quickly counted and organized the pages in the file to make sure they were all still there. For once I was actually glad Alexa had skimped on her work; it meant I had less to pick up. I turned to pick up the books, but the man already had them in his arms.
“Let me,” he said, smiling at my confused expression.
“You really don't have to do that. I can get them,” I replied, feeling incredibly self conscious as I rose from the floor. Only teenagers from the 1950's offered to carry a girl's books. “Besides, I was the one who ran into you.”
“Then how about a trade?” he offered, keeping the books close to him so I couldn't take them. His eyes held a secret mirth, as though he knew exactly what I was thinking and found it amusing. “I'll carry the books for you if you'll show me how to get out of here.”
“What?” I was saying that a lot to this man, but he had me thoroughly flustered.
“I'll carry the books for you if you show me the way to the main elevators,” he explained. “That's why I was coming to your office. I've been wandering around looking for the way out when I saw the light on in there.”
“The exit's actually just around the corner and to the right,” I said, pointing down the hallway helpfully. “People are always getting lost down here. Someone really should have walked you out.”
He flashed me a heart-stopping grin. I suddenly wished I hadn't just told him where the exit was. I should know better than to tell good looking men who want to carry my books how to escape from me.
“Then why don't you walk me out once we've delivered these?” he asked, ignoring my directions. For whatever reason, he wanted to carry my books. Maybe he just felt bad about nearly running me over.
“Okay,” I said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “I have to drop this file off at my boss's office before we take the books upstairs. You sure? You really don't have to.”
“I'm sure,” he told me, the corners of his mouth moving up toward another grin. “I'm waiting for my ride, and I would rather spend the time carrying your books than waiting in the lobby.”
“It's over this way,” I said, leading the way down the hall. I could feel him walking beside me, far enough away to be polite, but close enough that I was very aware of his presence. Plus, he smelled amazing. It was a clean, light scent that reminded me more of soap than cologne. The short walk to Calvin's office was not nearly long enough.
I knocked smartly on the door and Calvin answered. He had loosened his tie and looked overworked. His flat brown hair needed a trim and he looked pale as the afternoon light faded and the harsh florescent lights were all that was left. He glared at me with dark eyes as I handed him the file.
“Here's the discovery file from Alexa,” I informed him. He snatched it from me and began going over it.
“Lena, this was supposed to be with me an hour ago. Kathryn's on my ass for this. You need to do your job.” He glared at me, wanting to say more but noticing the man standing behind me. He wasn't about to make a scene in front of someone who could be a potential client. “We've talked about this.”
“She just sent me the message to give it to you five minutes ago. I can show it to you if you'd like.” I tried to keep my voice calm and even, though it was difficult. I wanted to snarl and snap that this was Alexa's fault and not mine, but I knew book-holding-man could hear every word and I didn't want to sound petulant in front of him.
Calvin frowned. His eyes focused on me and I could tell he wanted to berate me for being late, but couldn't with our observer present. “No. I'll take it up with Alexa.” He turned the last page of the file and looked up at me, incredulous. “Where's the rest of it?”
For a moment, I panicked and thought I lost a page. But, I had counted twice, so I knew they had to be all there. He had to just be shocked that it was so short, especially since it
“Let me,” he said, smiling at my confused expression.
“You really don't have to do that. I can get them,” I replied, feeling incredibly self conscious as I rose from the floor. Only teenagers from the 1950's offered to carry a girl's books. “Besides, I was the one who ran into you.”
“Then how about a trade?” he offered, keeping the books close to him so I couldn't take them. His eyes held a secret mirth, as though he knew exactly what I was thinking and found it amusing. “I'll carry the books for you if you'll show me how to get out of here.”
“What?” I was saying that a lot to this man, but he had me thoroughly flustered.
“I'll carry the books for you if you show me the way to the main elevators,” he explained. “That's why I was coming to your office. I've been wandering around looking for the way out when I saw the light on in there.”
“The exit's actually just around the corner and to the right,” I said, pointing down the hallway helpfully. “People are always getting lost down here. Someone really should have walked you out.”
He flashed me a heart-stopping grin. I suddenly wished I hadn't just told him where the exit was. I should know better than to tell good looking men who want to carry my books how to escape from me.
“Then why don't you walk me out once we've delivered these?” he asked, ignoring my directions. For whatever reason, he wanted to carry my books. Maybe he just felt bad about nearly running me over.
“Okay,” I said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “I have to drop this file off at my boss's office before we take the books upstairs. You sure? You really don't have to.”
“I'm sure,” he told me, the corners of his mouth moving up toward another grin. “I'm waiting for my ride, and I would rather spend the time carrying your books than waiting in the lobby.”
“It's over this way,” I said, leading the way down the hall. I could feel him walking beside me, far enough away to be polite, but close enough that I was very aware of his presence. Plus, he smelled amazing. It was a clean, light scent that reminded me more of soap than cologne. The short walk to Calvin's office was not nearly long enough.
I knocked smartly on the door and Calvin answered. He had loosened his tie and looked overworked. His flat brown hair needed a trim and he looked pale as the afternoon light faded and the harsh florescent lights were all that was left. He glared at me with dark eyes as I handed him the file.
“Here's the discovery file from Alexa,” I informed him. He snatched it from me and began going over it.
“Lena, this was supposed to be with me an hour ago. Kathryn's on my ass for this. You need to do your job.” He glared at me, wanting to say more but noticing the man standing behind me. He wasn't about to make a scene in front of someone who could be a potential client. “We've talked about this.”
“She just sent me the message to give it to you five minutes ago. I can show it to you if you'd like.” I tried to keep my voice calm and even, though it was difficult. I wanted to snarl and snap that this was Alexa's fault and not mine, but I knew book-holding-man could hear every word and I didn't want to sound petulant in front of him.
Calvin frowned. His eyes focused on me and I could tell he wanted to berate me for being late, but couldn't with our observer present. “No. I'll take it up with Alexa.” He turned the last page of the file and looked up at me, incredulous. “Where's the rest of it?”
For a moment, I panicked and thought I lost a page. But, I had counted twice, so I knew they had to be all there. He had to just be shocked that it was so short, especially since it
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