Bitten by Cupid(67)

A brushed-steel snowboarder catching air adorned the door. She pushed it open and was surprised to find classical music wafting through the air. The walls of the small lobby were covered in dramatic prints of both men and women doing daring things, like skydiving and mountain climbing. The young woman at the curved reception desk was on the phone, so Kristy stepped over to the skydiving picture. The man in the jumpsuit was obviously being photographed by another skydiver. His hair was flying everywhere from beneath his helmet, but his smile was as bright as the sun.

“That’s Adrian Kruger,” a woman’s voice said.

Kristy spun around to find the receptionist smiling at her. “Oh. Cool.”

“That’s him over there, too.” She pointed to one of a man catching a major wave.

Kristy could actually sense the excitement he must have been feeling at that moment. His muscular body, poised on a surfboard, showed perfect form. She turned to the receptionist. “I’m here to see Owen and Adrian. I’m Kristy Morgan.”

She’d spent the morning going through some of her previous articles and reworking the best ones to present. But her mind wasn’t on the job. Finding Kiss and Kill Cupid came first.

She planned to meet with both men, hopefully in a nice, quiet conference room. Owen came around the corner and started at the sight of her.

She gave him a wave. “Hi, Owen. I brought those articles you asked for. I thought I’d deliver them personally.”

He glanced up and beyond her. “I’ll let Adrian handle it. I’ve got a conference call…” He gestured behind him and turned to leave. Odd. Was he avoiding her?

“Well, hey there, Kristy.”

She turned at the deep, smooth voice she knew was Adrian’s and gave him the I’m-not-a-soft-girl-but-a-businesswoman handshake. “Good to see you.” She waved a bright green folder. “I brought the sample articles.”

That little pause as he took her in before he said anything…she felt it in her gut. He smiled, warmth lighting his eyes. “Excellent. I’m glad you dropped them off in person. I was just heading out to lunch. Join me.”

Bad idea, one part of her brain said.

Wouldn’t that give me another chance to see if I can read his thoughts? another part of her brain chimed in. “Sure, I’d love to.” She glanced down the hall where Owen had disappeared. “Should we wait for Owen?”

“Only if you’re dead set on him joining us.”

“Oh. I suppose that’s fine.”

“Be back in an hour, Kyle.” He handed the receptionist the folder. “Put this in my office, please.”

He held the door for Kristy, and when she passed him, she inhaled his scent. As soon as he closed the door, she turned. “Are you wearing Intuition?”

He had intriguing eyes, made more so by thick eyebrows that perfectly balanced his narrowed eyes. He raised one of those brows. “Oh, you mean my cologne? Yes, Intuition.”

“I recognized it because I wear the women’s version. Wow, isn’t that…wild?”

They wore the same brand of cologne. How synced was that?

All of her thoughts ceased when he leaned close and breathed her in. “You’re right. I thought you smelled great yesterday, but I didn’t realize it was the same. Yeah, wild.”

He pressed the CALL button. “Do you like Italian? There’s a great café down the block.”

“Uh, sure.”

She waited in silence. Silence. No thoughts. Could it be that he just wasn’t having any? No, impossible. She could only still her thoughts for a few seconds at a time.

And if she couldn’t read his thoughts—which was amazingly exciting in itself—then he wasn’t the one she’d heard at the coffee shop. She couldn’t help the cat-ate-the-canary grin on her face and so as not to have to explain it, she kept her head down. You’re feeling way beyond relief. Remember, potential boss. And his best friend, your other potential boss, might be a killer with his eye on you.

The elevator came, and they stepped inside.

He really made her smile when he said, “I know I’m going to love the articles. Your writing is amazing.”

She had to keep from rolling her eyes in ecstasy. Even more than hearing she was pretty, hearing that about her writing made her swoon. “Thanks.”

“I’ve already got an assignment in mind for you.”

“Don’t the rest of the folks at the magazine have to read the articles and give the okay?”

He gave her a boyish smile that transformed his oh-so-masculine face. “Sure. But Owen and I are the bosses. We get to say who plays.”

Focus on Owen. “So I have to win him over. I could swear he was trying to avoid me at the office just now.”