Read Online Running the Numbers by Roxanne Smith - Free Book Online

took a great deal of willpower not to drop his head directly onto his desk and hope it hurt enough to block out the sound of Kennedy’s voice.
    Kennedy beamed. “Hi there. You snuck right past me this morning!”
    He gave her a thin-lipped smile. “That’s me. Sneaky McGee.”
    Her giggle was a tinkling girlish variation of her normal laugh, which he only ever heard in his office, for his benefit. Her normal guffaw was much hardier, and not so pretty. “You’re so funny. Anyway, I thought I’d better remind you of the time. Wouldn’t want you to miss lunch.” She gave him a small, secret smile that made his hackles rise.
    An invitation. Blake ought to know. Once upon a time, he’d taken a woman up on it. “Actually, I was just leaving.” He rose and grabbed his black suede coat from the coat tree in the corner of his office before brushing past Kennedy.
    She followed close at his heels. “Really? You sure? Actually, I was going to ask you—”
    Blake whirled on her. “I have plans.” His mind raced. “With Amanda.”
    Before she could question him further, he sought Amanda in the bookkeeping parlor. She had her head down, working with her usual single-minded steadiness. He started toward her and checked back quickly to make sure Kennedy had stayed put.
    She had, looking sad with the downturned lips of frustration. It probably wasn’t the best idea to piss off his secretary. But, at the same time, if she didn’t find the line, he’d have to ask Duncan to point it out to her.
    Talk about awkward.
    He slid his hands into his pockets when he approached Amanda’s desk. “Hey.”
    She didn’t startle but looked at him with a perfectly blank face he couldn’t have read if his life depended on it. Was she irritated by the interruption? Happy to see him? Indifferent?
    “Hi, Mr. Cobb.”
    “You can call me Blake.”
    “Okay. Can I help with something? If it’s a payroll concern, you’ll want to speak directly with Pearl Harris. I can point her out if you’re unsure.”
    “Oh, no. No, I don’t have a payroll concern. I, uh… See, I wondered if you had plans for lunch. I thought maybe you’d have lunch. With me?” Should he say please, or would it sound desperate?
    His neck heated. He didn’t recall this being so difficult or awkward. His recollections of his high school relationship with Quinn seemed to come back to him like a perfectly scripted movie. Words spoken with ease, kisses achieved with little effort, everything he wanted placed ever so obligingly into his waiting palms. Kira had pursued him with a sexual aggression that was reminiscent of a different type of movie. With such little life experience, having been with Quinn since the beginning, it hadn’t once crossed his mind to fight the pull, let alone take a hard look at the distinction between love and sex. And Emily had simply wanted him when no one else had.
    They’d all come to him. He had no idea how to properly pursue a woman.
    Amanda didn’t help the situation. She could at least smile pityingly. Offer a tiny hint to give him an idea of what was going on in her head, or prepare him for rejection.
    “No, thank you. I brought lunch from home.” For a second, her gaze wavered and she seemed uncertain of what to say next, as though something were owed to him. “Turkey on whole grain seed bread. No mayo, with sprouts.”
    Before he could figure out a response that didn’t make him look or feel like an idiot, a tap on his shoulder made him turn around.
    Sadie’s heather-hued eyes were alight with mischief.
    The queen of zippy one-liners had witnessed his spectacular fail. Fabulous. Like he needed any more reasons to hide in his office. “Can I help you with something?”
    Her grin widened. Her hands clasped together in front, reminding Blake of a child with a secret. “Oh, just thought I’d rescue you, that’s all. Since Amanda is busy”—she glanced past Blake’s shoulder to give Amanda a wave in the form of wiggling