Page 18 of An Engagement for Erica

“Don’t hold anything said about me against me,” Tucker said on Monday morning. “Remember, you knew me before.”

Erica lifted her head from where she was going over her notes in the conference room. She’d be meeting with the first person in thirty minutes.

What she was trying to do more than anything was not get caught up in Tucker’s dark eyes. A touch of happiness and humor in them like always.

She wasn’t sure how he could always be that way and was envious.

“You know I can’t tell you who says what,” she said.

“I don’t expect you to do that, but I do expect you to tell whatissaid. The good, the bad and the indifferent. I’m positive the bad is going to override everything else.”

The smirk he was giving her might have gotten the blood rushing through her body some more.

Don’t think about the fact those lips were on yours!

“That’s why you hired me,” she said. “But you might be surprised. Sometimes I’m hired and employers find out something they hadn’t expected.”

“I doubt that is going to happen today,” he said, snorting. He reached across the table and grabbed a vegetable bagel and some cream cheese. He paid for the food, he could have some and not have it just be for his staff.

Though she did find it to be a nice touch.

“Most likely not,” she said. “Next week, we’ll go over a summary of what was said. The good, the bad, the ugly, and the indifferent. Most times there is no indifference.”

“You should smile more,” he said.

“What?” she asked and like an idiot reached up to touch her face as if there was a smile on it she could wipe off.

He laughed. “You smiled when you said your last statement. I haven’t seen that much. Unless you’re doing it to relax the staff and just practicing on me.”

“Sure,” she said. “We’ll go with that.”

No way she was going to admit that her sister got in her head about Tucker and that could be why everything she saw or heard from him today had her wondering if she could keep it professional or if she was going to grin like a giddy school girl.

She had to keep this professional and that was what she was going to do.

“Was it tacky for me to provide food?” he asked. “Help yourself.”

“I think it’s a nice gesture,” she said. “I don’t think anyone will believe it’s tacky unless you never provide food for staff meetings.”

“I have since I’ve been here. I guess my father didn’t. Or when he did, it was what he was in the mood to eat and not what others would like or could have due to allergies.”

She smiled again. “It’s very considerate of you to think of that or even find out who might be allergic to what.”

“Well,” he said, “I do know first aid but don’t want to have to use it again. Once was enough in my life.”

And there went the heat in her body again. Her eyes landed on his mouth as he chewed and she jerked them away fast.

“It wasn’t what I needed,” she said. “I’m a pretty tough person, but that much pain was more than I could take.”

His smile dropped. “I’m sorry that happened to you. Had you suffered from migraines for years? Or if it’s too personal, you can tell me to mind my own business. I don’t need HR coming down on my head for violating policies.”

She let out a soft laugh.

This was the Tucker she remembered before.

She wasn’t sure if he was trying or if it came naturally to him.

“I didn’t know what I was experiencing. I was getting headaches. Bad ones but was taking over-the-counter medication and drinking caffeine. That used to work.”

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