look on his face. Without even looking up, he said, “We need to get back to the office. Now.”
My eyes widened in surprise. “Um. Okay, but I haven’t even eaten.”
He looked at me, and for one brief moment, his eyes softened and he gave me the sweetest smile. Something weird happened in my chest. A tightening I hadn’t experienced in a long time gripped me and kept me in my place.
The last time I felt like this was . . . when was the last time I felt like this?
“Right. I’m sorry. We’ll grab something quickly.” Turning to Jim, Mason nodded. “Jim, thanks for your help.”
“Yeah, sure anytime.”
Sliding off the bar stool, Jim called out my name. “So, dinner tonight?”
Shit.
“Let me double check my calendar at the office, and I’ll text you. Sound good?”
“Sounds like a plan.”
I gave him a smile before whirling around on my heels and walking quickly to catch up to Mason. “The plan is not to text you,” I mumbled under my breath.
“What was that?” Mason asked.
“Nothing. Nothing at all.”
***
The emergency meeting Mason called started in twenty minutes. We were both already in the conference room, and I watched him as he shoveled chow mien noodles into his mouth while reading something on his lap top.
My lip snarled up as I watched him eat.
How did he not get anything on his shirt? Could he eat any faster?
“You know, it’s not very healthy for you to eat fast like that.”
His head snapped over, and he glared at me. I looked down at my Chinese take-out and whispered, “Okay.”
Mason hadn’t said one word to me since we left Pete’s. In the back of my mind I had a terrible feeling he was about to call me out in front of the whole team on how inappropriate it was for me to make dinner plans with Jim.
“Mason?” I asked while pushing my lunch away. I was suddenly no longer hungry.
“What?” he snapped.
“I’m sorry I made dinner plans with Jim like that. I was angry you made a comment about him wasting his time on me. First, I don’t think you know me well enough to say something like that, and second, I didn’t appreciate being treated like I wasn’t sitting there and privy to your conversation with him.”
He dropped his fork into the to-go container and studied me for a few seconds.
“Are you going out with him?”
My face constricted up into a confused manner. “What? No. I never had any intentions of going out to dinner with him.”
His face instantly softened. “I’m sorry I said that. It was rude, and my behavior was uncalled for. It won’t happen again.”
Mason turned back to his food, grabbed his fork and started eating again. Not even waiting for me to respond to his apology.
I couldn’t help but stare at him as he ate.
Goodness. He makes eating look sexy as hell. I wonder what kind of lover he is. Rough and hard? Likes to just get in there, do his thing and then leave the poor girl laying there in bed wondering what in the world just happened? Or maybe he’s a sweet, slow lover. The kind that makes sure the girl is taken care of first.
I could only imagine how Mason would take care of the woman he was with. My eyes instantly fell to those soft plump lips.
His mouth. Lord, I bet he was good with that mouth.
“You not going to finish? Are you feeling sick?”
His voice pulled me from my naughty thoughts.
Holy shit. What in the heck just happened to me?
My hands came up to my red hot cheeks.
The door to the conference room opened. Mason quickly stood, reached for my lunch and turned to toss both out in the trash behind us. He did it so fast I didn’t even have time to respond.
Looking at me, he winked. “Wouldn’t want to give people the wrong idea.”
Huh? So he thinks by me eating lunch with him people will think something is happening? The thought alone must make him cringe.
Okay, so was that three times this asshole had insulted me today!
“Of course not. I’m sure I’m not the type of woman you want to give the impression you’re with.”
Mason froze in place and stared down at me. “What?” he asked, his brows pinched tightly together.
Standing, I gathered up my things and stopped next to him. “It’s okay, you prefer to have people thing you’re into the Charisa Phelp’s type. I get it.”
His mouth opened to respond, but I walked past him and mingled with the other people walking into the room. Sitting across the table from him, I set my things down and sunk into the chair. I wasn’t sure why it bothered me so much to not have Mason interested in me. Why would I ever think a guy like him would ever be interested in a woman like me? Not that I didn’t think I was pretty, but I obviously wasn’t up to Mr. Quinn’s standards.
Another woman sat down next me.
“Hi, Jenn Roberts. You’re Saylor right?”
I forced a smile. “Yes, it’s a pleasure meeting you, Jenn.”
“The pleasure is mine.” Her megawatt grin practically lit up the room when she looked over at Mason.
Wait. Did she just sigh? Good lord.
Rolling my eyes, I scanned the room. I’d already met most of the people in here, some I hadn’t even laid eyes on yet.
Mason cleared his throat before speaking. “Before we start, I want to introduce Saylor Night for those of you who have not met her yet. She is our new marketing research analyst.”
All eyes landed on me, and I nodded my head and smiled. “I’m excited to be working here at Tate and Cane.”
“Ms. Night joins us after leaving behind a management position with Smith and Smith in Seattle.” A few brows rose like they were surprised by this bit of information from Mason. One or two polite nods and everyone focused back on Mason. His receptionist came and handed him a box of protein bars and a file. He took it and then stood there for a moment glaring at everyone as his eyes moved across the table before opening the box and taking out a few bars.
“Energy bars. How fucking hard is it to do a marketing campaign for protein bars?”
The tone of his voice made me sit up a little bit more. He was clearly angry. This man could go from zero to sixty at the speed of light.
“The people sitting in this room are some of the best in the industry. So when a best selling company in the US approaches us about a major rebranding on their product line, do you know what they expect?”
No one said a word, so Mason went on.
“They expect a campaign presentation that doesn’t look like a bunch of fifth graders put it together.”
Mason flung the file onto the desk and papers went everywhere. I quickly scanned them. My eyes widened in shock when I saw one of the tag lines.
Keeps you pumping all day.
“This is nothing but shit. I wouldn’t present this to my dog, let along a multi-billion dollar company.”
Reaching across the table, he held up a picture of a shirtless, built man. I read the tag line and had to bite my cheek to keep from laughing.
It keeps that important muscle hard all day.
He shook his head and looked straight at a gentleman sitting on the other side of Jenn.
“Is this some kind of joke? Are you that much of a moron that you would actually put this on an ad campaign. Are we trying to sell fuck pills or a goddamn protein bar?”
I winced. Mason continued to unleash on the guy.
“You focus on the natural aspects of the protein bar. Is that not what the client stated they wanted. What do you think that means?”
Not one person said a word. Mason scanned the room, waiting for someone to speak up. “Are all of you daft?”
Then he looked at me.
Clearing my throat, I stated, “You’d focus on the nutrients, the fact that the product as no GMO’s, and how many grams of protein it contains. You’d comment on how the product would feed your muscles. Things along those lines.”
The corner of his mouth rose slightly and he almost looked proud of what I had said. Pointing to me, he said, “Thank you, Saylor, for being the only fucking person to come up with an answer to my question.”
I nodded.
A few people moved uncomfortably in their seats as Mason continued to lay into everyone. “Do you people do nothing but screw off all day?”
I couldn’t help but notice how every now and then it sounded as if Mason had a British accent. He turned his back on us and I knew he was trying to get his anger under control.
Leaning over to Jenn, I asked in a whispered voice, “Am I imagining it, or does he some times sound slightly British?”
She covered her mouth to hide her smile. “He’s from England. Moved here when he was young. When he gets mad like this, you’ll pick up the accent. He will even throw in a British slang word. It’s adorable.”
Rolling my eyes, I groaned internally. With Jenn’s use of the world adorable, I knew she had a crush on Mason.
I wouldn’t exactly say it was adorable when Mason let that little accent slip, I’d label it more like sexy as hell.
After another ten minutes of listening to Mason blast into everyone, he pushed his hand through his hair once again. It was clearly something he did when he was frustrated and damn it all to hell if it didn’t make my lower stomach pull slightly with desire. He glared around the room and said, “Get back to the drawing board on this. I want something new on my desk first thing Monday morning, and if it isn’t spot on, anyone working on this campaign is fired.”
A few groans were heard while everyone moved to stand and make their way out of the room. Jenn turned to me and frowned. “Well, I was going to invite you to happy hour, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be working late tonight.”
“Thank you for the invite, maybe next week?”
She nodded. “Sounds good. Enjoy your weekend if I don’t see you again, Saylor.”
“I will. You do the same.”
Making my way to the door, Mason’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “Saylor, I need to speak with you, don’t leave.”
With a forced smile, I nodded and stepped out of the way of everyone else retreating out of the room. Ashley, Mason’s receptionist was standing off to the side waiting for everyone to leave as well.
“Ashley, you can leave. Shut the door on your way out.”
The young girl looked confused. “Um, yes sir. You have a conference call in ten minutes, Mr. Quinn.”
When I glanced over to Mason, my breath caught in my throat. He was staring at me with the most intense look I’d ever seen on a man’s face.
“Cancel it. I’m not sure how long Ms. Night and I will be.”
“Yes, sir.”
Well hell, that can’t be good.