She couldn’t believe she’d already told him so much about herself. He probably couldn’t think any worse of her than he did already. "Why I was so scared when I got my first office job, when I started as a clerk in the sales department." She reached for her purse again and twisted the strap.
Derek set the purse aside and took her hands. "That was your first office job?" He grinned. "I thought you were an old pro. I wondered why you’d been hired as a file clerk instead of a secretary right from the beginning."
"You could have checked my personnel file if you were interested."
"Oh, I was interested." That usually authoritative voice sounded very different. He shook his head. "Never mind about that. I didn’t need to read your personnel file. I knew everything I needed to know just from watching you work."
"I’m surprised you even noticed me in that sea of faces in the clerical pool."
"Your face never blends into a sea. I noticed you, all right."
That almost sounded like he noticed her face, but he’d already made it clear that it was her work he noticed. She couldn’t let herself even think about her romantic dreams.
Derek kept talking. "I don’t care about your experience. You’re the best secretary I’ve ever had. In fact the best secretary I could ever want." He squeezed her hands.
Lori looked down at their joined hands — his so large and strong, hers so dainty but just as strong. "I guess we make a good team. You’re a great boss."
He laughed. "Don’t let anyone else in the office hear you say that. You’ll ruin my reputation. I’ve heard them call me the tyrant of sales and Derek the Devil before."
"They just don’t know you. You’re not a tyrant or a devil." She raised her head and looked him in the eyes. "You’re very good at your job, and you expect everyone else to be as good at theirs." Her voice dropped. "I try my best to be good enough for you."
Derek’s face turned serious. "You’re probably better at your job than I am at mine, and I’m much better at mine because you’re so good at yours." Then he smiled again. "Just don’t let anybody else find that out."
He was still holding her hands. She pulled away and stood up. "Okay, turnabout is fair play. You have to tell me about yourself now."
"There’s nothing to tell," he said as he stood. Then he grinned. "I didn’t let you get by with that, and I’m sure you won’t let me get by with it either."
She hoped he didn’t notice that she had a hard time breathing when he grinned. "You’re right. I won’t."
He stood so close to her she wondered if he could hear her heartbeat. She couldn’t step away without bumping into the pile of coat, briefcase, and purse. Talking about being on her feet all the time in her former jobs reminded her how uncomfortable she was after a full day of wearing heels. She leaned against the elevator wall, took off her shoes, and added them to the pile. She curled her toes in the plush carpet to ease her aching feet.
Derek reached out to her and pulled her to him. His hand on her head guided it down to his chest. Without her heels, he could rest his chin on top of her head. Only a few seconds passed before he seemed to realize what he was doing. He dropped his arms and stepped back at the same time she pulled away.
"I’m afraid my story isn’t as dramatic as yours," he said. "My life has been pretty boring. I grew up in a family with an older brother and younger sister. Dad was a salesman, and Mom stayed home with the kids."
She’d hardly been in his arms long enough to feel it, but she felt alone now that he was a few inches away. "So, you decided to become a salesman like your dad?" she asked.
"I’m sure that’s part of the reason. I’ve always looked up to Dad. I started selling early. Every year, I sold the most tickets in our troop to the Boy Scouts’ Jamboree. Later, it was the most candy for the band and the most calendars for the student council," he said.
Lori wished she could put more distance between them. If she continued to feel the warmth from his body and breathe his scent, she’d never want to leave. She said, "So you’ve been a smooth talker all your life."
Derek let her pull away slightly, but he gripped her arms above the elbows with his hands. "I don’t think I’m a ’smooth talker.’ I’m a professional. I know my products, and I believe it’s my job to help a client solve a problem. If our product isn’t the solution, I won’t sell it to him. And as sales manager, I expect the same from the salesmen I supervise."