Kathie DeNosky - Engagement between Enemies

He thought he was doing everyone a favor by improving the quality of their work atmosphere. And she had to admit that what he planned would probably motivate the employees and breathe new life into the firm.

But she’d purposely chosen to accept the position with Skerritt and Crowe, instead of at a more modern financial group, because of the formalities and old-fashioned approach to management. It enabled her to focus all of her attention on her job and kept the people she worked with at a safe distance.

Pushing away from the door, she walked around her desk and sank into the high-backed leather chair. Although she wasn’t antisocial by nature, she’d learned the hard way to keep her coworkers at arm’s length. It was the only sure way to guard herself against betrayal and the emotional pain that accompanied it.

But what frustrated and confused her more than anything else was her reaction to Caleb. The entire time he’d been outlining the ways he intended to destroy her safety net, all she’d been able to think about was how handsome he was and how his deep Southern drawl made her insides hum.

Barely resisting the urge to let loose with a scream that was sure to send Geneva Wallace into cardiac arrest, A.J. turned to her computer screen and opened the file containing her résumé. There was no longer any question about it. Her days as operations manager at Skerritt and Crowe were numbered and she’d do well to start looking for another job.

“A.J., could you come in here?” Caleb’s voice invading her office through the intercom caused her stomach to flutter wildly. “I have something I need to talk over with you.”

What could he possibly want now? Hadn’t he done enough in the past hour to turn her world upside down?

Sighing, she depressed the talk button. “I’m working on something at the moment. Could we postpone the discussion until this afternoon?” He didn’t need to know that she was updating her résumé or that she planned on finding another job. When silence reigned, she pushed the button again. “Mr. Walker? Caleb?”

She gasped when the door connecting their offices opened and he strolled into the room.

“Sorry if I startled you, but I’m a face-to-face kind of guy,” he said, grinning. “I like to look a person in the eye when I’m talking to them.”

The sound of his voice and his sexy grin sent a shiver streaking up her spine and had her wondering what else he liked to do face-to-face. Her breath caught and she did her best to hide her shock at the direction her wayward thoughts had taken.

“What did you want to discuss, Mr.—”

He raised one dark eyebrow at the same time he cleared his throat.

Resigned, she closed the computer file containing her résumé. “What did you want to discuss…Caleb?”

He smiled his approval. “I think I’ve come across another way to improve employee morale.”

Just what she wanted to hear, she thought disgustedly, another cockamamy idea that would no doubt increase her anxiety level.

She trained her gaze on his forehead to keep from looking directly into his startling hazel eyes. “What did you have in mind?”

“I’m thinking about turning the break room into a ‘family room.’”

A.J.’s mouth dropped open and her gaze flew to his. “Excuse me?”

“Better watch that.” He chuckled. “You might catch a fly.”

She snapped her mouth shut. Didn’t he take anything seriously?

“Would you care to explain what you mean when you use the term family room?” she asked, rubbing at the sudden pounding in her temples.

“I’m thinking couches, coffee tables and a big-screen TV,” he said, looking thoughtful. “When our employees take their breaks, they should be able to relax and enjoy the few minutes they have away from the job.”

“If you make it too comfortable, they’ll go to sleep,” A.J. said before she could stop herself.

She hadn’t meant to be so blunt. But facts were facts and he might as well be aware of them right up front.

He grinned. “Nothing wrong with a little power nap now and then. Studies have shown that it gives most people a second wind.”

She’d seen the research and couldn’t argue with the findings, but that didn’t mean she agreed with them. “Are you wanting to know what I think of the idea?” she asked cautiously.

“Not really.” He gave her a smile that warmed her all the way to her toes. “But I would like your help putting the project into action.”

Her first inclination was to refuse his request. But to her amazement, she found herself asking, “What do you want me to do?”

“I’d really appreciate your input on what colors and style of furniture to use.” His expression turned sheepish. “I’m not real up on this decorating stuff.”

Oh, he was good. He knew just when to turn up the wattage on that smile and use his boyish charm to get exactly what he wanted. Fortunately, she was immune to such tactics.

“What makes you think I’m any better?”

“I don’t.” He shrugged. “But I need a woman’s perspective. The room needs to be comfortable for both men and women. If I try to do it entirely on my own, it’ll end up looking like a sports bar.”

“Why don’t you get Mrs. Wallace to help you?” A.J. hedged. “I’ve heard her say she never misses that television show where friends redecorate each other’s rooms.”

“I have Geneva busy heading up another project,” he said, grinning.

“You do?” Good Lord, what on earth had he charmed their stodgy sixty-year-old secretary into doing?

“I’ve given her a five-thousand-dollar budget for uniforms and equipment and put her in charge of organizing our sports teams.”

A.J. couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You’ve got to be joking.”

“Nope.” His smile intensified. “Depending on the amount of interest among the employees, we’re going to have bowling and volleyball teams this winter and a softball team next summer.”

“You do realize this consulting firm is comprised of accountants and financial analysts, don’t you?” She shook her head in disbelief. “That’s not exactly the material jocks are made of.”

He shook his head. “I don’t care if we have winning teams. I’m more interested in creating an overall sense of unity among the employees.” Rising to his feet, he stretched and started walking toward the door to his office. “You’ve got the weekend to give some thought to what we can do to the break room, then we’ll go over your ideas next week.”

As she watched him close the door behind himself, A.J. groaned. From the time she’d been old enough to understand, her father had preached the military mantra of structure and order. He’d said they were essential for a successful life. Captain John T. Merrick had believed it, had lived by it and had insisted that his daughter adhere to it. He’d even chosen the boarding school she’d attended after the death of her mother because of its strict code of conduct and rigid set of rules. And the one and only time she’d deviated from the path her father had set her on, she’d ended up in the middle of a humiliating workplace scandal.

But she’d survived because that’s what her late father would have expected her to do. It had been extremely difficult, but she’d picked up the pieces of her shattered pride, became a born-again virgin and found her present job at Skerritt and Crowe. And she’d been—if not happy—content for the past five years.

Unfortunately, it seemed that contentment had come to an end with the arrival of Caleb Walker. When he’d strolled into her office yesterday afternoon with his good-old-boy attitude and devastating good looks to announce he was taking over the firm, she felt as if she’d been tossed into a vortex. He represented everything in life she’d been taught to approach with caution, if not avoid altogether. He was innovative in the way he approached management and his ideas were unorthodox and, unless she’d missed her guess, for the most part spontaneous.