She blinked and stared at her shoes, fearing he might think she was flirting.
Not that she was! Even if she wanted to flirt, she didn’t know how. Her history…the whole learning-how-to-flirt period of her life…well, that hadn’t happened. She’d never learned and after…well…that one, horrible night, she’d never even bothered to try learning. So Selena accepted that flirting just wasn’t…well, she couldn’t do it. Not really. She looked like an idiot whenever she tried so she simply didn’t try.
Swallowing a sigh, she focused back on the man, all the while trying not to focus too hard on him. He was so tall, with broad shoulders and…well, wow!
She squared her shoulders and tried to focus. This was business. This was the owner and founder of the company! His eyes seemed to promise something but she didn’t want to try to interpret the message, sure that she’d mess up the translation.
“You are an excellent trainer, Ms. Bailey.”
“Please, call me Selena,” she replied automatically. “And thank you. I truly enjoy my job.”
He chuckled softly. “Exactly what any good employee would say when confronted by the boss.”
She smiled as well, feeling his soft laughter all the way down to her toes. Something curled inside of her. She should probably be flattered, but she’d learned the hard way not to wish looks from men meant something more than what they were.
“You’re very kind,” she realized that he was still holding her hand and pulled away. “What brings you to Virginia?” she asked, grasping for a topic. She stepped back, putting the podium and table between them. The air around him seemed to sizzle. She stared like a deer caught in headlights until he broke her trance with a smile that seemed incredibly sexy somehow.
She jumped, looking down at the papers and cosmetics scattered across the table. With shaking fingers, she clumsily started stuffing everything into her bag. Anything to distract her from the oddly intense pull drawing her towards the man.
What are you thinking, she mentally chided herself. Keep your eyes off him. Ignore those wickedly broad shoulders and that taut, tapered waist. Even though it was nice. Very nice! The whole man’s body was incredibly fit and nice and…well…amazing!
“I saw your marketing ideas,” he announced.
That grabbed her attention, and she dropped the lipstick she’d just picked up. Her marketing ideas? The ones she’s submitted just last week? Woah!
Shock stole her voice for a long moment before she gathered her wits and straightened her shoulders. “You did?”
He smiled slightly, not a full-out smile. Nor could the flash of his expression be considered even a grin. But there was a curling of his lips and his white teeth showed for a brief moment.
“Not only did I read through your plan, but a brilliant financial analyst has already done a work up of the cost to implement your ideas. They’re good, Selena. Really good!”
The blush was fast and furious, but thankfully, dissipated before she looked too foolish. “Thank you,” she replied, hoping she sounded professional instead of silly and flustered.
“I flew out here to discuss it with you. Do you have plans for dinner?”
He wanted to discuss her ideas?! How crazy was that? “Dinner?”
He chuckled, making those thrilling shivers race through her body again. “Yes. Tonight, if you don’t have other plans.”
Darn it, that blush hit her again. Looking down, she thought about the spin class that she’d planned to take tonight. She tried to remember the gym’s schedule…but the thought of spending time with this man distracted her.
One thing was certain; when the chief executive officer of one’s company asked to discuss your idea over dinner, one went to dinner with said CEO!
She nodded in what she hoped was a professional manner and not a reflection of the silly, schoolgirl excitement that saturated her body. “Yes. Dinner would be perfect.”
“You had plans?”
Boy, he was perceptive! Or maybe she just wasn’t good at hiding her thoughts. She waved her hand dismissively. “Nothing urgent.”
“Excellent.” He pushed away from the desk he’d been leaning against and she realized all over again how tall he was. “Are you ready now?”