CHAPTER 8
Phil waylaid Rachel on her way back to John's side, appearing in front of her, with a hangdog expression on his homely face.
"John is going to be furious with you," she told him, and he nodded in dismayed agreement.
"I know," he said in anguish. "But it really wasn't my fault. Susan printed off the photo's I sent her by email, and showed them to her personal assistant. She doesn't know how they got printed out and passed around by the women in this department, or so she says."
"Well, stay away from John for a while," she advised, "He didn't want to do this in the first place, we haven't even told him that we looked at the photos in our department, let alone having them circulated throughout the whole building."
John talked to the men from Headquarters, and accepted Susan's thanks with little enthusiasm, and then wandered back to the food, picking up a small cake, and breaking bits off. He felt someone bump into him, and turned around, to find the woman from the elevator smiling up at him. He felt his heart sink.
"We meet once again," she said. "I should thank you all over again, for saving me from a nasty fall this morning."
John shook his head. "Not at all," he said politely. "It was my pleasure."
She smiled slowly at him, and allowed her eyes to drift up and down his body.
"It was MY pleasure," she said to him, taking a small step towards him, and placing one delicate hand on his arm.
John found himself taking the smallest of steps backwards.
"I'm Carmen," she said to him. "You are John Grant?"
He nodded, and took another tiny backwards step. She left her hand on his arm, and squeezed a little, suggestively. At that moment, two other women came and stood next to her, and she frowned at them. John found himself standing with his back against a large cabinet, surrounded by women, and feeling far more apprehensive than when facing a criminal with a gun.
Rachel couldn't help smiling as she approached, seeing John penned in the corner by several women. The look he sent her, over their heads, was a mute appeal for help, and she pushed her way past one of the women, who sent her a filthy look for her trouble.
"Ah, sorry to interrupt," she said, taking John's other arm, "But I need you to come with me now," and she deliberately walked into Carmen, so she had to drop her hand.
The women parted glowering at Rachel, and she and John made their escape, Rachel still holding his hand, and hoping the women were watching.
"You do get yourself into some situations," she said as they left the area, and headed back down to the VCFT offices. "Sometimes I think you shouldn't be left alone for a second."
"So not my fault," he replied, leaning back in the lift car, and heaving a sigh of relief.
"I have no idea why that woman wants to keep touching me. It's very annoying."
"I think it's called flirting," said Rachel. "Surely you remember what that is."
John looked at her for a moment, from beneath his eyelashes, and then smiled slowly at her.
"I thought that was what we did," he said innocently, blue eyes laughing.
"Well don't think I'm going to start putting my hands all over you," said Rachel, unable to stop smiling back at him. "Especially now, when you've just told me how much you don't like it."
"Well, that depends on who's doing it," he said. "You could go ahead and do it, and I'll let you know when to stop."
"You wish," she said, and the lift doors opened.
"Alternatively," he went on to say, "I could always put my arms around you, and you could see if you'd like it."
She gave another little laugh, and headed down the corridor and into her office, still hanging on to his hand. He closed the door behind them, even though the center was mostly deserted, and leaned back on it.
"You are incorrigible," she said, and he nodded, the amusement still lurking in the depths of his crystal eyes. "I might just take you up on that one day, then what will you do?"
"This," he said, and pulled her towards him. They stood inches apart for a long time, gazing at each other, blue eyes staring into green, and then she closed her eyes, and he angled his head just slightly and kissed her.
It was the softest of kisses, sweet and tender, promising much, but holding back too, and Rachel was overwhelmed by sensations she couldn't name as she leant into his embrace.
After a moment, he drew back, and looked deeply into her eyes.
"Oh God, Rachel, I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to…" and he broke off as his cell phone rang.
She stayed silent, and watched expressions chase across his face, as he answered his phone. She watched him go from annoyed at being interrupted to delighted in a very short space of time.
"Hey, Christian," he said, and she remembered the strikingly handsome doctor from Miami. "That would be great! It's no problem – I'm looking forward to it. Yes, catch you then." And he disconnected, smiling at her with shining eyes.
"That was Christian Troy," he said, unnecessarily. "He's coming to Atlanta next week for a few days. He wanted to stay in a motel, but he's going to stay with me instead."
They stared at each other awkwardly for a moment; then he put his hand up to her cheek and stroked it softly.
"We will take this up later," he said softly, she nodded, unable to speak, overcome by the unbearable sweetness of the kiss.
He opened the door and looked back over his shoulder.
"Rachel," he said softly, and she looked at him. "I wouldn't mind your hands on my body," he said.
She laughed and waved him out of the office.
"You still owe me," she called after him and he winked at her, before running down the stairs and back to his desk. She watched him go with a smile playing around her mouth. Now was not the time to let him know that the modeling agency was putting pressure on the VCTF to force John into honoring the contract he signed. Plenty of time to do that tomorrow, she thought as she touched her lips again and closed her eyes for a moment in wonder. Tomorrow might be an interesting day, one way or another. With a quiet laugh, she sat down at her desk, and after a moment picked up the top file, and began reading about the latest case.
The End
