Code Red

by Amy Noelle

  “I know electronics aren’t your thing, but I also know you can do this.”

  That made exactly one of us. “I’m flattered, but you are aware I had to bring my laptop into tech support when I accidentally put a parental lock on it, right?” The morons in tech had laughed their asses off and threatened not to help me, since they didn’t think I should indulge in pornography on my off hours. As if I was looking at porn. Okay, maybe I was looking for pictures of shirtless male celebrities, but that wasn’t porn. Not exactly.

  “So the technical writer is technologically challenged?” Five minutes in and Josh was already making fun of me. It sucked that I sort of loved that.

  Both men laughed, and I frowned at Chris before turning to Josh. “I’m afraid I’d ruin your big project before I even got started.”

  That killer smile flashed and my heart fluttered. Damn his potency. “I’m not worried about you ruining anything. I’ll be with you every step of the way to make sure we get it right.”

  I didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing, but I was leaning heavily toward bad.

  “Josh is going to partner with you on this project. He’ll be the technical end.” Chris’s voice made me pry my eyes away from the male perfection beside me. “He knows the ins and outs of the phone, and you two will discuss it and work together to write copy for the manual.”

  I was having heart palpitations again. I wished I’d brought my phone in with me so I could text the girls and tell them good-bye. And make them sorry they’d poo-pooed my Code Red. They’d better cry tears of grief and guilt at my funeral, or I’d haunt them all.

  “So, how are we going to work this?” I said when I could finally speak. Josh had a slight smile on his face and Chris was watching me with concern. How long had I been lost in thoughts of my imminent demise? “Will I be working earlier hours so we can sync up with New York?”

  “Not at all. Josh will be here for the duration of the project.”

  Oh, God. I was going to have to work with him face-to-face? I’d never get anything done. I’d stare at him and create a puddle of drool on my desk all day long. Very effective.

  “You’re staying in a hotel for months on end?” I asked. Why in the hell I chose to ask that, instead of the billion other questions swirling through my mind, was beyond me. Maybe I should suggest he stay with me, since we were partners. I didn’t want him suffering through room service and maids and fawning desk attendants, after all . . . What was I doing? I didn’t want him near my place! Except that I did. This was why I’d called for the Code Red.

  Josh grinned. “Actually, a friend I went to school with lives here.” Friend? My heart sank. “I’m staying with him.” Him. I sighed in relief and couldn’t stop my smile.

  I wanted to ask about his life in New York and if he was leaving someone behind, but it wasn’t my place and it certainly wouldn’t be professional. Especially in front of Chris. I needed to calm the heck down, anyway. I aimed low with my conquests. It worked for me. This wouldn’t.

  “I’m going to set Josh up in Lydia’s office, since she’s out on maternity leave. I’ll have your things moved in there tonight.”

  I was going to be sharing an office with the man? Was Chris crazy? I could swear Josh looked amused. We’ll see if he laughs when my heart gives out and I pitch forward at my desk and expire. At least he’d be the last thing I saw, and I could haunt him for killing me. Then I’d get to see him naked. Maybe death wouldn’t be so bad, all things considered.

  “Sounds good,” I said weakly.

  “This project is to remain top secret, so you can’t tell your cohorts what you’re working on,” Chris said. Great, that was only going to piss off Lisa all the more.

  “No problem.” It wasn’t like I understood what it was, other than it was the best phone ever.

  “Great. We’ll get going on it tomorrow, then.”

  Recognizing that I’d been dismissed, I stood. “Thanks for the opportunity.” It was a big one. I recognized that. I might hate the assignment for technical reasons, but I’d do my best, so long as Josh explained everything to me well enough to make it work.

  “You’ll nail it, Nic. I know you will,” Chris said and shot me an avuncular smile.

  I started to turn away and escape, but out of the corner of my eye I could see Josh holding out his hand. Escape aborted. I wanted to touch him again, but I was afraid to. I’d managed not to make a fool of myself so far, I think, but I was cutting it close. I shook his hand and before I could pull away, he cupped my hand between his. I felt my knees buckle as the heat of his touch surrounded me.

  “I’m really excited to work with you, Nicole,” he said warmly.

  “Looking forward to it,” I said in a squeaky voice. I wished God would save some time and kill me now. I already knew it was going to happen, so why make me wait?

  He released me and I felt like I could breathe again. I also felt sad to walk away from him, because I was a crazy person who couldn’t make up her mind.

  “See you later,” I said as I hurried toward the door and didn’t look back as I shut it behind me.

  I was going to be working with that man for at least the next couple of months. Was there anything graver than a Code Red? Because this was uncharted, dangerous territory. Code Red times a billion. I didn’t know how I was going to make it through.

  Chapter 4

  It was probably a bad idea to come to Rush Street on a Monday evening. No doubt everybody that had a shitty start to the week would be hitting one of the bars and drowning their sorrows, but it couldn’t be helped. Maxwell’s was our meeting place whenever we had something to discuss, good or bad. It was a decent place to talk and have a drink without getting blasted by loud music or obnoxious patrons. We’d celebrated Kim’s promotion there, and Mandy’s baby news, even though it was probably inappropriate to take a mother-to-be to a bar. We went there after Ashley had a huge fight with Rick, after Jen got her heart broken by David with many names, and after I decided I wanted a career change. It was only right that we meet there for my Code Red.

  Josh had stayed holed up with Chris for the majority of the day. He’d shot me that gorgeous smile of his before he left, and I’d managed not to melt into a puddle of goo at my desk. Lisa helped by sending me dirty looks that only got worse when Chris announced the special new secret project and just who would be working with the sexy New Yorker. Angie had been thrilled for me, and Andrew really didn’t care much, but I could tell he enjoyed Lisa’s irritation. Instigator.

  The instant I stepped into Maxwell’s, I felt better. The gleaming wooden bar looked inviting, as did the pool tables and gaming areas. But I wasn’t here to play. Jen waved from the spot she’d managed to secure next to the wall. I sat on the black barstool and smiled as she pushed an amaretto stone sour over to me. That was a best friend. She always knew what I needed.

  “Thanks,” I said and took a sip.

  She shook her head. “Not necessary. I’m not the one who can’t stand a change in my schedule. This must be major,” she said.

  Admittedly, I wasn’t exactly flexible when it came to my time. I tended to stick to a pretty rigid schedule of work, home, and television during the week, and I resented anything that got in the way. My friends knew to give me a lot of notice if I was needed during the week and not even to attempt to get me out of the house on Friday night unless Supernatural was a repeat. Even then, I might not go. My schedule suited me, and it certainly suited my cats. I didn’t even want to think about what a snot Hunt would be when I got home late tonight.

  “It’s major.” In my mind’s eye I saw those killer blue eyes again. Even when he was nowhere near me, he was potent. I took another sip of my drink.

  “Tell me,” Jen said.

  I described him, including the part about him doing dental ads. Jen laughed, and I joined in. Laughing was better than freaking out. “He had long, sexy fingers,” I added as an afterthought, though those fingers were hardly out of my mind since I’d la
id eyes on them. “He wore a suit.”

  “Ahh.” Jen leaned back. “Your weakness.”

  So I had a thing for men in suits. Who didn’t? There was a reason I wasn’t in corporate law or something. I’d never get anything done because I’d be staring at all my coworkers.

  “So, what’s his deal? Is he married? How old is he? How long’s he here for? Give me the details.”

  All valid questions, none of which I really had the answer to. “I don’t know. He’s older than I am, but not by much. Maybe thirty? There was no ring on his finger, but that doesn’t mean anything. And he’s here as long as this project takes to complete.”

  Jen raised an eyebrow. “What project?”

  I groaned just thinking about it. “I’m not allowed to release details but, suffice it to say, it’s for an electronic device.”

  Jen giggled, and I flicked her hand. She yelped and yanked it away. “Ow! Come on, you have to admit, it’s funny. You, who don’t know how to download things to your e-reader, are writing an electronics manual.”

  “First, e-readers are confusing. Second, I know I’m technologically challenged and so does Chris, but he claims I’m the best writer on staff. He says they need me for this project because it could lead to tons more. Josh will be working with me, explaining everything while I write it up.”

  “Well, isn’t that interesting?” Jen toyed with her ponytail.

  “No, interesting is the wrong word. Dangerous is more like it.”

  “Why?” She leaned forward. “I admit, the guy sounds sexy, but why not just enjoy the scenery for once instead of closing your eyes and running in the opposite direction?”

  “You know why,” I said, annoyed. We were here for her to tell me I was strong enough to resist a pretty face, and that the next couple of months would fly by and I could be rid of him and back to normal. This was a Code Red situation. I needed support.

  “Damian was a long time ago,” she said and tapped her blood-red nails on the table. “Didn’t we just talk about how it’s time to get out there and start living again? Maybe find something like what our friends have?”

  I could hear the frustration and hurt in her tone. “Yeah, we talked about that for you. We also established that I’m perfectly happy with my life as it is. No drop-dead-beautiful New Yorker needs to come in and break up my order.”

  “How do you know he’s going to break up anything? Maybe he’s just going to do his job and go home and call his wife and kids every night.”

  I felt a pang. Of course I’d thought about him married with a bunch of perfect kids, but that didn’t mean I actually wanted him to be.

  I sighed and tried to figure out how to verbalize what I was feeling. For somebody who was supposed to be so good with words, I sucked when it came to talking about guys, unless I was joking about them.

  “I’m drawn to him,” I said, toying with the stirrer in my drink. “And honestly, I haven’t been drawn to a guy like this since Damian. It’s stronger than it was with him, and you know how I was about that jerk.” I’d been putty in his experienced, lying, cheating hands. “The fact is, I have no idea if Josh is single. I certainly have no idea if he’s attracted to me or if it would matter if he was, since we work together. There are about a billion reasons I shouldn’t be freaking out about him, but I am anyway. I can’t turn it off. I’ve done nothing but think about him since I met him. And now I’m going to be sharing an office with him. The two of us, alone, for hours on end. I’m afraid I’ll just attack him like Kim suggested.”

  I’d begun stirring my drink faster and faster, and Jen laughed and put her hand on top of mine. “Stop doing that, it’s annoying.” I stilled and finally looked up at her. She was smiling sympathetically. “You won’t attack him.” I opened my mouth to protest, but she shook her head. “You’re the most controlled, rigid person I know. You won’t attack him because you’ve got way too much pride, and you’re way too scared.”

  I wasn’t sure if I should be insulted by that or not. It might be accurate, but I didn’t think it was flattering. She was calling me a wuss.

  “Also, he’s probably attracted to you. You’re a beautiful woman. You’re smart, funny, sarcastic, and a little bit crazy. What’s not to like about that?”

  “You’re all those things, and I don’t like you very much right now,” I said, and she laughed again.

  “Well, lucky for me, we’re not talking about me.”

  I scowled at her, and she smirked.

  “Look, I’ll be the first to admit I’m the last person who should be giving you advice, given my track record.”

  I hated it when she talked like that. “Jen, you’re the one I counted on to be here, and you’re the one who’s actually single. You know I love the others, but they don’t know what it’s like for us, not anymore.” They were too wrapped up in their “couplehood.” “It’s different when you’re married. They all just told me to go for it.” I made a face. “Like it’s that easy. Like even if he’s single he’s just going to fall for me. Like they didn’t used to freak out about talking to a guy.” It was so annoying. Mandy and Ashley were both terribly shy around men. I was pretty sure neither of them had ever approached a man first.

  Jen snickered. “It’s easy to forget all of the bad memories once you’ve found Mr. Right.” Her eyes got that look, and her smile faltered. I cringed. She was thinking of him again. “Then, when you lose him, you still remember the good. And you look for it everywhere, but you can’t find it.”

  It was my turn to take her hand. “He wasn’t Mr. Right,” I said softly. Her eyes lit with anger and she tried to tug her hand away, but I held on. “If he was, he couldn’t have done that to you. You need to let go of the good and the bad.”

  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, I saw the pale blue swimming with tears. “I know that in here,” she said, pointing to her head. “It’s here that has the problem.” Her heart. Of course. “But we’re not here to talk about me.”

  “We can . . .”

  “No. My point was that maybe our friends don’t remember what it’s like to be single, but that doesn’t mean they’re not at least partially right. After all, they did get their dream guys to marry them. This guy is your dream guy, isn’t he?”

  Pretty damn close, but how did I know? “Physically, sure. But I don’t even know him.”

  “It seems to me that spending all that time alone with him in that little office is a good way to get to know him. You two will be familiar with each other’s every move in no time at all. He’ll know when you’re hungry, you’ll know when he’s tired, and he’ll probably know when you’re ragging . . .”

  I panicked. “Shit! He’s going to hear every little sound I make. What if I fart? Oh my God, I would die.”

  Jen giggled. “You’ll have to leave the room if you feel one coming on. Go shoot it at Andrew, and then come back.”

  Now I was freaking out about new things entirely. “Really helpful, Jen. How in the hell am I going to sleep tonight worrying about body odor and what I’m going to wear tomorrow and if he sleeps naked?” I pounded the table for good measure.

  Jen grinned. “At least now you’re not worried about him being attracted to you. You’re worried about driving him away, which means you want him to be attracted to you.”

  “Did you just use reverse psychology on me?” I asked, glaring at her.

  “Hey, I learned a thing or two in freshman psychology,” she said. “Clearly, you want this guy. Why not get to know him and see if you still want him once you do? He could be all looks, no substance, like Damian was.”

  “Damian had substance, sort of.”

  “Icky, gooey, black substance that would have oozed out of him if you cut him open. He had a gorgeous face, a sexy Greek accent, and a hot body. That’s all the substance he had.”

  “Which is why I don’t hook up with guys like him. So I should just bypass Josh and go find a guy who’s more my speed.”

 
“You mean a guy who’s beneath you. Aren’t you tired of geeks and momma’s boys?” she asked, watching me closely. “I’ll know if you lie, so don’t even think about it.”

  We’d been friends for entirely too long. “Maybe. That’s why I haven’t gone home with anyone in a while. I figured I’d break my embargo this weekend when I take you out, though.” BOB could use a break, and I could use a little one-on-one interaction with a man.

  She rolled her eyes. “Great, so I can watch you hook up with a loser while I go home alone?”

  “Uh, no, you’re supposed to hook up, too,” I said. “We’re going out for you, not for me.”

  “We’ll see. Besides, now that you’ve met your hot coworker, you might not want one of your usual losers.”

  I had the distinct feeling she was right, but I was determined not to let her be. I’d find someone to scratch my itch, and then maybe I wouldn’t be so damn attracted to Josh. Hell, maybe that was it. I was in such dire need of a man that the instant I got around an attractive one, I lost all sense of myself and what I wanted.

  “What?” Jen asked and narrowed her eyes. “What’s that look?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I’d figured it out now, and I felt a billion times better. Josh probably wouldn’t affect me at all tomorrow, now that I knew what I needed. I glanced around the bar. Maybe there was someone here I could take home tonight just to ensure I would be over it.

  “What are you looking for?”

  Nobody fit the bill. There were lots of men here, but they were all grouped together, and I wasn’t in the mood to cull one from the herd. “I was just looking.”

  “I don’t trust that look,” she said as she watched me like a hawk.

  “What look?” I batted my eyelashes. “I’m perfectly fine. You helped me, just like I knew you would. You’re right. I’m overreacting to physical attraction. Once I get to know him, I’ll see he’s just another guy, and I probably won’t even like him. So long as I can do the project without an issue, we’ll be okay. Thanks, hon.”