Adding Up to You Read online

  “Honestly, Kenna.” Serena’s laugh tinkled throughout the room. “You’ll have enough to do in the present without worrying about the past.”

  “The past is quite important to any corporation’s present or future.” Kenna looked around her, but oddly enough, few met her gaze.

  Except Wes. He cocked his head and studied her, the only one in the room to do so directly. “You have paperwork to back up your thoughts?”

  Did she have paperwork? She loved paperwork. “Yep.”

  “It sounds extremely interesting.”

  “It is extremely interesting.”

  He wiggled his fingers toward her. “May I?”

  Kenna looked around again. Suddenly everyone was meeting her gaze. What a bunch of suck-ups. “Sure.” She tossed him the reports.

  He caught them with ease, tucked them under his arm and looked around him. “Thanks. Okay, people, here’s how the VP positions are going to work.” He then outlined how the division of duties would affect them, and what it meant to each department, while Kenna used the time to take stock of the fact that dark conservative clothing prevailed.

  Except for Wes and his red tie, that is. She nearly grinned at that. Besides the tie, her turquoise skirt was the bright spot in the room.

  When he finished, she shook a lot more hands. There was Mr. Bad Tie, Ms. Needs Highlights and so many others she hoped like hell she remembered their names later. In the midst of the can’t-wait-to-work-with-you speeches, Kenna caught Serena’s go-to-hell expression. Kenna knew from past experience that Serena was officially out to make her life miserable. Great. Just what she needed. Kenna escaped as soon as possible, looking forward to finding her office and digging into more work. On the way out, she grabbed Serena’s arm. “Which office did you say was mine?”

  An unholy gleam came into her cousin’s eyes. “Fifth one on the right past the desk you saw me at earlier. Later.”

  Yeah. Hopefully not.

  Kenna followed the directions, counting the doors, and had just put her hand on the handle when she heard someone clear their throat.

  Already she knew that sound, as the man it belonged to was a bundle of contradictions—cool and aloof, and yet capable of unpredictable bouts of quick wit and good humor. She’d told herself to ignore him, but deciding it and doing it were two entirely separate things.

  Slowly she pivoted and faced one most definitely not-ignorable Weston Roth.

  His smile was pure trouble. “Next round,” he said, and lifted a stack of papers and files in his hand. “These are for you.”

  CHAPTER 7

  KENNA STARED at Wes and took a deep breath. Next round. Perfectly chosen words. Fighting words. And Wes certainly had the build of a finely honed boxer, all tall and toughly lean.

  Oh, yes, this was the next round. Bring it on. “What do you have there?”

  “Since you gave me your paperwork, I thought it only fair to share mine for the day. I’ve got a stack of files and reports that will bring you up to speed for the week’s worth of meetings.”

  She stared at him, she couldn’t help it. He was actually going to bring her into the decision-making process. He was going to treat her like an equal.

  She’d known he’d have to make at least a pretense of it, but it appeared he planned on doing more than that. Why that touched her, she had no idea, but it did. It touched her and took her completely off guard. Clearly she’d been feeling a little more vulnerable than she could have imagined. But she hadn’t gone with the waterproof mascara this morning so she bucked up. Besides, it was one thing to have a bad or weak moment, another entirely to show it.

  “In particular,” he said. “I’ve got employee contracts and union demands. We’re meeting with the reps in an hour to discuss strategies, so you might want to hustle.”

  The lump turned to pure irritation. An hour? She could never—

  “Can you get it together?”

  “Of course,” she said, her nose so high in the air she risked a nosebleed.

  Wes gestured to her still-closed office. “Did you pick this one?”

  “Serena did.”

  His dark-blue eyes, deep and mysterious behind his glasses, gave nothing away, nothing except a small glimmer of amusement. “You two are close then, huh?”

  “Like this.” She lifted two fingers, entwined. “So…we’re working on employee contracts today.”

  “Just this morning. By eleven we’ll be going over the financial statements. Quarterlies just came in.”

  Great, she’d be in her element, as opposed to this morning and the union work, which she knew nothing about. Yikes. She’d have to speed-read, she’d have to— Her thoughts scattered away when she realized he was staring at her. Specifically, her mouth. “Um…what? Do I have crumbs on my face or something?”

  “Nothing.” He looked away.

  And she found herself looking at his mouth. Firm and…well, downright sexy if she was being honest.

  Whoa. She had no idea where that completely inappropriate thought had come from. He was a suit. He was a Mallory drone. He was completely and totally not for her.

  Ever.

  “Okay, listen.” He took a step closer, pinning her with nothing more than his sharp eyes and the feel of his big, beautiful body nearly brushing hers. “Did something weird just happen?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “Absolutely not.”

  He looked at her for a long moment. “You’re right. It was nothing.”

  She managed a smile. “Look at that, our third agreement. This is going to be a piece of cake.”

  His mouth curved. “Cake, huh?”

  Oh, boy, he had a smile. It went straight to her good spots, which hello, hadn’t been heard from in a while. It made her own smile freeze.

  “Don’t do that,” he said quietly. “Don’t overthink it. It was nothing. Remember that.”

  “And even if it wasn’t nothing, I’m good at discipline. I can eat just one cookie or even one chip and resist—”

  “I’m not a cookie, Kenna. Or a chip.”

  She couldn’t help it, she laughed, thinking a cookie and a delicious-looking man weren’t really all that different.

  “Terrific.” He let out a frustrated breath. “Look, I don’t suppose you can not laugh? Ever?”

  Slowly, fighting a smile, she shook her head.

  “Yeah.” A muscle in his jaw ticked.

  Interesting. Also a little unsettling. She tugged his red tie. “Was this for me, Wes?”

  His dark, dark eyes were inscrutable as they roamed her face. “Maybe I just needed a splash of color.” He leaned past her and opened the door.

  Of course he smelled fantastic. And she had to work not to snuggle in and breathe deep of his woodsy scent. Oh brother, what was the matter with her today? Had it been that long since a man had looked at her?

  Yes, she had to admit. Her last boyfriend had taught yoga and had been so low-key, so relaxed, she’d often put a hand over his mouth and nose in bed to make sure he was still breathing.

  He hadn’t even realized when she’d left him.

  He probably still hadn’t realized.

  To distance herself, she walked into her new office, if it could be called an office. The place was spotless, she’d give it that. And smaller than a postage stamp. Seriously, the place was too small to be a closet. The chrome desk took up the entire floor, so much so that when two women and a man tried to follow them in—Ms. Needs Highlights, Mr. Bad Tie and a woman Kenna hadn’t met—each with their arms full of various files and computer reports, they had to crowd in the doorway rather than come in.

  “Ms. Mallory, here’s the conferencing schedule for the week—”

  “Ms. Mallory, I’ve got subcontractor contracts for you to go over—”

  “Ms. Mallory, I have—”

  Head spinning, Kenna held up a hand. She looked around the place and shook her head. Serena had definitely gotten her.

  New score: Serena—1, Kenna—1.

&nbs