Just One Kiss (Very Irresistible Bachelors #2) - Layla Hagen Page 0,15

the interview here?” I asked.

“No, no, no. We have meeting rooms. Those are more private. Not gonna spill my secrets in front of everyone. They’ll just have to wait and read about them along with the rest of the country.”

Ryker grinned. “We can always eavesdrop.”

Ruby narrowed her eyes. “You do that, Ryker, and I’ll drop salt in your cocktails at the next company party. Accidentally, of course.”

Judging by the friendly atmosphere, camaraderie wasn’t frowned upon. And yet, Ryker still remained serious with me when Ruby led us to the meeting room. I was so used to him either joking or flirting that it completely threw me off-balance.

As Ryker walked beside me, I realized I had to stop being so aware of him, but it was impossible. The scent of his aftershave mixed with a cologne that smelled like cypress and leather. The result was knee-weakening sex appeal. How come I hadn’t noticed it before? Probably because I’d always met him in the evening until now, when the scent dissipated.

I rearranged the strap of my shoulder bag, mentally chastising myself for my wayward thoughts. I couldn’t react like this to a man I didn’t know, and I shouldn’t want to anyway.

When we stopped in the doorway of a small meeting room, Ryker set his hand at the small of my back. I tried to ignore the jolt coursing through me and was ready to dismiss it as an involuntary touch, when he moved his fingers in small, deliberate circles. They set my skin on fire even through the two layers of clothes.

I tilted my head in Ryker’s direction, cocking a brow. His mouth curled in a half smile. He dropped his gaze to my feet, and then raised it slowly. I felt as if he was undressing me and barely bit back the irrational impulse to check if I still had clothes on.

Sheesh, this man was a danger to my senses.

I couldn’t get a good read on all the mixed messages he was sending... though my body didn’t find anything mixed about them, it was just on fire. Added to the fact that I was still melting because he’d gotten me this opportunity in the first place, and he wasn’t a danger just to my senses. He was just a danger all around.

“Here is where I leave you,” he said. “If either of you needs anything, just let me know. Ruby, you know where my office is.”

Ryker had his own office? I’d assumed he was an analyst, housed in a cube setup like everyone else.

After he left, Ruby pointed at the ten chairs around the table. “Where do you want to sit?”

We ended up sitting opposite each other, my trusty recorder between us.

After writing about the business world for years, I knew the lingo and had even done my homework on this department’s activities before coming over, thinking that everyone would be more comfortable if I eased them in by first asking about the business before moving on to more personal questions. But I needn’t have worried; all Ruby needed was just a little prompting, and then she couldn’t stop talking.

She told me everything. First about what had driven her to take this job in the first place, why Wall Street, why this specific branch, why she would do this even without the bonuses. What the atmosphere was usually like at the office, about their work ethic.

This was going to be epic. Since I was recording everything, I was already mentally editing the article.

“You know, with all the changes in this in industry, I don’t think anyone can do it if they don’t have a passion for it,” she said.

“I know what you mean,” I told her. “It’s the same in my business.”

I was lucky to still have a job, what with the ever-changing landscape in the print world. I’d escaped all three layoff waves at the newspaper, and my boss had assured me more than once that I was a highly valued employee. I wasn’t kidding myself, though. The way the news world evolved, I was certain that in a few years, I’d have to pivot and find another career. By then, though, Avery would be older, and I’d have time to breathe and actually consider my options. Maybe I could even venture into a similar industry, like publishing. I’d always been a bookworm... eh, truth be told, I’d always wanted to write a book. But that wasn’t for another few years. Until then, I just had to make sure