The Unidentified Redhead (Redhead #1)(12)
Author: Alice Clayton

I was very aware that our only physical contact so far had been two hand-shakes and a perfunctory rub down through a towel when he was helping me to dry off. I wanted contact.

“I somehow doubt that, Sheridan. In any case, I’m quite sure I can handle it,” he said, moving slightly closer.

If I weren’t so conscious of where he was in relation to me, I probably wouldn’t have noticed it. Nevertheless, every single molecule, every particle, every speck of matter between us had begun to hum, and I was aware of everything.

I knew exactly where he was.

Keep moving over here, sweetie, keep moving.

“I don’t think you realize how nuts I actually am. And no one ‘handles’

me, Hamilton,” I taunted, creeping infinitesimally closer to him. Now I was the one on the move.

“I think you’re the right kind of nuts. I like girls who are nuts.” I could literally feel his eyes on me. I could feel them moving across my body. I watched as his lips pushed his words out, watched the tip of his tongue slide gently across his lower lip as he punctuated his sentence. He cocked his head slightly to the side and as he raised his right hand to his head to run his fingers through his hair, I finally noticed his hands, his fingers.

Holy Lord, look at his hands. Good. Night. Nurse.

The tension was so thick in the room, it was too much. He was too much.

I couldn’t take the pressure, so I panicked. Sexy and in control Grace left and twelve-year-old dork Grace took her place.

“Heh heh, you said nuts,” I burst out. My self-edit button was now turned off for good.

Grace, you suck.

I began to giggle uncontrollably as I watched his face scrunch up. My giggles turned into chortles, then guffaws, and finally full on belly laughs—the kind where you look more in pain than anything else. I was completely into the ugly laugh stage. Thankfully, after he observed my display for a moment, he joined in.

I grabbed onto him, almost losing my balance in my frenetic state of mind.

I was laughing so hard I was seeing stars, and about the same time Jack started wiping tears away from his face, I could feel mine fall as well.

When we finally began to settle down, I noticed he was staring at me with a look of contentment. The kind you only get after a truly great laugh.

“Oh man, you really are nuts,” he sighed.

“Don’t start. I can’t handle another fit like that,” I began to giggle again and then squelched it down. We stared at each other for a long moment, our breath still coming fast from the insanity of what just happened. And not just the laughing.

Sara came out from the inner offices and said, “Grace, Holly is just finishing up on a call, but she said to come on back.” Holly? Who’s Holly? Oh, right …

I turned back to Jack. “Well, it’s been—” I started when he interrupted me.

“Huh uh. You have a meeting with Holly for coffee right?” he asked.

“Yeah, why?”

“I’m staying right here, and when you’re done, you and I are going for a drive. Yes?” he stated, rather than asked.

“Yes,” I answered, not even bothering to try to come up with something witty. I started for Holly’s office, but then stopped to look back. Jack was settling himself down on the couch in reception, getting out his iPod.

“I’m not going anywhere, Sheridan. Now get your ass in there and take your meeting,” he commanded with that sexy half grin. He was serious.

“OK,” was all I could come up with as I continued toward Holly’s office, totally dazed and confused.

You are so in over your head.

I walked down the hall, trying to regain my focus. Holly knew me too well, and if she saw me at all flustered, she would give me hell. I composed my face and pushed the office door open.

“So, are you two f**king yet?” she asked, a telltale grin on her face. Heat burned across me with the image of Jack underneath me, face flushed with passion, that same sexy grin on his lips as he said my name. I quickly recovered and sat down.

“Who am I allegedly f**king?” I asked, trying to play it off. She would have none of it.

“Bitch, please. Who do you think you’re talking to? I just spent thirty minutes with him, dancing around the issue of Grace Sheridan. He’s so trans-parent. He likes you. He thinks you’re ‘cool’,” she answered, using air quotes.

“I am cool, but that’s beside the point. Did he say anything else?”

“No, except that when I mentioned that I had a meeting with you today he seemed to already know about it. Now how would he know that, Grace?” she teased.

“He might have called me last night,” I answered.

“And what time did he call?” she continued, eying me carefully.

“Uhm, it was about one-thirty this morning,” I said, almost under my breath.

“No way! That’s a booty cal . I knew it!” she yel ed, as I attempted to shush her.

“Shut up! He’ll hear you,” I whispered.

Her eyes got wide. “He’s still here? Why?” she asked.

“He asked me if I wanted to go for a drive after I was done with you and I said yes,” I said quietly, wishing I were anywhere but here. She was going to tease me mercilessly about this. My new friend and me. My much younger new friend. She didn’t tease though.

“I think that’s great, Grace. Have fun … just be careful. The press is starting to really ramp up lately with him, and his fans are beginning to seek him out.

You’ll see,” she warned. “Enough of that. Let’s order up some coffee and get started on your showcase piece.”

She pushed the speaker button on the office intercom and we could hear Sara giggling. “Hey, Sara, can you make a run to Starbucks for us?” she asked, rolling her eyes kindly at the giggles.

“Sure, Holly, what did you want?” she asked, her voice high. She was obviously still losing her mind out there over Mr. Hamilton.

You might be losing your mind, too.

“Grande soy Carmel Macchiato for me. What do you want Grace?” she asked

“Tall non-fat, no-whip iced mocha with three sugars please,” I shouted over the intercom.

“Doesn’t anyone just get regular coffee anymore?” I heard Jack grumble in the background.

“Quiet, Brit boy,” Holly warned, “or I will make sure you get cast in High School Musical 4: Electric Boogaloo.”

I laughed loudly and then heard Jack say, “I might need to rethink my representation.”