Page 11 of The Hang Up
“What, you mean like etiquette lessons?”
“Sure, something like that.”
Miriam snorted. “We’ve known each other forty-eight hours, so I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt for not realizing I’m the last person in the world who should be giving anyone etiquette lessons.”
“I beg to differ,” he said, his gaze sweeping her body in a way that made her shiver. “You’re the most put-together woman I’ve ever met.”
“Looks can be deceiving.”
“And you totally owned it in the board meeting.”
“Owning a team of suit-clad, tie-yanking executives is only slightly more challenging than owning a housecat.”
“I’ve met your cat. Considering he sexually assaulted me, that qualifies as a challenging pet.”
“He’s well-trained.”
“That reminds me—Fuzzy?” He rolled his eyes. “You’re one of the industry’s foremost creative geniuses and you have a cat namedFuzzy?”
“It’s spelled P-h-u-z-e-e-i.”
“Phuzeei?”
“Yep.”
He looked at her a moment, then smiled. “That explains so much.”
She was saved from asking what he meant when he banged his hand on the table in front of him, a move that simultaneously startled her and left her wondering how he felt about spanking in the bedroom.
“Tell you what,” he said. “You give me a few pointers on polish and professionalism, and I’ll give you free outdoor adventure tours.”
“Outdoor adventure?” She wasn’t surprised to hear that the words emerging from her mouth had the same intonation she’d use if she said “Pap smear” or “Ebola.”
“Thanks, but no thanks.” She flipped open her laptop. “But actually, I can show you some of my favorite fashion websites if you want to get some ideas for professional attire and?—”
“Wait, why don’t you want an outdoor adventure?”
Miriam stared at him and wondered whether to offer the real story or the one that seemed most obvious.
“I’m a city girl through and through, in case you hadn’t noticed,” she said, settling for the surface story.
“Right, but you’re a city girl who’s managing the account for the nation’s second-largest outdoor gear retailer,” he pointed out. “Don’t you think you should be at least a little familiar with our products?”
“I am familiar with your products,” she said. “I did intensive market research using the reports from?—”
“No, no, no,” Jason interrupted. “Reports aren’t the same as actually experiencing it. When was the last time you played outside?”
Miriam tamped down the panic that threatened to bubble its way up from her gut. It wasn’t his fault. He couldn’t possibly know she’d spent the last year avoiding all things outdoorsy.
Especially men with an adrenaline habit.
She swallowed hard and forced herself to answer his question. “I went outside on Saturday,” she said. “I walked out to get the mail.”
Jason shook his head and looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “Come on, I’ll start you off easy. Maybe some spelunking or something.”
“I don’t know what spelunking is, but unless it’s a drink, a sex act, or a fashion designer, I’m not interested.”
He cocked his head to the side. “Wait, so youwouldbe interested if spelunking was a sex act?”
