Deadly Intuition(4)

Grady was immediately interested. Maybe this trip to the newspaper wouldn’t be a waste of time after all.

The woman was juggling a cup of coffee, several files, and a notebook – and the files slipped from her hand as she reached for the door handle. Grady increased his speed, dropping to his knees to help her pick up the scattered papers when he got nearer.

Up close, she was even more impressive and – for a second – Grady found himself lost in the depths of her chocolate eyes.

The woman smiled as Grady handed her the sheets of paper he’d collected. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

Grady straightened up and opened the door, holding it so she could slip inside ahead of him. Her little flair skirt was causing a chemical reaction in his brain, but he managed to keep his libido in check long enough to open the second set of doors so the woman could enter the building without dropping her load.

A plump and pleasing secretary greeted them with a wide smile from behind the receptionist’s desk. “Welcome to the Daily Tribune.”

“I work here,” the woman answered, her tone dry.

“I was talking to the gentleman behind you,” the secretary replied. “There’s no need to be … rude, Sophie.”

So, her name was Sophie. It fit.

Grady ambled over to the front desk, leaning against it and fixing the receptionist with a flirtatious smile. “I’m Grady Hardy. I’m here for someone in your advertising department named Kristen.”

“Grady Hardy? As in Hardy Brothers Security?” The receptionist asked, giggling.

“That would be the one.”

“Where is James? He usually comes in.” The receptionist must have been hired because she was so bubbly, Grady realized. Either she was heavily medicated, or it was all an act.

“He has a domestic issue at home.”

“Nothing serious I hope,” the receptionist said. “I always look forward to his visits.”

The Hardy brothers were known for their charm. James had obviously used it on this woman a time or two. “He’s fine. His girlfriend is throwing up all over the place, though.”

The receptionist frowned. “He has a girlfriend?”

Grady realized his mistake. “She’s a … recent addition.”

“Not serious, though, right?”

“Probably not,” Grady lied. What? There was no reason to wreck the woman’s fantasy.

Sophie snorted and moved to another set of glass doors at the far end of the lobby. Grady turned his attention in her direction as the receptionist scorched her with a hateful look.

“Sophie, I don’t suppose you could show Mr. Hardy the way to advertising, could you?”

Sophie tilted her head to the side. “Isn’t that your job, Marge?”

“I just figured, since you were going in that direction anyway, you could help out,” Marge shot back. “Aren’t we all one big, happy team here at the Daily Tribune?”

Sophie rolled her eyes, plastering a tight smile on her face as she met Grady’s curious stare. “This way, Mr. Hardy.” She opened the door with her hip, sweeping her arm out in grandiose fashion.

Grady bit the inside of his lip. He already liked Sophie’s attitude – bad as it was. “Thanks.” He winked at Marge as he moved toward the hallway and propped open the door with his hand. “After you.”

Sophie waited for Grady to clear the door and then strode down the hallway. Grady searched his brain for something to talk to her about as he tried to keep up. “This isn’t how I pictured a newspaper to look,” he said finally.

Sophie looked at him, nonplussed. “Hmm.”

“I mean, I thought it was like television.” Grady mentally chided himself. Could I sound any lamer?

Sophie squinted her eyes. “Bummer?”

Grady fought to bury his smile. Most women were open to his attention. He had that “bad boy” thing going for him, purposely mind you, and that often served as an aphrodisiac for the opposite sex. It was always the rare woman who wasn’t turned on by the bad-boy thing who managed to pique Grady’s interest.

“And what do you do here?”

“I’m a reporter,” Sophie replied, clearly disinterested in small talk. “The advertising department is over there.”

Grady glanced in the direction she pointed, opening his mouth to continue the conversation. He snapped it shut, though, when he turned back to find Sophie had already disappeared into the newsroom.

Well, so much for spending a wild night with her and her sassy little mouth. Grady moved into the room Sophie had directed him to and immediately found himself surrounded by three other women – all young and attractive – willing to help him with his business needs. Grady swallowed his mild disappointment and focused on the task at hand.