Butterflies in Honey (Growing Pains #3) (11 page)

The problem with the new job was the men on
her level that she now had to work with. The other managers seemed
nice enough when she’d previously seen them around the company, but
the second she’d stepped up, suddenly the work world was no place
for her kind; her kind being a woman. It was startling and
unexpected—she hadn’t heard the mentality was so hostile. She had
faith, though. She hoped they’d take in her work performance and
warm up. As the first female manager, she felt she should give the
male monopoly a little time to adjust.

She settled on Kate taking her place. No one
in her department really wanted it, and she was pretty sure they
were happy to have a buffer between Krista and their work load.
Truth be told, Kate didn’t want the job, either. She liked where
she was. She got to coast while still making a decent income.
Krista needed her, though, as usual, so she bullied Kate into
it.

It was Friday and Krista was on her way up to
Sean’s office. He planned to have weekly meetings for the managers
that reported directly to him for progress reports. She could only
hope he got so busy, the idea went down the tubes. Something told
her that wasn’t likely. He wasn’t a man to give up easily, even to
dumb ideas.

Usually Krista would be sipping a beverage
from her lucky mug, which still went with her to all meetings,
except that now she had to hide it from Sean. He knew what it
looked like and what it meant to her. He also knew he was the one
that basically bought it for her. Granted, it was a gift card, but
still, he was tied to it. She didn’t need him knowing she still
used it. It would muddy the waters, thereby firmly giving him the
upper hand.

Krista arrived to his office area and checked
in with his matronly assistant.

“Go right in, Krista. He’s expecting you,”
she said with a motherly smile.

Krista smiled back and prepared for war. She
walked into the giant office filled with ornate cherry wood
furniture and nearly stopped dead. It looked like royalty belonged
there. It was a corner office, which was expected, with a door off
to the right half open, through which she could see a sink and the
edge of a shower, which was not as expected. There was a table and
six chairs in the corner, two massive, comfortable-looking chairs
in front of a giant desk, a few plants, a great view, and a
freaking oriental rug.

Krista’s new office wasn’t even close to this
nice. Not even in the same galaxy. She dismally realized she had a
long way to go if she wanted to be on par with Sean McAdams. It was
humbling. And terrible.

Sean was at his desk, head bowed over
something or other, when he noticed Krista walk in. “Krista.”

“Hi Sean.” Krista sat down in front of
him.

He looked like he hadn’t slept all week. His
eyes were puffy and his face was pale. The spark had gone out of
him somewhat. “Tell me what you’ve done all week.”

“Wow. Cut to the chase, huh?” she mumbled,
looking into her
Sean
folder, thankful she’d checked it
before she’d come up so she could remove the voodoo doll Kate
made.

“I figured you wanted to get in and get out.
If you would rather start with pleasantries…”

“No, no, that’s fine. Just surprised is all.
Okay. First, Kate is going to take my place when I take Phil’s.
She’ll be in charge of hiring a new person if they need it. Right
now, they have slack in work, so I’m not sure they need to hire
in.”

“Already making cut backs, huh?”

“Unintentionally, yeah. Though if Tory asks,
then yes, already making cuts.” She chuckled, looking into her
notes.

Sean didn’t crack a smile. “Understood. But
Krista, I would like to keep honesty between us—in our working
relationship. You need neither sell yourself short nor try to
overcompensate. It’s always been our way. With my other managers
I’m struggling with that. I would like to keep that pure between
us.”

“Saying it how it is has never been a problem
for me, Sean,” Krista said into her lap. This conversation was
hitting a little too close to her
Sean Hurt
box. And thus, a
little too close to her tear ducts.

“I know,” he said quietly. He changed gears
with, “Okay, what else ya got?”

“Right, well I got through step one on your
list. It is a pretty extravagant list.” Krista pulled out the
finished report along with a flash drive. “Here’s a hard and soft
copy. Let me know what you want me to change. I’ll keep working on
the rest of it, obviously. I’m just trying to balance my work load,
learn Phil’s, get Kate up to speed—“ She sighed with fatigue.

“All work and no play makes Krista a very
dull girl.”

“Yeah, well. I’ve had enough excitement for
one life-time.”
And now I work with the anti-Christ.

~*~*~*~

Sean looked at Krista with a pained
expression. Until that second, he hadn’t realized how sad she was.
How devastated. He’d done to her what Jim had, but with emotional
sabotage instead of physical. It was what he’d always feared he
would do, and then he did it. Now he saw it first-hand and it
pierced him. He shouldn’t have come back, and definitely shouldn’t
have been expecting quick forgiveness.

But he couldn’t give up hope that she would
forgive him one day. He had no other options; nothing else to do;
nowhere else to be. She was it. Cassie thought of her as family,
and it took her visit to San Francisco to drive that feeling home
to him as well. He couldn’t give up on her. He would wait. She had
waited without knowing it, and now he would. It was only fair.

“Krista, though I appreciate it, and it will
make me successful in what I’m trying to do here, I think you are
overdoing it a bit. I’ve heard how much you’re working lately.
You’re young. Enjoy your life. I don’t need everything done in an
instant. I don’t expect that of you.”

“As my boss, I thank you for your concern.
I’m just trying to do what I do best—kick butt and take names.”

“And as your friend?”

She paused a second. “Honestly, as my friend,
go back to spying on me if you want, but I’m not really interested
in your advice.”

Ouch
. He might be waiting a while.
“Noted.”

“If that’s all?”

“Yes, Kris--ta.”

Chapter Eight

Krista lowered her eyes. She was glad he
refrained from calling her Krissy. That would have made her
cry.

She made her way back. Instead of going to
her office, she went to Kate’s cube. Kate looked up as she leaned
against the flimsy cube wall. “I need to get outrageously drunk
tonight.”

“Uh oh. Bad meeting?”

“Don’t want to talk about it. But I
do
want to forget about it. Harry’s Lounge after work?”

“I’m in. I’ll let Jaz and Ben know.”

Krista sighed and went to her desk. Once
there, she emailed Marcus, telling him to head to Harry’s after he
got off, and bring some hot, single, fun friends. She was going to
get drunk, then maybe get laid. An instant after she hit send,
Marcus called.

“Marcus.”

“Geegee, I have a great many hot, single, fun
friends. I need it narrowed down. Are we talking girlfriends of the
male persuasion, or did you have something a little more naughty in
mind?”

“I’m looking for straight, Marcus, and
definitely not employed by this company.”

“Ooooooh, Geegee is letting her slut out.
Loving it! And dare I say about time—you need to grease the wheels
once in a while to make sure everything still works. I’ll be there
with bells on.”

“For the love of God, Marcus, don’t wear the
bells again!”

He laughed as he hung up. She wrapped up a
couple things in a daze, then left a smidge early. She wanted to
get changed into something slutty to coincide with her mood.

The bar they were going to was a dive with a
young crowd. There were bands on Friday and Saturday nights, the
drinks were cheap, and it was great fun. Krista walked in wearing a
slinky blue number with four-inch heels. She had cleavage and legs
for days. She looked hot and had the reckless confidence to pull it
off. It was not a dress she could wear all the time, but tonight,
she would rock the hell out of it.

Kate and Jasmine were at the bar. As Krista
headed to them, Marcus stepped in front of her wearing a red shirt
that hugged his body, and tight black slacks.

“Girl, look at
you
! You look fab! I
have a slew of available straight men en route. I told them a drop
dead gorgeous girl was looking for a hunk. Good to see I didn’t
steer them wrong.”

“Marcus, please never use
hunk
in my
presence again.”

He laughed delightedly. “So how was the
meeting with the young stud?”

She made a face, getting out of the way from
a waitress passing by with a tray of drinks. “He might actually be
more demanding now than when he was our boss at Dexico.”

“Impossible.”

“Possible. Probable. Realistic…able.”

“Well, so far he hasn’t been able to move me
into a position directly under him. Figuratively speaking, of
course—otherwise under him would be just fine. Alas, I’m safe for
the time being. Speaking of, he is earning a worse reputation than
you have.”

It was like a person on a diet eating a bar
of chocolate. She
knew
she shouldn’t listen, she knew it
would just end up hurting more, but she couldn’t help herself.

“I didn’t think that was possible.”

Marcus put his hand lightly on Krista’s
shoulder and steered her toward the bar. He did it in such a way
that they were both on display. It was a move the guy probably did
constantly.

“The managers are squawking with how much
work he has already given them. They say he has unreal
expectations. I think we can relate. But he won’t budge with the
goals he sets. They’re calling him a ball buster. Well, that and a
pretty boy.”

“All true.”

“The women in the company are gaga over him.
A Senior VP salary in a young, hot bod? They’re sold. Half my
department is trying to—“

“Marcus,” Krista held up a hand for him to
stop, then used the same hand to wave at the male bartender. With
the way he smiled at her, she’d get a few free drinks tonight. “I
don’t want to know.”

Marcus looked at her closely. “You’re still
gone on him, huh? I thought that was over.”

“Yeah. It is. His choice two-and-a-half years
ago. Then again six months ago.”

“Uh oh. Bitter Betty needs a shot! Lemme get
a hot straight man over here to buy it for you. Hold on.” Marcus
started gesturing to someone or other as Jasmine and Kate came
over, arguing about which was more potent, a double shot of whisky,
or a Long Island Iced Tea.

Once they all had seats together, they
commenced upending drinks into their faces.

Half a night later, Krista was buzzed and
surrounded by a crowd of good looking men giving her, Kate, and
Jasmine endless attention. She was having a fantastic time! There
were a few people from work, but they were all cool, so Krista
didn’t worry about making an ass of herself. Luckily, as Marcus
promised, none of the hot men doting on her were a part of the work
crew.

She was at the bar, instructing one of the
hot men in what she wanted to drink, when from behind her came,
“Krista.”

It was as if a tongue licked up her spine.
Krista’s back went rigid. She slowly turned around, forgetting
completely about her drink or the hoard of available men vying for
her attention.

Sean was lounging at the bar, looking at her
with a confident smirk. He was wearing blue jeans and a white,
ribbed, button down shirt that showed his flawless biceps and
hinted at his mouthwatering pecks.

Mentally she was furiously clicking the heels
of her sparkly red shoes.

“Hi, Sean. Didn’t expect you here.”

Sean surveyed the bar, getting the lay of the
land, before his eyes came to rest on hers. They didn’t waver. “I
was told it would be a good time. I see you took my advice.” Krista
felt heat lick her where his eyes raked over her body. “You look
beautiful.”

“Thanks. Yeah, thought I’d get wild tonight.
I haven’t had a decent hangover in a while.”

The nameless hot man that was getting her a
drink touched her shoulder. She turned to him, smiled, grabbed the
drink, winked, and told him she’d see him in a minute. She was
being a
huge
cock-tease to all of her followers. That was
part of the profile.

She was sitting on her stool with her legs
crossed, most of her left leg showing through the large slit in the
dress. She swiveled half-way back to Sean, now facing away from the
bar, surveying the scene.

“Your admirers?” he asked with infallible
confidence, looking pointedly across her body to the hot men.

“Um, yeah, I guess. You know what it’s
like.”

“I do, yes. As you know.” He turned toward
the bar. It was the move that would usually have women swiveling
further toward him, worried they’d lost his attention. She knew
that move. She knew he’d spent a lifetime perfecting it with the
goal of getting women into his bed. She hated that he was using it
on her.

Krista was up and walking away before he’d
completely turned to the bar.

“Krista—“

She half-turned with a hand up, stopping him.
“I told you not to bring that man around me, Sean. I hate him. I
don’t trust him. You bring out the womanizer, and I walk away.”

Sean took a step back with surprise lighting
his face. “Sorry, I—“ He shook his head, his confidence ebbed.
“Krista, I’d like to talk to you.”

His cologne penetrated her comfort bubble. A
thousand memories flooded her mind, choking her. “About what,
Sean?” she managed.

“I’d like to explain some things.”

He was looking at her in a cloud of intimacy.
Her heart thudded and her breath came fast. He could still do that
to her. After all this time, after all he had done, he could bungle
her emotions with a look. The dam broke.