Page 3 of Just a Little Crush

“Of course. We love having Stevie in the office. If you’re as hardworking as she is, then we’d be lucky to have you on board.”

Samantha glanced at something, or someone, over my shoulder and smirked as she nudged Brandy. “I think our men are getting restless.” She looked back at me. “They’re waving us over, so excuse us for now.”

“Of course.” I looked in the direction where Dex and Max had been conversing with Caleb, but he was no longer with them.

“Wow. Brandy didn’t have to do that,” Valerie said, staring at the business card in awe. “I would have gone through the regular channels of applying for the job.”

“Well, now you don’t have to. At least not completely. You’ll still have to get through an interview and prove yourself.”

She bit her bottom lip, and I could see her insecurities surfacing. “And what about explaining getting fired from my previous job?”

I touched Valerie’s arm reassuringly. “Technically, you weren’t fired. You were let go. And trust me when I say that these women are very understanding.” I lowered my voice so only Valerie could hear me. “Samantha had a crazy ex, so both she and Brandy are going to be more sympathetic to your situation than you realize. So be honest and tell them what happened with Mark and his petty revenge.”

She nodded and exhaled a deep breath. “You’re right. And this is very exciting. I mean, Dare PR is one of the most highly respected firms in the city.”

I loved seeing that enthusiasm in Valerie’s eyes. That sense of purpose that had been missing for weeks now. “Yes, I know. And how fun would it be to work together at the same place?”

Valerie tucked the card into her purse and grinned. “Very.”

A member of the waitstaff walked up to us, a silver tray in hand that he extended our way. “Would either of you care for an oyster on the half shell with a simple mignonette?” he offered.

I tried not to gag at the gross-looking mollusk. I knew that this particular hors d’oeuvre was a high-end delicacy, of course, and Remy had spared no expense for this lavish affair for his wife, but I wasn’t about to indulge.

“No, thank you,” I said as politely as I could manage.

Valerie shrugged. “Sure, I’ll try one.”

I watched as my sister brought the shell to her lips, tipped it up, and the grayish blob of meat slid into her mouth. She chewed a couple of times, then swallowed, giving a thoughtful “Hmm” as she returned the now empty shell to a discard dish on the tray.

I shuddered and grimaced through the whole process, and as soon as the waiter walked away, I said, “Oh my God, that looked disgusting.”

“It really wasn’t that bad.”

A low, masculine chuckle sounded from beside me. Startled, I glanced to my left and found Caleb standing there. My pulse ricochetted in shock, and pleasure.

“Sorry,” he said, flashing one of those charming grins of his. “I came over to say hello and couldn’t help but overhear your amusing conversation.”

“There is nothing amusing about a raw oyster,” I insisted, trying not to let my little crush on this man show.

He pushed his hands into the front pockets of his slacks, which pulled his suit jacket a little tighter across his solid chest. “You should have tried one. They’re an aphrodisiac, you know.”

I laughed and shook my head. “Nope. Something that slimy has no business being an aphrodisiac.”

“Fair enough.” Mirth danced in his stunning blue eyes as they held mine, making my heart race a bit faster. “I suppose chocolate and pomegranates are more to your liking?”

“If seduction is the goal, then yes,” I said, the words leaving my mouth before I could censor them. Not that I really cared when it was the truth.

He arched a dark brow, looking intrigued. “Duly noted.”

We stared at one another, as if nothing and no one else existed around us. It was times like this, when the chemistry between us was so palpable, when the flirtations were rife with innuendos, that I wanted to throw caution to the wind and do something wild and reckless. Like press myself against his hard body, or kiss him, just to see if that restraint of his crumbled and BDE took over.

My sister cleared her throat, shattering the moment between us, and Caleb glanced at her, a friendly smile easing across his lips. “Valerie, right?” he asked, acknowledging her when I’d forgotten she even existed.

Valerie smiled back. “Correct. It’s nice to see you, Caleb. And I promise, my sister is far more adventurous than her discriminating attitude toward those oysters shows.”

I gaped at her, and she gave me a too innocent wide-eyed look, while Caleb’s low chuckle roused all my senses and slid down my spine like a warm, masculine caress.

Someone dinged a piece of silverware against a crystal glass, the loud sound cutting through the buzz of conversation out on the terrace. “Everyone, gather around. Remy is on his way up with Raven, so get ready to yell surprise when she walks through those doors.”

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