Page 38 of Honor

He arches a brow. “Good.”

I sense he’s waiting for me to question him about the source of the pink lipstick, but if I do that, he’ll likely bark out that it’s none of my business, and time is ticking, so I slide to my feet and grab my purse.

As I’m hurrying past him, he reaches out to brush his fingers against my arm. “Have the new tie to me by four, Miss Starling.”

Unless it’s five minutes to four, I know I can get it done.

I glance at my watch. I have over an hour, so I’ll have time to spare. I may stop on my way back to the office for a cold glass of lemonade.

I start toward the elevators, but his next request stops me mid-step.

“Also, get one envelope from the office supply store on the corner of Amsterdam and Seventy-Third.”

I bare my teeth before I turn around with a bright smile on my face. “What size envelope would you like, Mr. Hunt?”

“A number ten will do just fine.”

Since there are literally thousands of those in the storage closet at the end of the corridor, I almost march down there, grab one and toss it at him.

I know him better than that, though. He didn’t ask for an ordinary envelope like the thousands already on the premises.He wants me to seek out one that probably costs a small fortune and is made from handmade paper.

“I’ll get that for you,” I say with as much enthusiasm as I can muster.

“By four,” he reminds me.

“By four,” I repeat, mourning the loss of the lemonade I would have really enjoyed.

I do what needs to be done and sprint toward the elevator just as the doors slide open.

Vance steps off. I jump in and jab my finger into the button that will take me to the lobby before I pound my fist against the button that shuts the doors.

“I need to run,” I tell Vance as the doors slide shut.

“I get it.” He smiles. “It’s good to have you back.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Reid

“It lookslike you had a hell of a good meeting with the Bogners.” Vance tilts his chin up as he looks at my face. “I thought Baden was the one who goes above and beyond to lock in a deal.”

Since barely any of that made sense to me, I shrug. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

“You have lipstick on your face, Reid.”

Jesus.

I take off in a sprint toward the washroom attached to my office. A glance in the mirror above the sink confirms what he just told me. Not only is there a very noticeable smudge of lipstick leading away from the corner of my mouth, but my hair is a goddamn mess.

Miss Starling didn’t mention a thing about the way I look, but I can’t blame her for that. Why would she be inclined to do me any favors?

As I scrub my thumb over my face to chase away the lipstick, Vance appears in the open doorway. “If it wasn’t Mrs. Bogner, can I assume you got laid over lunch?”

“I wish.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, he leans against the doorjamb. “Are you going to fill me in?”

“Norbeta,” I say the name of my former assistant. “She called earlier because she needed help with something. I stopped by her apartment, and let’s just say that the heel on her shoe broke right when she was thanking me.”

---