Catch part one and part two first!

“I knew I couldn’t trust you,” Megan sneered at Becky. “For two hours I needed you to cover for me, and you weren’t capable of that.”

“Megan, I can explain,” Becky stammered, getting to her feet in front of the one person she most wanted to avoid.

“I’ll bet you can,” Megan said harshly with her arms crossed over her chest, pushing her already overflowing breasts further out of her shirt.

“Ladies, can we possibly do this another time?” the man said in a rough whisper, directing his attention at Megan.

“Oh, yes, of course. I look forward to hearing from you,” Megan charmed the man. She shook his hand firmly then turned to leave without another word or glance toward Becky.

“I’m so sorry,” Becky began. “Um, I should just go.”

“No, wait, please. Uh, I’m assuming you’re Rebecca? My next interview?” Becky nodded. “Then I think we need to get started.”

An hour later Becky walked out of the interview room, shaking hands with Tim. She felt good about the interview and was sure he was going to offer her the job.

“Uh, Becky, could I ask you something else?” Tim asked before she left the room.

“Sure,” Becky said, turning back to face him. The outfit from Rachel had given her confidence she usually struggled to find. She’d sensed a chemistry with Tim during the interview, making her wonder what he would be like on a date, or in bed.

“This has nothing to do with the interview,” Tim said, attempting to put her at ease. His statement had the opposite effect, and Becky’s heart raced with anticipation and anxiety. She nodded for Tim to continue, noting he suddenly looked nervous. “I, uh, I was wondering if you’d be interested in going to dinner. Maybe tomorrow night?”

Pleasure and unease coursed through her. Why did he want to go out with her? She never dated. Besides that, she was up for a job. If she said no would that mean she wouldn’t get the job? What if she said yes? Why did he ask her out?

“Um, I’m not sure that’s a good idea. With the interview and all that. I don’t want to have it interfere and, um, I just don’t think we should.”

“Yeah, sure. I understand,” Tim mumbled. “I shouldn’t have asked.”

Becky thanked him again and left, trying to piece together what the hell happened.

Three weeks later Becky started her new job. Megan was less than happy when Becky quit, especially after she tried to fire Becky and was told she didn’t have grounds. Still, Megan made Becky’s last few weeks miserable, doing everything she could to make Becky unhappy.

Her first day was long and boring, but she was looking forward to going out with Rachel for celebratory drinks afterward. She hadn’t seen Tim much during the day, but she’d met Rose, who was her new boss, a sweet person who didn’t resemble Megan at all. Becky was happy to find out Tim wasn’t her direct boss, especially after spending the last few weeks fantasizing about his strong hands, his soulful eyes, and his perfectly kissable lips.

After hours of orientation and more paperwork than it took to buy a house, Becky was ready for a drink, or two, with Megan. They met down the street at a new bar they’d never tried before, agreeing on a new start to go with Becky’s new job.

Becky walked into the crowded bar and immediately felt out of place. The other people there were beautiful in their classic suits and stylish hair. Becky, on the other hand, was dowdy in her oversized clothes and limp, unkept hair. She managed a bistro table in the corner where she could watch for Rachel and be out of the way, invisible to the others there.

A minute after she sat down a waitress came over with a tall glass of a colorful drink for Becky. “I didn’t order this.”

“Yeah, the man at the bar paid for it.” The waitress pointed toward the end of the bar. Becky looked to find Tim watching her. He raised his glass in a silent toast and smiled. Becky waved him over, not willing to give up her table but wanting to thank him.

“How was your first day?” he asked as he took the seat next to Becky. His long leg brushed against hers when he sat, sending a thrill of heat through her body. That close Becky noticed flecks of green swimming in his golden brown eyes and a dusting of auburn in his otherwise brown hair. A shock of unexpected desire pierced her, sweeping her breath away and making her long for something she could never have.

Struggling to compose herself, Becky managed, “Fine.”

“Fine? That’s all? I’m going to have to talk to whoever is in charge of orientation,” his eyes sparkled with mischievousness as he spoke, letting Becky knew he expected the answer and knew exactly how boring her day had been. “It gets better, I promise.”

“Why did you hire me instead of Megan?” Becky blurted out before she could think about the words. She immediately clapped a hand over her lips and her eyes went wide as she realized what she said. “I shouldn’t have asked you that, I’m so sorry,” she mumbled around her hand.

Tim laughed at her obvious embarrassment and pulled her hand away from her face. “Please don’t hide that beautiful face of yours. And don’t ever feel like you can’t ask me something. Honestly, I shouldn’t tell you anything, but I know you won’t tell Megan. The truth is Megan had good qualifications, but I don’t like women who put themselves on display. Megan made me uncomfortable during her interview and even hit on me. But you,” he paused to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear, “you, Becky, I wanted to be closer to you from the moment I laid eyes on you.”

Becky sucked in a breath, surprised and a little uneasy about his confession. “Did you hire me because you wanted to go out with me?”

Tim shook his head, his fingers lingering over Becky’s chin. “No. I’d never do that, although I won’t deny that I’ve been thinking of you since the day my dog tripped you and you fell into my arms. Your qualifications were as good as Megan’s and better than the other candidates. I shouldn’t have hired you because of how much I want you, but I couldn’t pass up the best candidate and a chance to get to know you.”

Becky head was tipped up, watching him as he spoke. His hand cupped her jaw and slid to the back of her neck. She saw how much he wanted her in his eyes and knew hers reflected the same. As she leaned forward Tim met her halfway, their lips brushing together in a soft kiss that was both passionate and chaste. Tim angled his head, taking control of her and his hand held her in place as his tongue asked for entry.

Their tongues swept each other’s mouths before settled together in the middle, tasting and learning each other. Becky’s hands came up to rest against his chest, fisting lightly in the fabric and pulling him closer. Tim slid off his chair and hovered over her, never breaking the contact of their lips. He stepped between her legs, letting her feel how much he effected her. He pulled back slightly, enough to whisper, “Let’s get out of here.”

Becky nodded then remembered she was meeting Rachel. “I can’t. My friend is supposed to be meeting me here.”

Tim nodded. “After then. We’ll meet your friend, then you’re all mine.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re the smartest woman I’ve met, and I’m drawn to your brains, even more than I’m drawn to your beauty.”

Hoe could she say no to that?