Read Online All She Wants for New Year's -- A Contemporary Erotic Holiday Romance (All She Wants #2) by Nathan Stratton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nathan Stratton
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was in business school,” he said, by way of explanation. “I can spot it a mile away. We used to call it ‘fake smile mode.’ You know what I mean?”
She laughed again, astonished. “That’s what I call it too.”
“It’s a good name for it,” he agreed. “Anyway, no problem – how can I help you this morning?”
Rather than throwing her off-guard, Brandon’s unexpected joking had put Jessica more at ease. She still couldn’t picture his face, but she now felt comfortable speaking to him casually. “It’s my computer,” she said. “I think it’s totally fried. It keeps giving me this error message, and the screen’s gone all black now.”
“Uh-oh,” Brandon replied. “The black screen of death, huh? Is it showing an error message at all?”
“It sure is,” she said, reading the code on the screen. “Um, it’s error number 3756c? Does that mean anything to you?”
He gave a low whistle. “Unfortunately, yes,” he said. “Sounds like your memory’s corrupted. I’m probably going to have to come over and check it out… is now a good time for you?”
Jessica glanced at the clock. “Well, it’s not like I’m able to do anything with my computer on the fritz, anyway.” she said. “Sure, come on over. And thanks, Brandon, I really appreciate it.”
“No problem,” he said. “Be there in a sec.”
Chapter 3: Sparks Flying
When Brandon arrived at her cubicle, Jessica immediately remembered him. Just like he said, she’d trained him in September. It was hard to forget a face like that – or more precisely, a body like that. She didn’t know what he was doing in I.T., but he had a body like Channing Tatum. She’d been expecting some kind of computer nerd.
She couldn’t stop herself from giving him a quick once-over as he walked in, from his fitted dark green sweater to the shine on his brown leather shoes. It was all she could do to keep a straight face when he looked at her with those big hazel eyes of his, as he said with a smile, “Jessica?”
“Hey, Brandon,” she managed coolly, grinning back at him. “Thanks for coming over on such short notice.”
“No problem,” he said. His presence filled the cubicle, and she was sure that his strong baritone voice could be heard down the hallway. She realized she was still sitting in her chair, looking up at him. She quickly leapt to her feet, as if suddenly remembering her manners.
She extended her hand politely. “It’s nice to meet you again,” she said. “Sorry about earlier. I do remember you now.”
Brandon took her hand and shook it, an amused half-smile on his face. “Ah, don’t worry about it. I figured you wouldn’t remember me. I certainly remembered you , though.”
As he finished speaking, he let go of her hand and looked pointedly into her eyes – or at least she imagined he did. Confused thoughts raced through her head. Is he flirting with me? ...Don’t just stand there, say something!
“Y-you did?” she stammered.
“Yeah, of course!” he replied cheerfully. “I mean, you were the one who went over my salary information packet with me!”
Her face fell. “Oh, right,” she said flatly. “Of course…”
She turned quickly away from him, with the pretense of looking at her computer. In truth, she felt embarrassed, and she didn’t want to look at him in case she was blushing. Of course he hadn’t meant anything by his comment; of course he wasn’t flirting with her. She didn’t know why she always fell for the most unattainable guys, or why she got so flustered around attractive men. Maybe her parents were right. Maybe she should have given Freddie more of a chance. Maybe—
“Earth to Jessica!” Brandon said, interrupting her train of thought. She looked up at him, startled. He laughed. “You still with us?”
Splendid, she thought to herself. Now he thinks I’m crazy.
“Uh, yeah!” she said,
She laughed again, astonished. “That’s what I call it too.”
“It’s a good name for it,” he agreed. “Anyway, no problem – how can I help you this morning?”
Rather than throwing her off-guard, Brandon’s unexpected joking had put Jessica more at ease. She still couldn’t picture his face, but she now felt comfortable speaking to him casually. “It’s my computer,” she said. “I think it’s totally fried. It keeps giving me this error message, and the screen’s gone all black now.”
“Uh-oh,” Brandon replied. “The black screen of death, huh? Is it showing an error message at all?”
“It sure is,” she said, reading the code on the screen. “Um, it’s error number 3756c? Does that mean anything to you?”
He gave a low whistle. “Unfortunately, yes,” he said. “Sounds like your memory’s corrupted. I’m probably going to have to come over and check it out… is now a good time for you?”
Jessica glanced at the clock. “Well, it’s not like I’m able to do anything with my computer on the fritz, anyway.” she said. “Sure, come on over. And thanks, Brandon, I really appreciate it.”
“No problem,” he said. “Be there in a sec.”
Chapter 3: Sparks Flying
When Brandon arrived at her cubicle, Jessica immediately remembered him. Just like he said, she’d trained him in September. It was hard to forget a face like that – or more precisely, a body like that. She didn’t know what he was doing in I.T., but he had a body like Channing Tatum. She’d been expecting some kind of computer nerd.
She couldn’t stop herself from giving him a quick once-over as he walked in, from his fitted dark green sweater to the shine on his brown leather shoes. It was all she could do to keep a straight face when he looked at her with those big hazel eyes of his, as he said with a smile, “Jessica?”
“Hey, Brandon,” she managed coolly, grinning back at him. “Thanks for coming over on such short notice.”
“No problem,” he said. His presence filled the cubicle, and she was sure that his strong baritone voice could be heard down the hallway. She realized she was still sitting in her chair, looking up at him. She quickly leapt to her feet, as if suddenly remembering her manners.
She extended her hand politely. “It’s nice to meet you again,” she said. “Sorry about earlier. I do remember you now.”
Brandon took her hand and shook it, an amused half-smile on his face. “Ah, don’t worry about it. I figured you wouldn’t remember me. I certainly remembered you , though.”
As he finished speaking, he let go of her hand and looked pointedly into her eyes – or at least she imagined he did. Confused thoughts raced through her head. Is he flirting with me? ...Don’t just stand there, say something!
“Y-you did?” she stammered.
“Yeah, of course!” he replied cheerfully. “I mean, you were the one who went over my salary information packet with me!”
Her face fell. “Oh, right,” she said flatly. “Of course…”
She turned quickly away from him, with the pretense of looking at her computer. In truth, she felt embarrassed, and she didn’t want to look at him in case she was blushing. Of course he hadn’t meant anything by his comment; of course he wasn’t flirting with her. She didn’t know why she always fell for the most unattainable guys, or why she got so flustered around attractive men. Maybe her parents were right. Maybe she should have given Freddie more of a chance. Maybe—
“Earth to Jessica!” Brandon said, interrupting her train of thought. She looked up at him, startled. He laughed. “You still with us?”
Splendid, she thought to herself. Now he thinks I’m crazy.
“Uh, yeah!” she said,
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