Page 14 of All of Him
I was a dead girl.
I spun slowly around, my face so hot that it could start a fire, and looked at the most hated, but frustratingly attractive employee at Peabody—Brayden McCulley. My eyes traveled from his perfectly chiseled chest to his square jaw and annoyingly amazing honey-colored eyes. His uncle was the CFO, and he was the definition of a douche canoe. But he was so hot. And Ihatedthat he made me blush. Never had my body defied me more than whenever I was around that man.
“How are you ladies doing?” he asked, his teeth a commercial for whitening strips. He stuck his hands in his pockets and shifted his loafer-covered feet. His gelled hair didn’t budge as he nodded toward Noah, who I’d forgotten existed for a full thirty seconds. “Noah, right?” he asked, faking his friendliness.
Noah nodded and took the handshake Brayden offered, though not enthusiastically. He kept his eyes on me and my reaction to Brayden. I tried to hide how flustered I was, but Penny called me out every time. I was pretty sure even Claude knew what the asshole did to me.
“What do you need, Brayden?” I asked, trying to be friendly.
He never visited our area, so I knew he was up to something. I just needed him gone—before Noah caught on to what was happening to me.
“Nothing.” He shrugged. “I just wanted to check up on you guys.”
There had to be a reason he was there, but I felt threatened by his presence. Once I got over the blushing, I mean. I half-glared, half-smiled at him, hating myself.
“Have a nice day, guys,” he finally said before disappearing around the corner.
I tried not to stare at his ass in the tight khakis he wore, but there was no hope. I had eyes, and when he was present, those eyes failed to remind my brain as to how much of a dick he was.
“Look,” Noah said quietly after Brayden left.
I inhaled sharply, turning to face him.
“I try not to get involved in drama, but I feel like that’s something I should ask about.” He jerked his thumb in the direction Brayden had gone, the tiniest smirk on his face.
“You could have answered my text,” I shot at him for no apparent reason. I covered my mouth immediately, my barriers burned to the ground from Brayden’s presence.
Noah raised his eyebrows, but Penny cut him off.
“Nobody really likes him,” Penny explained quietly. Her look of disgust was reservedjustfor Brayden, and I loved it. It was as if she hated no one else in the world. “But Amanda has this weird physical reaction to him that disturbs her, so she always acts strange around him.”
Damn it. God-fucking-damn it.
“Okay…” Noah responded. “Nothing further, I guess.”
He spun slowly back around in his chair, obviously confused, and Penny dismissed herself back to her own desk. I stood there, humiliated to a point where I couldn’t make the situation any worse. But I went for it anyway.
8
Noah
“HEY,” AMANDA SAID SOFTLY, hopping up onto my desk. She swung her feet gently as the blood slowly drained from her face.
I was already irritated with her for texting me when I never gave her my number, but her reaction to the dickhead who had just come by was even more triggering. I couldn’t explain why, but I had an idea that she was too good for him. As if I had any say in who Amanda Bette could fool around with.
“I’m sorry.”
“I know,” I sighed. “You texted me that.”
“And you didn’t answer,” she pushed.
I locked my computer and turned to face her, folding my arms across my chest. I leaned back in my chair, observing her. She sat there expectantly, waiting for some kind of explanation, but she wasn’t going to get much. She also seemed genuinely sorry, though I had to be firm. The girl wasn’t the type to listen to soft suggestions, but her natural pout made me lose my words for a second.
“That’s because I don’t give out my number, and you just kind of took it.”
“I asked Claude,” she tried, blushing again.
I still had no idea why I had such an effect on Amanda, but it was distracting. I couldn’t focus on why I was angry with her. Instead, I felt bad that I was upsetting her. She pushed her hair behind her ear and looked down, softening me even more.
