Page 3 of A Hard Sell

“So sorry,” he stage-whispered, embarrassment flooding his face. The room was jammed with just about the entire office, extra chairs crammed in another ring around the table and wherever else they would fit. There was an open seat right next to Tawney. However, it was on the other side of the table, through the dense sea of people. “Excuse me,” he whispered to the first person he had to squeeze past. And again, “Excuse me,” to the next. Every pair of eyes watched him in silence.Fucking kill me now,he thought to himself, mouthing “Sorry,” again.

Seventeen million years later, he fell into the chair. It screeched like a car wreck. He closed his eyes, not quite ready to risk a glance at the head of the table.

“Well, now that Luka is settled,” Ilona said dryly, “please go ahead, Thomas.”

Luka dared to raise his eyes. Then he saw Thomas Badgley for the first time.Oh…my fucking God.It was like in movies when the rest of the world faded away to an irrelevant gray blur, and all that was left was one perfect person bathed in heavenly light. Luka was sure he made an audible wheeze, the breath he had barely gained back gone again. Tawney shot him a concerned look, but he didn’t care.

Howcouldhe? Because Thomas Badgley was the most insanely gorgeous man he had ever seen in his entire life. It was impossible to look away. And Thomas was staring back at Luka with a smooth face and phenomenal eyes, a warm, shining golden brown. But just for a split second, then Thomas’ gaze returned to the rest of the room.

Luka continued to drink him in, his mouth gaping. Thomas had wavy hair, a rich chocolate-brown, long enough to be pulled back into a small bun. He was at least six-foot-two, with ivory skin, a strong, chiseled jaw, a heavy brow and a wide, muscular frame that tapered into a narrow waist. His thick shoulders and arms looked ready to burst through his expensive, charcoal-gray fitted suit jacket.Big Bad Wolf, indeed.

Thomas was speaking, although Luka had no idea what he was saying. He was lost in the way Thomas’ lips formed around each sound he made, the flashes of a pink tongue and the deep baritone of his voice vibrating the hairs on Luka’s skin.

Then he realized everyone was staring at him again, right as Tawney kicked him under the table.

“Sorry?” Luka choked out.

Ilona cleared her throat and arched her eyebrow. “I was just saying, Luka has finished up those storyboards, haven’t you?”

Fuuuuck.“Yes. I mean, no. Almost. The subway…” His cheeks flared up again.

“Hmm,” Thomas grunted. He didn’t look impressed.

“Well,” Ilona said, shooting him a disapproving frown, “the design team can meet again later today. But I think the rest of us are clear on next steps. Thanks, everyone.”

This time he caught the sympathetic glance Tawney threw at him.

Fuck me.

Chapter Two

Demonstrating Competence

Tawney followed Luka into his office, grimacing.

“Did I just…?” he started. How was it possible he had screwed up so badly? His brain pulled out another index card to add to the pile of shame. It might even take two cards.

“Mmhmm.” She bit her lip.

But before she could close the door, a mane of curly red hair poked through. “Moreno!”

Luka sighed. “Finn.”

His other best friend, graphic designer extraordinaire and chaotic bisexual, wiggled through the opening. Finn managed to blow out a breath, shaking his head while still grinning. “Jesus.”

“So…” Luka nodded. It wasn’t promising if Finn was this amused. “It was as bad as I think.”

“Worse!” Finn chortled. “First of all…” He put a hand on Luka’s shoulder and studied him at arm’s length, rubbing his beard. “What the fuck are you wearing?”

Luka had no idea. He looked down at his clothes. A forest-green blazer, burgundy trousers and a buttery yellow button-down dotted with blue flowers, done up crookedly, topped off with a large coffee stain.

“Second—”

“You know what, you can stop. I was there.” Luka yanked his blazer off while Finn cackled.

“It wasn’t so bad,” Tawney piped up.

The two men stared at her.

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