Page 46 of Reckless Kiss

Chapter 15

Ipractically skipped into the Bancroft Sports offices I was so fucking happy. There was a bounce to my steps, a smile on my lips. I was humming for fucks sake. I’d made it my mission to completely satisfy Esme and in the process I was the one who left in a fog of complete bliss.

Yes, bliss.

It wasn’t a manly word but what else adequately described sublime happiness?

In fact I was so happy I forgot why I was at work on a Saturday.

“What the hell are you wearing?” Roman St. James asked from the head of the conference table. He was leaned back far enough to put his feet on the table. He wasn’t, but he could have.

I glanced down at my dark designer jeans and blue cotton t-shirt. “It’s Saturday.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a t-shirt,” Roman said, letting the chair snap upright. He wore practically the same outfit except his shirt bore the Mantas emblem in the top left corner.

“Well now you have.” I dropped into a seat beside Maddie, another agent.

“He’s right. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in jeans.”

I rolled my eyes. “What is with you two? I wear real clothes like real people on the weekends. Come over for football and you’ll see.”

“Yeah, but when you visit clients on the weekends you wear a suit. When you come into the office on the weekends...you still wear a suit. You’re not in a suit,” Maddie grinned.

Marie flopped into the chair opposite mine. “That’s because he was with a woman.”

I had several pairs of interested eyes on me now.

“It was a Friday night. Why is it surprising I had a woman in my bed this morning?”

Marie looked down at her laptop but there was a grin plastered to her face.

Roman was the one who took the fall. “There’s a rumor floating around the office that you’re retired.”

Maddie nodded furiously. “Yep. Everyone’s talking about how you haven’t mentioned even one of your ladies-of-the-one-nights in months. Months!”

Suddenly my collar felt too tight and a sweat broke out over my skin. It was too soon to talk about Esme, especially with Marie in the room.

“So if you’re aren’t satisfying the women of Tampa Bay, who was in your bed, Leo?” Roman tapped his fingers on the table.

It was like one of those drums of doom they played before they strung up some poor bastard for stealing bread. “I thought we were here to work.”

“You know what I think?” Maddie turned to Roman. “I think he’s dating someone. As inonewoman.”

I yanked at my collar. My skin itched. “Okay fine. You’re right. I’ve retired from my hobby and am currently involved with someone I care very much about.” There. Maybe they’d back off now that I’d thrown them a few crumbs.

“Who?” This time it was Marie of all people, looking at me over her laptop with a genuine smile and eyes filled with curiosity.

Unfortunately, as a childhood friend of Esme’s, she was the one person I didn’t want to tell. So I shot her a look. “When I’m ready to tell you nosy Nellie’s, you’ll be the first to know.”

Marie held in a laugh as she looked at Roman and mouthed, “Nosy Nellie’s? Really?”

Yes. Along with my strange hybrid accent I also enjoyed bizarre sayings. Sue me.

Maddie smiled at me shyly. “You don’t have to say anything specific. Just tell us what she’s like.” Then she shrugged. “You know all of our partners. We care, Leo.”

She made a valid point. I was close with Marie’s husband Greg, as well as Roman’s wife, June. Maddie’s partner I was less familiar with but that had more to do with the fact that Rachel traveled all the time and they’d only been together for a year.

Maybe it was the fact it was a Saturday and we were all under a lot of stress that brought out their gossipy sides. These were my coworkers but we were also friends. When you spent that much time with people you had two choices: to keep a professional wall up at all times, or make them family. I’d had jobs where that professional wall was imperative. My bosses were morons and my fellow employees untrustworthy assholes. Work was work and nothing else.

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