Page 13 of Suddenly Hired

She vibrated. She shone. And she was sexy as fuck.

He felt his throat dry.

“Anyway… I have a trip coming up to Hawaii. It’s a business retreat I can’t get out of. I was thinking it’d be a good idea to take the kids this time. Of course you’ll have to join us.”

She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, peering at him like he spoke in a foreign language. “Me?”

“Yes. I’ll spend time with them, but I’ll also need some time to catch up on work things and it’ll be more fun for them if they have company.”

“Wow. I’ve never been to Hawaii.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Hmmm… sure. I mean… is there a dress code? Do I need to bring swimsuit and stuff? I’m assuming pool time will be involved.”

A shiver of awareness rolled down his back, tickling his senses like her question poked him with a feather. “Yes, is that a problem?”

She looked up at the ceiling. “No, I mean. I have swimsuits… I think. But I need to find some stuff that’s more, hmmm, conservative since this will be a family vacation type thing.”

“I’ll give you my card and you can buy a new swimsuit. It’s a business expense,” he said, though he wondered if his accountant would agree. Because to him, it felt like a very personal expense.

“I didn’t mean for you to offer to buy me stuff. I mean look, it’s not like I wear tiny G-strings or anything, just I have two pieces and for something like that, where I’d be swimming and tumbling or whatnot, I’d feel more comfortable with a one-piece,” she said, rambling, and at the end, a shade of pink spread across from her cheeks, when she must have realized she should not have said G-string.

The image of her body in a swimsuit of any kind sent his blood stream in short circuit. He bet money that she could make a wet suit seem sexy. “Nevertheless, I’ll cover your expenses,” he managed to say, and sound like oxygen wasn’t in short supply. He also wanted to cover her body with his, but he’d save that fantasy for the shower.

“Okay.” She smoothed her hand over her shirt. “Thank you.”

“So you’re in.”

She stretched to her full height. “I’m in.”

He smiled. He was also in for an icy cold shower tonight.

“So what’s the limit?” Billie ran her fingers across several cover-ups in the women’s section of the department store. “How much money are we talking about here?”

Poppy mentioned the generous amount that Ethan told her earlier. Like she would spend that much money on beachwear! Then again, she doubted he bought on clearance, all his suits for him looked like they had been designed with his body in mind. His long legs, and… broad shoulders. Awareness whispered beneath her skin, giving her goose bumps. Behave, Poppy. “He obviously hasn’t shopped in a while.”

Billie whistled. “No, this makes sense. He’s going on this fancy retreat with people from work. Showing he has a certain lifestyle is probably part of his job description.”

“His maybe, but not mine.”

“Yes, but you work for him, so whatever you wear reflects on him in a way. Like if you’re wearing drabby clothes.”

“Excuse me?” Did she really need a shopping motivation spiel from Billie, who was the last person who actually enjoyed the activity? Billie loved going bowling, watching horror movies and spending her weight on takeout food. Poppy was sure her cousin had only come with her to tease her some more about her boss, and get free lunch after.

“Hey, I’m just saying.” Billie shrugged.

“I’m buying a couple of things for the trip, not redoing my entire wardrobe.” Besides, she dressed just fine. Not designer labels, but she was a far cry from drabby.

Unless… Was that how he saw her? Frustration threaded down her body. No. Not that how he thought of her mattered. In fact, it only complicated everything. Because he didn’t think about her in that way.

Despite the moment they shared in his office, when she could have sworn she saw a spark of interest in his eyes. The type a man has when he wants a woman. Wishful thinking, she told herself.

This type of conundrum would only jeopardize her plan. She had a good thing going: her job, the deal with him, and hopefully soon, the execution of their working together as sponsor and podcaster.

Billie picked a garish one piece from the rack, and wrinkled her nose at it. “You know, you’re going to freaking Hawaii with a super hot guy. A DILF.”

“Do people still say that?”

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