Page 69 of Smokey's Distraction
Straightening in his chair, he planted both hands on the desk and leaned forward. “No, I’m not. I’m impressed by your hard work.”
“That’s what I get paid for.” A crease of annoyance burrowed between her brows.
“Good point.” He reached over and snagged the copies she set out for him. “Okay—do your job.” Slumping back in his chair, he perused the pages.
Ashley stood up and walked over to the easel, placing several large, Post-It style presentation sheets on it, and began to explain the various campaigns. He had to admit, Zach had been right when he said Ashley was one of the best in the field. Smokey had never seen her in action, and at that moment, he was blown away by her confidence and passion. The more he watched her, the more he wanted her.
“Are you following me?” she asked.
“I am. I like seeing how excited you are with the project.” If talking projected numbers and marketing ads stirred her up, he could only imagine how wild she’d be in bed.
As if reading his thoughts, she tapped the pointer against the easel’s wooden frame. “Keep your mind out of the gutter.”
“I can’t promise to do that when you’re around.” He laughed when pink began to stain her cheeks. “Hey, I’m just being honest.”
Rolling her eyes, she replied, “I’m sure you are.”
She walked back over to the desk and picked up another stack of exhibits and placed them on the easel. Smokey couldn’t help but notice the sexy sway of her hips beneath her suit skirt. Those shapely legs would feel real good wrapped around him as he thrust into her.Damn—what a woman.
Ashley looked over her shoulder and glared at him.
“What? I’m waiting for you to show me the actual ads.”
“Yeah, right.” Picking up the pointer, she tapped the poster board. “Here is what I envision for a series of ads highlighting the down-home feel of your company.”
“These are good,” he said as she flipped to another exhibit.
She looked over and smiled, the softness replacing the earlier tightness in her face. “Thanks.”
As she continued with the presentation, Smokey wondered if she was going to keep up the charade that Saturday had never happened.Maybe she really does want to keep things between us strictly professional.But if that were true, then why was she trying so damn hard to play Ms. Professional of the Year? And why did she keep sneaking peeks over at him? He had too much experience with women not to know when a chick was into him, but Ashley was proving to be a real challenge. Unlike the numerous women in his life, she wasn’t rushing to get into his bed.Thatwas what intrigued and excited him about her—the chase. He’d never had to work so hard to get a woman. The chicks were always coming to him, and if he did come across one who played hard to get, he could usually get between her legs within a day—two at the most. But with Ashley, he didn’t have a clue how long she’d hold out. There was a sexual charge between them, and he was pretty confident that they would eventually hook up. The only question was: how long was she going to make him chase her?
“Which of the ads do you like the best so far?”
Fuck!“The first one about the home feeling shit—I mean stuff—was good.” Once again, the muscles in her face tightened. “Look, Ashley, I don’t know fuck all about this. You’re the expert, and I appreciate all the hard work and time you’ve put into this marketing stuff. I trust your opinions and your experience. Narrow it down to two for the first campaign set, and let’s see how it goes.”
She set the pointer down, then folded her arms across her chest. “Most clients like to have a say on which ads we use. After all, they are spending a lot of money for them.”
“I’m not ‘most clients.’ I trust you. Zach said you were the best.”
A slight tinge of color lit up Ashely’s face, making her eyes sparkle.
“So, are we good here?”
“Yes. I’ll pick out two I think are the best and show them to you. Even though I appreciate your trust in me, I’ll feel more comfortable if you see and approve the first set of ads.”
“Okay. Now, what about some lunch?”
“I’m swamped. I have to meet with the CEO of Tech Plus next week, and I have a Zoom conference with Zach and Jeremy about a difficult client in Denver.”
He knew she was pushing him away, and it irked and excited him at the same time. “Gotcha. Just put the final two on my desk and text me when you do it. I’ll be on a couple of job sites for the rest of the week.”
“Oh … okay.” Disappointment laced her voice.
I’m up for the chase, baby, but there’s no fuckin’ way I’ll beganyoneforanything. “Good luck with the Aspen client. Zach told me you’ve been working hard on it.” He reached for the contract Pearl had set on the desk earlier.
Gathering up the exhibits, she nodded. “I’m sure Zach has painted a picture of me as a lonely workaholic.”
“Sort of, but I don’t believe it.” He looked up and met her gaze. “I know you like to bike ride.”
