Playboy Boss Page 5

  Dallas grinned. “You can’t get out of his conversation, Kon. Do you like that waitress?”

  Konrad gave his friend a direct look. “No, mate. I don’t fucking fancy her! She’s not even my type.”

  Dallas furrowed his brow. “You mean because she has two jobs and not a trust fund?”

  Konrad was full of shit, and Dallas was absolutely right. Konrad’s rotation of women lived his wealthy lifestyle. They required it. Furthermore, he understood them, what they needed. A Chanel purse for a broken date. A Cartier bracelet for a broken promise. They always knew how to settle down when he’d offered a gift. Konrad sensed Scottie was not like that. There was something too innocent about her. He suspected she’d require more than a Cartier bracelet for a broken promise.

  “Oh, wait a goddamn minute.” Dallas pushed Konrad’s arm, nearly knocking it off the bar. That would be the grand revelation, then. “I see what’s going on here.”

  “Hey! Watch the bespoke shirt.” Konrad had officially lost his fight. The thing he wanted to keep to himself, Dallas was about to announce to the world.

  “You’re bent out of shape because she didn’t acknowledge you. And how could any woman not acknowledge you!” Dallas howled. His perception was immaculate. If only he’d use that keen sense in business only and not in deciphering Konrad’s innermost secrets.

  “For God’s sake,” Konrad muttered, quite mad at himself. With women like Pilar and Anisette ready for his bed at the drop of a hat, he should be focusing on them and not his attraction to his temp, who clearly was not impressed with him in the least.

  But it was true, though. Every bloody thing Dallas said.

  “Finally, a woman who hasn’t fallen for your charms in two seconds of knowing you.” Dallas was having too good a time with the information.

  Konrad grew serious, evening out his emotions. “I’m her boss, so she’s just being professional, I’m sure. I commend it. Besides, have you not seen Pilar?”

  “Oh, I have seen Pilar, my friend. But that’s not the point, now is it?” Dallas was serious too.

  God. He was right again.

  Bea arrived with perfect timing. Konrad couldn’t be more grateful to her. She placed their plates on the bar. “Two filet mignons for our handsomest patrons.”

  “You have to say that because you work for me.”

  “Uh-uh, Halman. You’re just a junior VP. She doesn’t work for you just yet.” Konrad winked at a giggling Bea. Konrad needed to get at least one jab in. He’d lost the whole damn fight.

  ****

  Back at the office, Konrad felt a bit more at ease, even when he received a thank-you email from Antonia for attending the engagement party. Konrad responded with the enthusiasm he knew his friends deserved. However, it all left him with the same longing he’d felt at the engagement dinner. He’d hoped that nagging feeling would subside sooner rather than later.

  Konrad passed Susan at reception, waving as he walked through the doors leading into the Korr Properties suite. A few employees stopped him for signatures on documents as he walked to his office. The time had come to take Scottie on the grand tour of Korr Solutions. Excitement made his feet move faster to his office.

  As he turned the corner, he heard Scottie’s voice, even as low as it was. He paused, coming to a complete stop at the edge of her cube. Her words became clearer. She was on the phone.

  “What do you mean I don’t qualify for a credit line? I have never had a credit card before.” Silence passed for several beats, and when she spoke again, she was indignant. “This makes no sense at all. How can you deny me when I don’t have any delinquencies as a negative mark against me? No, I can’t get a co-signer.”

  His heart clenched. Was she in trouble? Did she have financial problems?

  “Look, I just need a credit card with a thousand-dollar credit limit. I have been banking with you since I was eighteen. That’s five years! Isn’t that worth something?” The distress overflowed from her voice.

  Konrad was compelled to act in some way but didn’t know how or what.

  She must have heard him move, and at the moment she faced him, her face turned red, likely from her embarrassment, even though she had nothing to be embarrassed about. This touched him in a way he’d not anticipated.

  Her mouth parted the moment their eyes met. She was completely frozen. The voice on the other end of the line sounded from the receiver, though she didn’t respond right away. Scottie closed her mouth. Konrad felt bad that he’d caught her. She looked mortified.

  Calmer, she said into the receiver, “I understand. I will have to get back to you. Goodbye.” She hung up the phone. “Mr. Korr?”

  Konrad lifted his eyebrow. “Miss Roberts?”

  Her cheeks blushed. “Uh… Is there something I can help you with?”

  The grand tour of Korr Solutions seemed so trivial after what he’d just heard, but she was his temp, and he could only be concerned about that. It was hard to forget the desperation in her voice, though. The mortification on her face. “Can you be ready in five minutes?”

  “Yes, of course. Is there something wrong?” Her eyes widened, and she looked so innocent, like she’d never had a deviant thought in her life.

  “I want to take you down to Korr Solutions for the tour.” Konrad’s voice was softer than he expected.

  “Yes, of course,” she said, stumbling over her words. “I’ll go to your office in five minutes.”

  He nodded and walked across the aisle into his office. He was more perplexed than he ever had been. Dallas was right. Scottie didn’t swoon for him upon meeting him. Didn’t even give him any indication that she thought he was a decent guy. And though they’d only known each other a day, Konrad was drawn in. He was intrigued. For the first time, he thought, as disconcerting and unprecedented as it was, he could easily swoon for her.

  Chapter Six

  Scottie walked to the ladies’ room as fast as she could. Humiliation was too soft a word to describe how she felt. Konrad overhearing her conversation was mortifying to say the least.

  He wouldn’t understand. She doubted he’d ever had financial problems in his life. Where would she turn? She refused to track down her father, wherever he was. He’d been nonexistent to her. No, she needed to do this on her own. No banks. No begging for handouts. She’d have to make some serious decisions. She was an adult and needed to stand on her own two feet. Not that she’d ever had anyone else to stand on.

  When she returned to her cube, Konrad was waiting for her outside of his office. He’d been talking to another employee, whom Scottie didn’t know, pointing at a piece of paper. On her approach, his eyes met hers, and there was something softer in them. Something that oddly soothed her.

  “There she is,” he said, sending tingles down Scottie’s legs with his surprising words. He directed to the older women, “Let’s pick this up later.”

  The woman nodded, retrieving the document and pivoting in the opposite direction.

  Is he going to say something about my personal call?

  “Off we go.” He walked down the hall, with Scottie on his heels.

  In the elevator, Scottie stood across the small vestibule from Konrad. When their eyes met, she smiled nervously, looking away. Hyperaware of herself, she could count her heartbeats. One. Two. Three. Dear God, the two-floor descent shouldn’t have lasted that long.

  He smelled so good, though. Like fresh laundry. And a spice she couldn’t identify. Or bergamot, maybe? His whole house probably smelled like that. His sheets … his towels… And why was she thinking about his towels?

  “What’s on your mind, Scottine?”

  His electric words moved her, soaring through her flesh. She could feel each syllable in her stomach, and it spiraled in response. The conversation she’d had with the bank was worlds away.

  She shook her head. “Nothing.”

  He chucked low, but it sounded as if his mouth were only inches from her ear. “Don’t be nervous. The Solutions crew is much more
fun than me.” She looked up in time to catch him wink at her. His blue eyes glistened in the fluorescent lighting that normally made everything look hideous. He was far from hideous.

  “That can’t be easy to accomplish.”

  His laugh was deep and succulent. “Cheeky.”

  Just then, the elevator opened. Thank God. Being in such close proximity to Konrad was dangerous. It was both disconcerting and exhilarating—exactly what she’d felt about him thus far.

  Glass doors with Korr Solutions spelled out in wide chrome letters faced them. It was modern, not traditional with dark woods and brass grommets on distressed leather seating like Korr Properties. Both suites were gorgeously decorated. Konrad spared no expense.

  He pulled open the door with the chrome handle. “After you.”

  His scent enveloped her as she slipped by him to enter the suite. Inside, the reception area was done in white with dark slate-gray carpet and white modern leather chairs with chrome frames. Black and white abstract art prints lined the walls.

  “This is really nice.” Scottie marveled, only to be caught off balance when Konrad’s fingers pressed against her back. She jumped, and his hand fell away.

  “This way.” He pointed past the long white marble reception desk. As they approached, he greeted the attractive blonde donning a headset. “Sandy, love. How are things?”

  Scottie was sure he shouldn’t be calling his employees “love.” This guy was an HR nightmare. Sandy seemed to like it, though. She blushed, her dark eyes sparkling like polished onyx stones. Who wouldn’t like it, though? A pang of unwelcome jealousy shot through her. God, she needed to stop her ridiculousness.

  “Fantastic!” Sandy answered—too brightly in Scottie’s opinion.

  “This is Scottie, the temporary Marisol.” He glanced back to Scottie, grinning.

  Scottie frowned. What woman wasn’t temporary to him? “Hi.”

  Sandy waved. “Nice to meet you.”

  “All right then, let’s get to it.” He opened the doors leading into the suite, and Scottie passed through.

  Inside, the suite was exactly like the reception: sleek, slate-gray, white tiles, abstract line art along the walls. Scottie liked the private cubes, considering what happened earlier with her interrupted private call. She needed privacy around him.

  “Down this hall are the servers for our KCloud service for data storage.” He pointed to double doors with a sign: IT Only. Just as they turned the corner, a man, a cute-ish man, nearly crashed into them with his sharp turn.

  Konrad gave him a playful whack on the shoulder. “Jeff, you sneaky bastard!”

  Jeff laughed nervously, Scottie noted. His brown gaze shifted to Scottie for a moment, a half smile on his lips. “Konrad! I didn’t know you were coming down here.”

  “I need to keep you lazy asses on your toes.” Konrad grinned.

  Jeff rubbed his shoulder, grunting. He turned his eyes to Scottie, an obvious appreciation in the way he looked at her. “Who did you bring with you?”

  Scottie glanced at Konrad, catching a furrow at his brow. He answered less casually, sharper and more professional. “This is Scottie Roberts. She’s my temp while Marisol is out.”

  “Right.” Jeff’s gaze was fixed on her. He offered his large palm to her. “Nice to meet you, Scottie. I’m Jeff—”

  “The sneaky bastard,” she said, finishing for him. “Yeah, I heard.” She took his hand, the heat of their contact making her feel woozy. Or maybe it was because Konrad had suddenly become very interested in her every move.

  Jeff laughed heartily. “I like her.”

  “Yes.” Konrad’s one word was a bit clipped. “That is obvious.”

  If Scottie didn’t know better, she’d think Konrad had an issue with the way Jeff looked at her. Because he did have a hint of interest dancing in his eyes. The way Konrad had looked at her at the dinner party.

  Scottie said, “I’m taking the grand tour of Korr Solutions.”

  “Cool.” Jeff didn’t stop flirting, though Konrad’s objection to it was clear. He continued, “Want me to show her around, Kon?”

  “No, I’ve got this under control, thank you, Jeff.” Again, his hand pressed against Scottie’s back to push her in the opposite direction. That time, however, she didn’t jump away from him.

  “No worries. Oh, hey, it was nice to meet you, Scottie.”

  Scottie pulled her attention from Konrad, which was no little feat considering the heat of his hand burned her flesh. She was breathless. Stumbling over her words, she said, “Nice to meet you too, Jeff.”

  Jeff didn’t walk away, though, but hesitated. Then he said to Scottie, “So, every Thursday the software team goes to happy hour at Bowie Brew a couple of blocks from here. Want to join us?”

  She glanced at Konrad, who didn’t hide his emotions about that. And he also didn’t remove his hand, which had been on her too long to not be noticed.

  Why would he hate the idea of her joining Jeff for happy hour? It shouldn’t matter. She didn’t need his approval. He didn’t control what she did after work hours. In fact, she wasn’t his to control, period. He had enough women under his control.

  Scottie stepped forward, Konrad’s hand falling from her back, leaving her abandoned without his touch. But it needed to be done. She lifted her chin in silent defiance. “Sure. Sounds fun.”

  “Already trying to corrupt my temp, Jeff?” Konrad likely said it in jest, but there was no humor underneath.

  Jeff grinned, seeming triumphant. “That’s not part of my job description.”

  “No, it’s not. Now get back to what is your job description.” Konrad practically shoved Scottie until they were halfway down the corridor.

  “He seems nice.”

  Konrad grunted. They turned yet another corner of the ice-cold labyrinth of the suite. “Here is where the data magic happens. This is the software engineering department. Out of curiosity, do you have any coding experience? I know some BBA programs require a computer science credit.”

  “Uh…” Scottie had to get her bearings. He was distant again. Nothing like he was seconds ago. “I took two semesters of software development in college, so I do understand how to write and read basic code.”

  “Excellent. We lost someone this morning, and we are a bit shorthanded. I may have you do some software debugging.”

  And just like that, he went back to not caring about what she did.

  The rest of the afternoon flew by without much from Konrad, who’d shut himself in his office. Scottie busied herself with ordering lunch for some upcoming meetings later in the week. Also, she’d received an email from Anisette, thanking Konrad for the Chanel scarf. She didn’t seem as pissed off as Tamsin. Maybe he was being ethical in telling the women what they were getting themselves into?

  Scottie wondered where Pilar was in all this. She also wondered if she could theoretically agree to his conditions of non-commitment, to have him just for a night. The thought jolted her to reality. No. A casual thing wasn’t her game. She needed all or nothing from a man.

  Chapter Seven

  Wednesday morning, on a whim, Konrad decided to take Scottie on a field trip to see the EaDo property. He’d completely ignored the fact that he’d never taken Marisol to see it or any other property since he’d set up his headquarters in Houston earlier in the year. He hoped everyone else would ignore that fact too.

  Unlike his typical office attire, he dressed casually in worn jeans, a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, and casual Prada shoes. Employees would raise their brows because he’d always worn a suit to work. It was his armor.

  “Dress for the level of success you want,” his father always said to him. Konrad had not been a stranger to three-piece suits in boarding school and beyond. Perfectly tailored. Perfectly put together. His father insisted on it. Image was always important to him. Konrad too.

  Susan wasn’t at her desk when he walked through the lobby before eight in the morning. Scottie, on t
he other hand, sat at her desk drinking coffee from his favorite Harvard coffee mug. It had gone missing the day before. When he saw her perfect lips latch onto the rim, though, all he could think about was how those lips would look on him. If he didn’t have such great self-control, he would have been hard with the thought.

  For fuck’s sake.

  He cleared his throat. “Good morning, Scottie.”

  Startled, her eyes jerked up to his from her sitting position. She dropped the cup from her lips and sat it on the desk, then swallowed, making Konrad really have to get control of himself, and said, “Good morning, Konrad.”

  His gaze fell to her simple black flats as she sat crossed-legged, her toes pointed to him. She’d worn a pair of cropped trousers and a striped shirt. Very French. Finally, an outfit he liked, not including the black skirt he hadn’t been able to stop musing about. Legs like hers should be shown often. Daily. Nightly… My God.

  “I’m glad you’re wearing flat shoes today.” His eyes lingered over her ankles too long. Scottie surely noticed. “I’m taking you on a road trip. Can you be ready in fifteen minutes?”

  Her cheeks flushed. “Where are we going?”

  “To visit the infamous EaDo property.”

  She hesitated. “Who else is going?”

  A slow smile pulled his lips. “Just us.”

  Gulping hard, she asked, “Just us?”

  “You’re not scared, are you?” He should not have asked that. A-Plus Temporaries would cancel their contract if they knew how unprofessional he’d been with her since she’d stepped foot in his office. She liked it though. Had to. If not, she’d be gone on her own accord.

  Scottie frowned with indignation. “No.”

  “Excellent.” He spun on his heels toward his office, gratified to see her still watching him in the reflection of his glass door. Over his shoulder, he said, “Be ready in fifteen, yeah?”

  Not waiting for a response, he entered his office and let the lock catch before he exhaled. He sat at his desk, musing about how damned lucky his Harvard mug was.