Too Close to Touch Read online

  Pulling her eyes away proved to be difficult, but Kylie managed to turn aside before she could be caught staring. “The weekend… yes. How was it?” she asked Mick, trying to focus on the topic of conversation.

  “The usual.”

  “Let me guess. You went out Saturday night, you took some babe home, ditched her by Sunday afternoon, and went to the gym. How’d I do?”

  Mick chuckled. “Not bad. Not bad at all. But I only went to the gym because you were being too good to do something with me on Sunday.”

  “Hey, I told you I had things to do.” She watched the stylish brunette out of the corner of her eye, enjoying the sight of her bending toward the mirror to touch up her mascara. Kylie’s eyes drifted down over the curve of hips and nicely shaped behind. “Preparations to make.”

  “For new boss day.”

  “Exactly.” A toilet flushed and an older woman with gray hair and a friendly smile joined the brunette at the sink, blocking Kylie’s view.

  “You sound nervous,” Mick commented.

  “I am nervous. I have to learn a whole new person starting today.”

  “You’ll be great. As soon as he sees how terrific you are at your job, he’ll be thanking his lucky stars. And if that doesn’t work, we’ll go to the mall and buy you some tighter clothes.”

  “It’s a she.”

  The older woman dried her hands and left. The brunette was now applying lipstick. She blotted her lips together and ran a precise fingertip over each corner, tidying. Kylie swallowed.

  “What’s a she?” Mick asked.

  “My new boss. It’s a she, not a he.”

  “Even better.”

  “Funny. What if she doesn’t like me?”

  “She will.”

  “Oh, God. What if I don’t like her?”

  “Would you stop with the panicking already? It’s all good.

  Everything will be fine. Just relax and do your job. She’s going to love you.”

  Kylie sighed. “Okay, okay. You’re right. Listen, I’ve got to go. I need some strong black coffee to calm my nerves.”

  “Your logic is bizarre, Ky.”

  “It’s one of the many reasons you love me. Hey, wait. Who was the date Saturday night? UPS Girl?”

  “Nope. Post Office Chick.”

  “You’re a dog.”

  “I wasn’t the one doing the howling, babe.” Kylie couldn’t help but laugh. “Ugh. You disgust me. Do you know that?”

  “It’s one of the many reasons you love me.” Kylie snapped her phone shut, still grinning, and turned toward the mirror. She tucked her dark blond hair behind her ears and neatened her eyeliner with her finger. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, hoping to relax at least a little. Then she smoothed her hands over her hips, willing away the wrinkles in her navy blue skirt.

  Next to her, the brunette snapped her purse shut. As she passed Kylie, she smiled, her dark eyes sparkling. “Have a great day,” she said in a voice that was so deep and husky, it made Kylie raise her eyebrows in surprise.

  “Thanks. You, too.” As the door shut, she muttered to herself, “Wow. That was fun to look at.”

  She spent another ten minutes in the bathroom emptying her nervous bladder, fixing, reapplying, and adjusting her make-up, and fussing with her hair. The level of her anxiety was disconcerting and she had to give herself a little pep talk before taking a final, cleansing breath and heading back to her cubicle.

  She stopped dead in her tracks and stared when she saw the steaming cup of black coffee perched on her desk. Turning slowly, she looked toward the office opposite her area and saw the brunette from the ladies’ room unpacking her briefcase behind the large mahogany desk Kylie herself had dusted earlier that morning.

  Crap. Picking up the coffee cup, she took a too-large sip, hoping to bolster her nerves, but only succeeding in burning the roof of her mouth. Time to face the music, O’Brien.

  She crossed the hall and rapped her knuckles lightly on the door frame. “Morning,” she said.

  The brunette looked up and smiled. “Hi there.” Her eyes pointed at the cup. “Strong enough for you?”

  Kylie felt a blush rise in her cheeks as the sensual timbre of the woman’s voice hit her low in her belly. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

  The brunette held out her hand over the enormous desk. “Gretchen Kaiser.”

  Kylie stepped toward her and placed her hand firmly in that of her new boss. “Kylie O’Brien.” Despite her smaller hand, Gretchen’s grip was a combination of softness and power. Kylie hoped hers gave the same impression.

  “Not Irish at all, are you, Kylie O’Brien?”

  “Maybe just a touch.” Kylie smiled, still too unsure to be charmed by the easy banter and still tingling from the zap of embarrassment knowing Gretchen had heard her voice all her fears and worries in the bathroom.

  “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “Same here.”

  “They tell me you’re my right hand, that I can rely on you to keep this department running smoothly.”

  “I’ve been here a long time. I know this company very well.”

  “Good. Being the new kid on the block, I’m going to count on you for your expertise. You okay with that?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Excellent. The first thing we need to do is to set up a meeting of all my sales reps.”

  “All of them or just the ones here in Rochester?”

  “Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, Albany, and anywhere in between.

  I want them to see my face so they can picture who’s screaming at them through the phone when their numbers are down.” Kylie winced inwardly at the thought of the reps being yelled at.

  Jim had been a gentle manager, and verbally berating his people would never have crossed his mind.

  Gretchen interrupted her thought process. “Make it a mandatory meeting. Next Wednesday. If anybody can’t make it, I want them to talk to me directly about it.”

  “Okay. I’ll get on it today.”

  “Can you contact the shipping department as well and find out if my boxes have arrived? I had some things sent from my old apartment, but I don’t see them here.”

  “Got it.”

  Gretchen stopped unpacking and blinked at her. “Do you need to get a pad or something to write on?”

  “No.” Kylie held her gaze. After a couple of seconds, she tapped her temple with a fingertip. “I’ve got it.” Gretchen looked skeptical, but nodded and continued with her task. “Okay.”

  * * *

  The morning passed so quickly for Gretchen that she began to wonder if maybe she’d fallen through a hole in the space-time continuum and lost several hours. Her office was looking livable and she could find almost everything she’d unpacked. Still awaiting her boxes from Poughkeepsie, she’d headed off to a meeting with J. Edward Emerson himself, along with several of the VPs and three other regional sales managers who’d flown in to welcome her aboard.

  She was sure she’d shaken the hands of at least a dozen new people since she’d arrived that morning, and she hoped against hope that she could actually remember their names…not that it mattered.

  She would probably only see them once a year or so at the company stockholders’ meeting. These meet-and-greet type things were a nice gesture, but she was more annoyed than anything else. There was a ton of work to be done and she felt like she was wasting time shaking hands with everybody and their brother.

  Deciding to stop by her office before she met her immediate superior for lunch, she heard Kylie answering the phone and was impressed with the professionalism in her voice.

  “Gretchen Kaiser’s office, this is Kylie. May I help you?” Though it was ridiculous to pass judgment after only a few hours, she had a good feeling about the competency of her EAA. And I have my own personal eye candy, she thought with a devilish grin.

  Kylie was quite a traffic stopper with her all-American good looks.

  Her dark blond hair was cut simply, ju
st skimming her shoulders, and her build was most definitely feminine, but held a hint of athleticism.

  Gretchen wondered absently if she played any sports, remembering the creamy expanse of muscled calf that peeked out from under the conservative skirt. Treadmill, she thought. I’ll bet she’s on the treadmill every day. Sighing, she made a mental note to stop by the gym she’d noticed near her apartment before the week was out.

  She waved at Kylie and entered her office to grab her purse, noting with disappointment that her boxes from downstate had yet to arrive.

  “Kylie, were you able to get ahold of shipping?” she tossed over her shoulder as she bent to open her bottom drawer. When she stood back up, Kylie was standing in front of her desk not two feet away.

  “I’ve got a call in. They haven’t seen them yet.”

  “Jesus.” Gretchen pressed a hand to her chest, trying to recover from Kylie’s silent appearance. “You scared me.” Kylie smiled. “Sorry. Jim always said I moved like a cat. Would you rather I stomp in?”

  “It might save me a heart attack or two.”

  “Do you have your paperwork from when you shipped the stuff? I can trace it and find out where it is.”

  “Good idea.” Gretchen pulled the papers from her bag, handing them to Kylie as she headed for the door. “Thanks.”

  “Lunch with Margo Wheeler now?”

  “Yeah.” Gretchen lowered her voice and asked, “Do they really call her Hell on Wheeler around here?”

  Kylie laughed outright, surprised that Gretchen had heard the nickname already. “I’m afraid so.”

  “For good reason?”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  Gretchen nodded. “You know, I am hoping to be able to actually sit at my desk before this week is over. Really. I swear.”

  “Such is the life of a big corporate executive. Do what you’ve got to do. I’ve got everything under control here.” Gretchen stopped in the doorway and turned to look at Kylie.

  She was surprised that she hadn’t noticed how blue Kylie’s eyes were.

  The thought that she and Kylie were both the same height as long as Gretchen had heels on zipped through her brain for no reason at all.

  Note to self: always wear the heels.

  Aloud, she said, “That’s good to know. You’ve got my cell number, right?”

  “Got it. Enjoy lunch.”

  “I’ll try.”

  * * *

  Okay, these people need to leave me the hell alone. Anytime soon would be good. Gretchen’s head was so full, she was surprised it hadn’t just exploded by now, leaving her brains in colorful splashes all over the walls of one of the posh conference rooms of Emerson, Inc. She considered herself a rock, able to withstand enormous amounts of pressure without cracking—she certainly hadn’t got where she was by being a shrinking violet. But the stress and anxiety of the job change, the move, the new city, the new coworkers, and the seven hundred meetings she’d taken part in were conspiring to turn her into a raving lunatic.

  A very large part of her wanted to shriek at all of upper management to get the hell out of her face so she could do her damn job already. She knew she needed to have time to sit at her desk and go over the files of her sales reps or she’d be woefully unprepared for her first meeting with her new subordinates. That was not the way to instill confidence and respect. Despite the fact that it was only Monday, she already knew a weekend of working from home was in her very near future. Not that that was anything new to her.

  She was relieved to note that she’d just completed the last of her meet-and-greets of the day. “Thank God,” she muttered.

  It was after four, but she was now free to take a deep breath and sit at her desk for a while…hopefully undisturbed. There was so much to do. She touched Kylie on the shoulder as she passed; the EAA was on the phone and looked up at Gretchen with a smile and a small wave.

  She found herself feeling a twinge of jealousy that her assistant seemed fresh, energetic, and unfazed by the day.

  With a heavy sigh, she dropped into her leather chair but resisted the urge to slide down into a comfortable slump. It was still business hours, her office had windows, and the last thing she wanted was for anybody in the company to think the hectic schedule had gotten to her on her first day. A quick glance around the room told her that her boxes still had not arrived. She growled under her breath. Having some of her personal office items would go a long way in helping her to settle in.

  “Kylie?” she called. “Any news on my stuff?” After a brief silence, the phone on her desk beeped. “You know,” her EAA’s voice dulcetly confided, “this thing on your desk is called a phone and it actually has an intercom that you can use to call me.” Gretchen laughed before she could catch herself. “Are you saying you don’t like me hollering to you from in here?”

  “I’m not saying that at all.” The playful grin was apparent in Kylie’s voice. “I’m just sharing information.”

  “I appreciate that. Any information to share on my boxes?”

  “According to UPS, three boxes were delivered here on Thursday.”

  “Thursday? Then where the hell are they?”

  “That’s the big question. I’ve got a call in to the shipping department right now. They’re looking.”

  “God damn it.”

  Gretchen rang off the intercom and rifled through her drawers until she came up with the Emerson Company Directory. She had experience dealing with more than one shipping department in more than one corporation and was inclined to believe that more often than not, they were staffed by idiots. She flipped through the directory until she found what she was looking for. Shipping Manager: Michelle Ramsey.

  “Okay, Ms. Ramsey,” she muttered as she dialed. “Where the hell is my shit?”

  The phone was picked up after the second ring. “Shipping.”

  “Michelle Ramsey, please.”

  “Hang on. I’ll see if she’s still here.” The phone was muffled and Gretchen could hear muted voices. Then it was picked up again.

  “Ramsey.” The woman’s voice was strong, confident.

  “Ms. Ramsey, this is Gretchen Kaiser up on the fourth floor.” Gretchen kept her voice stern, making it very apparent who the boss in this conversation was. “I had some boxes shipped here from downstate and UPS says they were delivered on Thursday. It’s Monday and I have yet to see them. Can you help me with that?”

  “I believe your EAA has already called about them, am I right?” Michelle’s tone was just as tight as Gretchen’s.

  “You are. Unfortunately, your department hasn’t given her any answers and I’d like to get some. Now, please.” There was a slight pause. Then Michelle Ramsey spoke, her voice coated with artificial sweetener. “Well, Ms. Kaiser, I believe it was noted that your boxes were of a… personal nature. Therefore, they were set aside last week to get them out of the way, as we had a large shipment of business equipment delivered on the same day. Since shipments related to business are what my people are paid to handle, I had to prioritize. I’m sure you can understand.” Gretchen ground her teeth at the patronizing tone. She spoke slowly, as if dealing with a small child. “That was three days ago, Ms. Ramsey. One day, I can deal with. Two days begins to piss me off. But three days teeters on the edge of incompetence. Do you think you could have one of your people get them up here before I retire?” There was enough of a pause this time to let Gretchen know that Michelle Ramsey might also be grinding her teeth, and she felt a tingle of satisfaction at the knowledge. “I’m very sorry, but my people are off the clock at four.”

  Gretchen let out a slow, annoyed breath. “I see my department isn’t the only one that needs cleaning up. I can be sure to mention that to Margo Wheeler during our next meeting.” There was another short silence. This time, it was blatant that Michelle wanted to come through the phone at her. Her voice was clipped and dripping with feigned cheerfulness. “Not to worry, Ms. Kaiser. I’d be happy to bring your boxes up myself.”

  “
I’ll expect to see them before I leave today.” She hung up the phone without another word, shocked that the handset wasn’t frozen over with ice. Turning to her computer and the usual overflow of e-mail, she muttered, “Fuck with me, will you? Bitch.” Nearly an hour went by before there was a hesitant rap on her door frame. The office had quieted considerably once five had come and gone, and the knock seemed offensively loud. Gretchen looked up to see Kylie in the doorway.

  “Sorry to interrupt.” She seemed a little uncomfortable. “Your boxes are here.”

  “It’s about goddamn time.” Gretchen stood up as the end of a box on a handcart was wheeled into view, followed by the other two boxes stacked on top of it, followed by Michelle Ramsey, who was pushing it all.

  Oh, shit.

  Gretchen was momentarily speechless and wondered if the shipping manager felt the same way.

  Kylie looked from one woman to the other and back, obviously confused by the discomfort in the room and assuming it had to do with the shipment. “Um…Gretchen Kaiser, this is Mick Ramsey. She runs our shipping and receiving department. Mick, Gretchen is our new regional sales manager.”

  “Oh,” Mick said hesitantly, smiling with recognition. “You’re the new RSM.”

  Gretchen recovered quickly and cleared her throat. “Right there in the corner is fine.” She kept her voice cool, determined to remain on top despite the fact that Mick’s presence took up so much of the room.

  She swallowed when she saw Mick’s smile dim several watts and her green eyes harden. Pulling her own eyes away, Gretchen sat down and went back to working on her computer, effectively dismissing both Mick and Kylie. When she heard the wheels on the handcart squeak away down the hall, she let out a quietly relieved breath. Several minutes went by before a small cough called her attention away from her monitor. She snapped her head around to find Kylie still standing in her office.

  Gretchen raised an aggravated eyebrow. “Yes?”

  “Um…do you need anything else from me before I pack up for the night?”

  Gretchen glanced at the clock in the corner of her computer monitor. It was going on six. “No. You go on home.” She went back to reading her e-mail.