Good Girl

by Wright, Susan

  Kali took a step up her stoop. “This is me.”

  She had separated herself from him, so he didn’t have a chance to touch her again. After all he had done, she still couldn’t trust him because he had messed with her.

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have asked first.”

  She tilted her head, not understanding.

  “Before I got kinky with you. I shouldn’t have said those things to you without asking first.”

  Now she got it, and she flushed so hard she had to look away. She took two more steps up. “That’s all right.” Even though it wasn’t.

  “I didn’t mean to drive you away,” he said honestly. “I feel bad. I don’t know why I did it. I know better than that.”

  She hesitated, looking back down at him. She didn’t understand; it was true, she really hadn’t explored her submissiveness. But she could tell he meant his apology.

  “That’s okay,” she said, this time meaning it.

  Hunter suddenly felt better, like a weight had been lifted. His pseudo-fight with the homeboys seemed stupid now. He should have just made it up with Kali the second they were alone. None of this would have happened.

  “Put it down to the stupendous stress I’m under,” he admitted, running a hand through his hair.

  She smiled, like the sun coming out. “I understand completely. This project is a big thing.”

  “It is for me.”

  Kali nodded, turning away. “Thanks for walking me home, Hunter.”

  He waited until she was inside the heavy front door, protected by iron over the glass. “I’ll ask next time,” he murmured under his breath, making sure she couldn’t hear him.

  For some reason, he waited until she was through the inner door with a wave of her hand, before he turned away and left.

  Chapter 4

  In a daze, Kali went up the two flights of stairs to her apartment. She wandered around her place for a while until she realized she was sitting on her bed with her hands clasped together to keep them from shaking. They had been trembling as she rested them against his back, as Hunter faced off with those men on the subway. As he stood between her and them.

  It made her weak in the knees to think about it. Feeling how ready he was to protect her was almost worth being so scared. Even then, somehow she never doubted that he would do whatever it took to keep them away from her. Whatever it took.

  He had been perfectly calm the whole time, assuring her in low, even tones and never once making her feel like he wasn’t in complete control. In such wild situation! When he told her to do exactly what he said as they got off the subway, standing there exposed on the platform with those angry men just steps away, with only his hand to hold her there…

  She suddenly realized what complete trust she put in him. She had stayed there with him when every part of her wanted to run away.

  And the way Hunter had looked down at her as he insisted on walking her home. Like he wasn’t going to put down his sword until he knew she was completely safe.

  Kali didn’t think she had ever met a more manly man in her life.

  What would happen when he got back to his station? Would that gang be waiting for him? What if they hurt him?

  She felt so guilty for walking off alone to the subway. All of this wouldn’t have happened if she had just been sensible and waited for the car to come. But he never said a word of blame.

  Instead, he had apologized for saying those things to her. Now when she thought about it, she felt embarrassed for making such a big deal about it. It was just teasing. But it still made her flustered to think about it, even more than remembering how long he had flirted with Selina.

  Finally, Kali couldn’t stand it anymore; she was thrumming with nerves and too much adrenaline coursing through her body. She went outside and walked. New York was made for walking, and the night was really fine with a nice breeze off the river ruffling her hair. Everywhere she looked there was something new and interesting to see.

  But she couldn’t stop thinking about Hunter, the way his back felt under his T-shirt as her hands rested on him, and the way his hand enveloped hers, firm yet careful not to squeeze too hard.

  She tried to tell herself to stop. He was off-limits for a lot of reasons. She was sure Selina would try, at some point, to cash the check he was writing. And watching Selina date Hunter would be excruciating if she kept remembering the feel of his hands on her.

  Kali couldn’t let Selina know that she had the hots for Hunter, especially if they chose his design. Her boss would have no qualms telling Hunter that Kali was mooning around after him. Then Selina would smile as she watched Kali squirm.

  That was not that going to happen. No way.

  No matter how much she kept thinking about his tanned arms, and the way his muscles strained the T-shirt over his shoulders. No matter how much she thought about his blue eyes looking into hers, she couldn’t let herself believe anything would come of it.

  ***

  On Monday, Kali was at her desk listening as Selina called Hunter to congratulate him on winning the contest. Kali emailed him the contract to sign. Hunter replied that he would drop it off at the office the next day so they could open the escrow account to pay for the materials and subcontractors. He would be managing the entire project, reporting directly to Selina and the Chief Operating Officer.

  On Tuesday, Kali wore a skirt and heels as she usually did when a meeting was scheduled, so Selina wouldn’t think it was odd. But she did pick her best hip-hugging skirt and a button-up shirt that could go down an extra button for a nice sexy effect. As sexy as a librarian could look, but she felt motivated to try.

  When Lindy buzzed that Hunter had arrived, Selina told Lindy, “Give us five minutes, then take him to the conference room.” To Kali, she ordered, “Let Harold know that Hunter is here.”

  Harold was their Chief Financial Officer and he had papers for the checking account that he needed Hunter to sign. Kali had coordinated the paperwork with his assistant to be sure they had everything set.

  Selina took those five minutes to examine her face in a mirror, applying makeup and slicking down her fly-away blond hairs.

  “Look at you! You act like you’re going on a date,” Debby said from her computer. “I’m going to have to get a look at this guy, if he’s all that.”

  Selina didn’t like being poked, and Debby knew it. But she had been at SunTech longer than both of them, and was enough of a fixture to get away with things that Kali never would have tried with their boss.

  “If this guy knows what’s good for him, he’ll fall right in line,” Selina bragged.

  Kali expected Hunter to be distantly polite with her after what had happened in the subway. It made sense that Hunter would underscore their new working relationship by being civil, nothing more.

  But from the first moment he saw her, his eyes lit up and his voice lowered slightly as he said hello. As if he felt it, too. Like they had gone from strangers to connected somehow.

  She focused on her iPad, checking off the items as Selina and Harold went through them with him. It was a complex job, and she hadn’t realized how much Hunter would have to do to make sure it was a success. Any overruns would come out of his commission, so he would be motivated to make sure the project came in on budget.

  While they were meeting, a steady flow of office staff filed by the glass walls of the conference room. It was funny, especially when Debby and a few others sashayed by a couple times before they got their fill. Harold didn’t notice with his back to the glass and his figures in front of him, but Selina did, and she didn’t like it. Kali was fairly certain Hunter also noticed the unusually heavy traffic in the hallway.

  When they were done, Harold packed up everything, including Hunter’s signed copy of the contract, and congratulated their new coworker before he left the conference room.

  Selina thoughtfully tapped her pen on the folder in front of her. “We need to get some publicity stills first thing for our an
nouncement. I’m thinking we can use that model you made of the sundial. And the model of the bench. The light through your window was quite nice and it should make for some interesting shots. No more black and white portraits.” She leaned forward. “It doesn’t do justice to your beautiful eyes.”

  Kali had to look away. Selina couldn’t be serious, not with Kali sitting right there listening! Selina was just trying to get control of the situation, as she always did with the people she worked with. But her cougar-like approach was not a flattering look.

  Hunter didn’t smile back. “Whatever you say, Boss.”

  Selina hesitated. He had just barely emphasized the word “Boss.” He was pointing out the fact that he worked for her.

  Selina sat back. “I’ll come by tomorrow with our photographer.”

  Now Hunter did smile. “I’m busy tomorrow. But I could do it tonight.”

  “I’m busy tonight. And I don’t think the photographer would be free on such short notice.”

  Kali decided to help Hunter out, if he was going to fight back. “I’ll text Fran to find out.”

  Selina and Hunter kept looking at each other, and Kali was reminded of the way he had squared off with those guys in the subway. The tension was not as deadly, but it did fill the room.

  After only a few seconds their freelance photographer responded by text. “He’s free this evening. He asks how about 5:30?”

  “Fine by me,” Hunter said easily.

  “I’ll send him your address,” Kali said.

  Selina was smiling tightly. “Good, I’m glad that worked out. I’ll handle the interviews and give the media a couple of nice quotes from you. I’ll pass them by you tomorrow.” She stood up abruptly, holding out her hand. “Welcome to SunTech, Hunter. I’m sure you know your way out by now.”

  Kali was still gathering up her stuff as Selina opened the door. “Come on, Kali. We have a lot of work to do.”

  When Selina’s back was turned, Hunter gave Kali a grin and a thumbs up. He looked so boyish suddenly, like they were kids conspiring behind their mom’s back. She almost laughed, but Selina would have jumped all over her.

  The last thing they heard was Hunter whistling as he came out of the conference room behind them. Selina picked up her steps, as he walked the other direction toward reception.

  “Arrogant asshole,” Selina muttered. “They’re all like that. So sweet at first, until they get what they want. Then you see their true colors.”

  Kali was afraid to say anything and have Selina’s anger backlash on her. After all, she had just helped Hunter get the better of Selina. But Selina was so focused on the fact that he had dropped her in a deep freeze the second the contract was signed, that she couldn’t see beyond that right now.

  “At least Fran knows what I need. You’ll have to be my eyes and ears, Kali. Make sure he gets a shot through the sundial with Hunter’s face behind it. You know like the Vessey Davis kind of angle? And try to position the bench so the light shines through it. I know the real ones won’t look like that, but it will be sharp in the photos if you can get it right.”

  “I’m going?” Kali asked.

  “Yes, what do you not get, Kali? I’m counting on you to make sure I have the shots I need. I’m not breaking my date tonight. And I’m not trekking all the way out there to no-where’s-ville just for work.”

  Selina didn’t bother to ask if Kali had plans. But Kali didn’t have much of a life outside of work. Leaving her friends and family behind had been hard, and it was tough to make new friends in the city. She had considered getting a roommate, but she had never had a roommate before. She had lived at home while she got her degree.

  Kali felt lucky that she had managed to befriend the two women who lived on the ground floor of her building. Pam and Karen were a really sweet couple, in their early thirties. They asked her to go for drinks at some of the local bars every now and again. They were fun to hang out with, but usually Kali went for her morning pancakes alone or read in the used book store on Saturday afternoons. She met a lot of guys in Williamsburg, and had gone on a surprising number of dates. But none of them had clicked with her. Too young, too old, too weird, too pushy… she got to the point she could tell an unemployed actor from an unemployed musician at a single glance. After a couple of dates and her refusals to have casual sex, they usually stopped calling.

  Now she would have to go back to Hunter’s studio. The scene of the crime, so to speak. At least she would have Fran there for protection.

  But the more she thought about it, the more she wondered if it would be necessary. She didn’t think Hunter would make a move on her. He was a coworker now, and he had very neatly put Selina in her place when she tried to flirt with him. But then again, that could be his latest tactic in their dance. It had certainly made Selina sit up and notice, and she might even treat him with more respect now that he had proven he wasn’t her lap dog.

  There was no reason to think Hunter was really interested in Selina. But when Kali ran into the Human Rights Director in the bathroom, she blurted out, “What’s the company policy on dating coworkers?”

  Mrs. Chapel didn’t seem surprised by the question. “As long as he or she isn’t in your direct chain of command, it’s fine. So if you want to date Selina, she’s off limits. As is Ted, and of course, Mr. Ryan. You’re not thinking about dating Mr. Ryan, are you, Kali?”

  “No!” She hadn’t considered that Mrs. Chapel would think she was asking for herself. But she was relieved to find out that Selina couldn’t date Hunter under the terms of her contract with SunTech.

  “Now if you and Debby wanted to date, you could since you’re coworkers. It’s not anyone’s business. In fact, it’s better if you can keep your behavior private during business hours. The less talk the better for everyone involved.”

  Kali laughed at the idea of dating Debby. “I won’t need the info, but thank you.”

  “It’s always good to know what you’re getting into before you take a big leap.”

  As Kali returned to her desk, she thought that was the kind of advice her own mom would give her. Too bad she couldn’t tell her mom what had happened in the subway with Hunter. Her parents would flip out if they thought she was in danger in the city. Her mom wasn’t shy about telling Kali how bad the city was. Her mom wanted her to move back upstate—she kept offering up Syracuse as only an hour away, and Albany not much further. As long as Kali could come home for dinner once a week, her mom would have been satisfied.

  Kali wished she had someone she could talk to. But she was on her own.

  ***

  Kali was deliberately fifteen minutes late for the meeting at Hunter’s studio. But when Hunter opened the door, his surprise was evident. “Kali! I didn’t know you were coming tonight.”

  “Neither did I. But what the boss says, goes.”

  Fran was nowhere to be seen. He should have already arrived and explained that Kali was coming, paving the way for her to slip in while the photography session was going on.

  “I guess Fran is late, too,” she said.

  “That’s fine. I’ve got nothing planned for this evening.” Hunter grinned. “Or tomorrow evening either.”

  So he had been putting Selina off. “You know, you shouldn’t make Selina mad,” Kali told him. “She could make things really tough on you.”

  “She could try. I don’t like petty dictators in the workplace. She’s not ordering me around.”

  Kali assumed he was judging her for knuckling under to Selina. “You only have to work with her for a couple of months. I’m in it for the long haul. As long as I have a job at SunTech, I can put up with Selina Stern.”

  “I bet you can.”

  She gave Hunter a quick look, wondering if he was being sarcastic. But no, he was looking at her with admiration and approval. It made her feel warm, and she was on the verge of flushing again.

  Kali had deliberately dressed down for this meeting, having run home first to change into jeans and a washed-out gr
ay T-shirt. It was funny because Hunter was wearing almost exactly the same thing—a faded gray T-shirt and jeans—only his feet were bare. And very sexy, now that she got a good look at him. He had nice neat feet, like his hands.

  He noticed her appraisal. “I’ve got a jacket I can put on for the photos, but it’s a little warm in here tonight.”

  That wasn’t why she was looking at him, but it would do for an excuse. Kali moved over to the windows that were catching the slanted light. “Fran better get here soon.”

  At that moment, the buzzer sounded.

  Fran arrived with a whirl of energy and motion, setting up lights and big white diffusers. He rapped out commands in his blunt Norwegian-accented English, as he directed them both around. Kali was a little worried at first, after seeing how Hunter had refused to bend to Selina. But Hunter was smiling the whole time, comfortable in his own skin.

  Once they started shooting, Fran was in seventh heaven.

  “Usually I photograph people in suits, talking heads,” Fran said. “I wish I could work with more artists like you. Yes, bend down more,” he said. “I want the shadow of the dial on your face. Selina sent me a billion texts this afternoon. She wants this, she wants that… why hire a professional if you can do it yourself?”

  “Selina couldn’t make it this evening,” Hunter said solemnly.

  “That’s what she says. But this is better. Can you adjust the screen, Kali? Yes, that way.” He titled his head at Hunter, as if assessing the angles of his face. “Can you give a bad photograph, Hunter? I don’t think so. Now come over here. I want a profile shot.”