Modern Girl's Guide to Office Romance Read online

  Modern Girl’s Guide to Office Romance

  Gina Drayer

  Crimson Heart Publications

  Contents

  Newsletter

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Epilogue

  Afterword

  Also by Gina Drayer

  Martinis After Dark

  Before You Go

  Newsletter

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  Chapter 1

  Be Deliberate

  If you want to date a co-worker, be deliberate about your decision. Don’t get drunk at the office Christmas party and accidentally fall into bed with someone. This is your job, not a sorority. If you want an easy one-night stand, hit the bars.

  * * *

  Kira woke up with a pounding headache and realized two things immediately: she was in someone else’s hotel room, and she was wearing boxers.

  What the heck happened?

  Her foggy mind stumbled over the events from last night, but there wasn’t much to recall. Kira looked around the room that wasn’t hers. She vaguely remembered leaving the wedding reception before they were seated for dinner. Enduring her co-workers’ pitying, sidelong glances—oh, poor Kira, widowed so young—wasn’t her first choice for how to spend the evening. So, she had escaped to the hotel bar with every intention of having one more drink and then going back to her room.

  But she met a man. That she remembered.

  He was another wedding guest. They’d shared their mutual dislike of weddings. Her one drink turned into two or maybe three. God, no wonder her head hurt. That brought her total up to at least four. After that, things got a little fuzzy. She remembered leaving the bar. With him.

  She looked around the room again and swallowed. She’d really done it. She’d gone back to some stranger’s hotel room.

  Right now, how she got here was the least of her problems. She wasn’t alone. The sound of the shower, and an unmistakably male voice, poured out of the bathroom. The man from the bar. She couldn’t even remember his name. It was James or Justin. Maybe it was Jake? Whoever he was, she couldn’t face him.

  Kira hopped out of bed and immediately regretted the quick movement. The room began to spin and bile rose in the back of her throat. She sat back down, put her head between her knees, and took several deep breaths, trying not to hurl on the plush, dark green carpet.

  Was she still drunk?

  She wasn’t this woman. She rarely drank and she never went home with strange men. She needed to pull herself together and get back to her room. The only bright spot of the morning was that she was leaving town and would never run into—Jacob?—again.

  Crap. She was leaving today. She had a flight to catch. Kira sat up and checked the time on the clock. It was already nine. She didn’t have time to deal with a hangover. Like it or not, her flight was going to leave in four hours.

  She stood up—a lot slower this time—and went in search of her clothes. The first thing she found were her shoes. A blurry memory came back. She remembered kicking them off and unbuttoning Jay’s shirt. Or was it Jim? Something that started with J. Why couldn’t she remember his name?

  She collected the shoes and continued her search for her dress. Unlike the hotel room she’d booked, this was a suite. That made the search a little more difficult. She started with the bedroom and then went out into the living room area. There was no sign of her clothing anywhere. The only place left was the bathroom. The bathroom where the last person she wanted to see was taking a shower.

  Or at least he had been. It was then she noticed that the room was silent. Before she could decide what to do next, the door opened.

  Like a scene out of “Weird Science,” a silhouette of a man—backlit by the bright light of the bathroom—emerged from the steam. The only thing covering him was a small hotel towel that gapped at the hip, showing off his thick, muscled thighs. There was another towel over his head and he was furiously rubbing his hair, trying to get it dry. That gave her few minutes to observe the man before the awkward morning-after talk.

  Kira had to give her drunken self credit for having good taste in men. While he didn’t quite sport an underwear model’s physique, the man she’d picked up last night was fit, with well-defined muscles. He was also big. Not tall, but wide. He was the kind of man who filled a room with his mere presence.

  Despite her complete and utter humiliation at the entire situation, after getting a good look at her bar hookup, Kira was honestly a little disappointed she didn't remember what had happened the night before. She’d put on a few pounds over the years, but she felt small in comparison. Was the rest of him as big? Surely not, or she would have been sore this morning.

  The sound of a throat clearing brought her back to the moment. She’d been staring at his crotch so intently, trying to remember how it felt to have his hard, powerful body moving over her soft, more feminine one, that she failed to realize he’d stopped drying his hair and was now looking straight at her.

  “Um, hi” was all she could manage.

  “Morning.” He tossed the wet towel on the floor and flashed her a smile. A broad scar on his left cheek caused his lip to pull up a little higher on that side, making his smile lopsided. That, along with the slight lift of his eyebrow, made him look like a mischievous little boy. She couldn’t help but smile back. Drunken Kira had excellent taste.

  “How are you feeling?” he asked. “I was thinking about ordering some room service, or if you’re up to it, we could go downstairs for breakfast.”

  Clutching her high heels to her chest like a shield, Kira tried to peer around him into the bathroom, but his big frame filled most of the space. “I’ll be out of your hair as soon as I find my dress.”

  “Whoa, slow down there,” he said and took a step forward, a frown breaking the illusion of innocence. “I’m not one of those guys. I thought after last night you understood that.”

  “About last night.” Kira looked down at her feet, unable to meet his intense green eyes. This would be easier if he was a jerk. Or if he wasn’t every fantasy she’d had over the last ten years, wrapped up in one very small towel. “I don’t normally drink, and last night I had way more than I should. Can we just skip the normal morning-after dance? I really can’t stay. I have a flight to catch. Now, if you could just let me into the bathroom so I can get my dress.”

  “Your dress isn’t here,” he said. His frown had become a look of concern. “You called the desk to have them take it to the laundry.”

  “I did what? That’s insane. I’m leaving today. There’s no way they’ll be able to get it back to me.” What happened last night? Kira closed her eyes. That spinning sensation returned with a vengeance and the pressure of a pounding headache increased.

  “You really don’t remember sitting in the bathtub with me? With your dress on?”

  “Wait. You told me to get
into the bathtub with my dress on?” There was a hazy memory of bubbles spilling onto the tile floor as he joined her in the tub in his pants and unbuttoned dress shirt. And another bottle of champagne.

  “No. You crawled in there all by yourself.” He ran a hand through his sandy blond hair and sighed. “Honestly, I didn’t think you’d actually get into the tub.”

  “You know what, it doesn’t matter. I’ll have them mail me the dress,” she said, backing toward the door. She needed to get out of here now while she still had a shred of dignity left. “I have a flight to catch. It was lovely meeting you.”

  “Wait,” he said, taking a hesitant step forward. “Let me get your number before you go. I can call you when I’m in New York.”

  “I don’t think that would be a good idea.” Kira pulled the heavy door open and stepped into the hallway. “Thank you for a … an interesting night, John.”

  John.

  Had she really called him John? The most interesting woman he’d met in years, and she didn’t even remember his name.

  By the time they’d reached the elevator, Jason realized that the spunky blonde he’d met at the hotel bar had already had way too much to drink. He had every intention of sending her back to her room, but she insisted she wasn’t tired and wanted to keep talking. Even three sheets to the wind, Kira was charming and funny. And smart. He enjoyed just hanging out with her; if she came back to his room, he could keep an eye on her and make sure she didn’t get into any trouble. At least, that’s what he told himself.

  They talked into the early morning about life, love ... everything. Nothing had happened, and yet, it was the best night he’d ever spent with a woman.

  The weight he’d been carrying around with him since the divorce had been lighter. She made him smile. And laugh. Laugh like he did before Bridget. Before she’d left him and took with her any hope he’d had of having the type of relationship his parents shared.

  But Kira was like a fresh breeze, sweeping away the cobwebs of his failed relationship. The easiness he’d felt around her had given him a spark of optimism, like maybe there was still a chance. Sure, she lived in New York, but as luck had it, he was headed there in little over a month.

  He’d woken up this morning feeling like a new man. But evidently whatever he’d felt last night wasn’t mutual.

  Jason finished getting dressed and headed down to the hotel restaurant, the dark emotions returning once again. Fuck women. He was ready to leave Chicago behind and start over. He didn’t need a woman in his life to make him happy. But even with that thought, the weight was back and all he wanted to do was grab a bottle of something strong and head back to bed.

  He was thinking about doing just that when his brother, Matt, walked into the dining room with his wife and daughter at his side. Beth spotted him immediately and headed straight toward him.

  He plastered a smile on his face and tried not to be annoyed. He loved his sister-in-law and his beautiful niece, but the last thing he wanted was another reminder of what was missing from his life.

  “Jason. You left early last night. Is everything okay?” Beth settled into the chair beside him and bounced Izzy on her knee as the server went to get a high chair.

  “Did something happen?” Matt asked. “You did meet everyone, right? That was the idea.”

  “Yes, I met everyone.” Jason tried not to roll his eyes. Matt had been talking about his role at the reception for the last four weeks. “I mingled, made nice with the New York staff, and ate my dinner like instructed.”

  “This isn’t a joke. This is my company. We’re giving you a lot of responsibility.’

  “I know.” He knew how important the New York office was to their company. Jason planned on bringing his A-game, but deep down he knew that the only reason they’d hired him was because Matt was his older brother. “Are you sure you really want to do this? I know you think you’re helping me, but wouldn’t it be better if you hired someone who had advertising experience?”

  “People with advertising experience we have, in spades. The office pretty much runs itself,” Matt said, dismissing his concerns. “What we really need is someone who’ll look out for our best interests. Keep an eye on things when we can’t be there. You’ll learn the ropes. Did you have a chance to talk to Harry in sales? What about Lauren?”

  “I had a chance to meet everyone, but it was a wedding, no one wanted to talk business. And by the time the main course was served, we’d had several bottles of wine. I figured it would be best to wait until everyone was sober. I left before the cake was cut. I just wasn’t in a party mood last night,” Jason said, rubbing the back of his neck. And that’s how he ended up at the bar. How he’d met the charming Kira. Like him, she’d fled the celebratory mood of the reception.

  “Well, I guess that’s all we really needed,” Matt said with a sigh. “When you show up next month, at least they’ll recognize you. You know, it wasn’t an easy task getting everyone to Chicago.”

  “Matt.” Beth touched his shoulder. She didn’t say anything else, but that simple nudging was enough.

  His brother dropped the conversation to buckle Izzy into the high chair. There was an uncomfortable lull while they waited to order. When Jason had gotten up that morning, he was hoping for something a little different—or someone, to be exact. But wasn’t that how his life was playing out these days? He’d never say it aloud, but Matt was right. He needed a change in is life.

  A new city. A new job. A new start.

  After their food arrived, the conversation turned back to work.

  "Matt tells me you've been working at the office for the last week. That’s a pretty big change for you. Have you liked it so far?" Beth asked.

  The truth was, it wasn't much different than his work at the bank. A lot of clients with unrealistic demands and expectations of ass-kissing. "It's great," he said.

  "We still have a lot more to go over before the end of the month," Matt said. "Why don't you sit in on the art department meeting on Monday? And, I'll have Peter take you to a new client meeting on Wednesday."

  They went over several more scheduling items while eating their eggs before Beth was kind enough to change the subject.

  "So, what did you think of the people from New York?"

  To be honest, he didn't remember most of them. The only person who made a lasting impact on him was the woman at the bar, and he would never see her again. Before he could respond, his brother broke in.

  "That reminds me, I have personnel files on all the key staff with some personal notes that I wanted you to look over.” Matt pulled a sealed manila envelope from the briefcase at his feet. "I meant to give you this for the reception, but I got a little sidetracked." He gave his wife a sideways glance and grinned.

  Jason took the file and glanced down the list of names. "I think it's a little late now, don't you?"

  "It's still good for you to know a little bit about the staff before we toss you into the mix. A lot of those people worked there before we bought the company, but there's still a fair number of new staff. It took us a while to find a good mix of personalities. If you'll notice, I highlighted a couple names. People who are really key to the office. They’ll be the ones you lean on."

  Jason looked over the list. One name caught his eye right away. Kira Clark. Could it be?

  “I thought you said all the office staff was at the wedding. I don’t remember seeing Kira Clark at the table last night.”

  “I remember seeing her at the ceremony. I don’t know why she wasn’t there,” his brother said while trying to get Izzy to eat her oatmeal. Every time he got a bite in, she pushed it back out with her tongue.

  “I don’t think she was feeling well. She said something to me about going to lay down,” Beth said, her attention on her husband. Shaking her head, she let out an exasperated sigh. “I told you she’s not interested in the oatmeal. I don’t know why you keep trying.”

  “The book said that by six months we should start her on grain
cereal.”

  “And you know what I think about that stupid book,” Beth said, crossing her arms. “Women all over the world have been raising babies for millennia without instruction manuals.”

  Jason flipped through the files, trying to ignore the conversation.

  “I didn’t hear you complaining about the book when your nipples were sore.”

  “A lot of women have nipple soreness when breastfeeding.”

  “But it was because Izzy got thrush, not because she was having trouble latching.”

  “I would have figured it out eventually. But you were right, that cream helped.” Beth leaned into Matt and in a whisper—that was way too loud—said, “and it was kind of fun to apply.”

  Jason blinked and stared down at his eggs. Talk about TMI. He really didn’t want to hear about his sister-in-law’s nipples.

  “I obviously don’t need to be here for this conversation,” Jason said. “Do you mind if I take this file?”

  “Sure,” Matt said, waving him off. “Don’t be late Monday. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover and only a few weeks to do it in.”

  Chapter 2

  Don’t Date the Boss

  Above all, avoid starting a relationship with someone who’s your superior. Just don’t do it. You’re opening a whole bag of problems: preferential treatment, resentment from other co-workers, retaliation if things go bad. Besides, when you have a bad day, you can’t complain about the boss!

  * * *

  “Thank you for coming in early this morning, Kira.” Simon closed the door behind her.

  “I’m usually in at this time anyway, so it wasn’t a big deal,” she said as she took the seat across the table from the three men. The owners of the company. Except for a short period of time after Millennial Marketing had purchased the Parker Agency, she couldn’t remember them ever being in the office at the same time. Generally only one came in, as they preferred to do business at their home office in Chicago. “But I’m always here to help in any way I can.”