Page 38 of About that Fling
You didn’t imagine a damn thing.
“Okay, then,” Adam said, as his heart rate slid back to normal. “Let’s get started on the first discussion item on the agenda.”
He grabbed a stack of folders from behind the podium and began to pass them out, significantly less excited to talk about wage caps than toilet paper. His hand brushed Jenna’s as he handed her a packet, and he watched a flush spread over her cheeks.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
“My pleasure,” he said, wishing that were true in every sense.
Jenna walked out of the conference room with Mia at her side, conscious of Adam’s eyes on her. She dared a glance at him, hoping that was the right thing to do to maintain the pretense of being platonic colleagues unacquainted with each other’s genitals.
A smile played at the edges of his mouth, and he gave her a nod of acknowledgment before turning his attention to the CEO. Mia stood talking to someone else now, so Jenna seized the opportunity to stare openly at Adam for a few more seconds. He looked engaged and lively, his hair endearingly rumpled. He’d rolled up his shirtsleeves, and Jenna felt the heat creep into her cheeks again at the sight of his bare arms.
She remembered those forearms anchored on either side of her shoulders, the weight of his body pinning her to the bed as he held her eyes with his.
“So you’re still coming over after work?”
Jenna blinked and turned her attention back to Mia. “Absolutely.”
“I’m so glad,” Mia said, stopping outside the conference room door to lean against the wall. “I’m dying for a girls’ night in.” She smoothed a hand over her belly and closed her eyes for a moment, looking more tired than Jenna had seen her in weeks.
“You sure you’re up for company?”
“Definitely.” Mia opened her eyes again and smiled. “I’ve been looking forward to it all weekend.”
“What can I bring?”
“I have everything for nachos, and I’ll pick up some margarita mix on the way home. Virgin for me, but Mark grabbed tequila last night in case you want it.”
Jenna nodded and tried not to glance at the door. Adam was bound to come strolling out any moment, and part of her wanted to scurry off so she wouldn’t have to deal with the awkwardness of making conversation.
But part of her just wanted another glimpse of him. Just one quick look at those green eyes flashing with amusement and empathy and a sexy heat she wondered if anyone else recognized. Ridiculous, that’s what this was. She’d just spent the last five hours staring at the man, for crying out loud. Did she really need another fix?
She swallowed and forced her attention back to Mia. “Want me to bring a salad tonight?”
“Nah, I don’t feel like being healthy. I just want to put on my PJs, watch trashy TV, and enjoy some girl talk. Are you almost done for the day?”
“I wish. I’ve got a two-hour meeting with the rehab team about some personnel issues, and then I have to run home and check on Gertie to make sure she’s doing okay.”
“She’s feeling better now?”
“Right as rain, but I want to check on her to be sure. How about I swing by around six?”
“Perfect. See you in a few.”
Jenna hustled away, breathing a sigh of relief she’d avoided running into Adam, even as she cast a glance over her shoulder hoping for one last glimpse.
The hallway was empty.
God, she must have looked at that shirtless photo of him at least a hundred times last night. It was stupid how thoroughly entranced she was by an image of a man wearing nothing but a pair of boxers and eyeglasses.
Not just any man, her conscience reminded her. If it were that simple, you’d be Googling “shirtless men with glasses” instead of staring at a photo of the guy who made your toes curl.
Jenna powered through the next few hours, soothing bruised egos and trying to mend fences for one of the most dysfunctional teams in the hospital system. By the time she slid her key into the lock of her front door, she was ready to take Mia’s pajama request seriously.
She opened the door, surprised to find the house silent. “Aunt Gertie?”
No reply. She moved down the hall toward Gert’s room, hating that her brain automatically went to the worst-case scenario. Gert not breathing. Gert unconscious in the bathtub.
