Homewrecker Incorporated (7 page)

Janet was still chuckling when she pulled me out of Gregory Michaels' office to finish my interrupted interview. The brothers, the fucking identical twin brothers, remained inside catching up or some shit that was beyond my comprehension at the moment. My mind was reeling. No, fuck that. I was pissed! What just happened? I got played. That's what happened. I schooled my features to hide the panic brewing inside me, considering I'd just agreed to dinner with the wrong man.

What was worse was the disappointment of knowing the man with whom I'd just had the most insane chemistry of my life was off limits. It was too much to hope Gregory Michaels and I would have the same kind of spark, even though they were twins.

"Greyston wasn't due to come back from Japan for another year," she said when we sat down. "But I still should have noticed it was him. When they were little, it was impossible to tell them apart, but their personalities started shining through later on. I guess I was too preoccupied when he showed up to really look at him." She shuffled a pile of papers in front of her. "It's just like him to surprise everyone. His parents will be thrilled. I don't think he's been home once in the last five years." She lowered her voice. "Messy breakup. Probably why he was so eager to move away for so long instead of sending someone else."

"So he's not married?" What the fuck was I doing? The last thing I needed was to show any more interest in the wrong Mr. Michaels.

"No, Gregory is the only one of the three brothers who's settled down. Of course, Chad is a lot younger and has quite a reputation with the ladies. No real surprise considering how handsome they all are," she said, sounding proud like a mother would. "Greyston certainly seemed to take an interest in you."

She watched me closely, eyebrows raised, waiting for a response.

I laughed.

"I think he was just playing a prank on us. I have to admit I was a bit shocked when he offered to interview me himself before you'd even talked to me. Especially since I'll be working with you so much over the next few weeks if I get the job." A thought hit me like a bolt of lightning. Could it have been Greyston Michaels in the pictures with the mystery woman? How long had he been back in town? I fought the urge to excuse myself to call the girls. The smart move was to proceed as planned until I knew for sure.

She smiled at me.

"Well, let's get to it, then."

We talked briefly about my work history, but Janet spent most of the time talking about her years working for Gregory and his father before him. I listened obligingly, needing her approval if I was going to have a prayer of taking over for her as Gregory's assistant.

Janet looked at the clock on the wall beside us. "Oh my, listen to me. I've been talking your ear off this whole time and it's well past lunch! Do you have any questions for me, Claudia?" 

We'd been on a first name basis since fairly early on in the conversation.

"It was all good information if I'm going to be working or Mr. M...I mean, Gregory," I said, correcting myself. According to Janet, Gregory kept things fairly informal with the employees who closely worked with him. It was a promising revelation. "Do you know when you'll make a decision about the position?"

"I was supposed to meet with a couple of girls from downstairs tomorrow, but between you and me"--she whispered behind her hand--"I've never cared for either of them." Janet gave me a wink. "Not to mention, I just love that little friend of yours, Bridget. She's about the cutest thing I've ever seen. Had nothing but great things to say about you. You should expect to hear from me by tomorrow afternoon. I'm sure Gregory, the real Gregory, will want a chance to chat with you before making it final." She laughed. At least she thought the situation was funny. I was not amused. "I bet you're starving, so I won't keep you any longer. We should be able to get you started by the end of the week."

"Thank you so much, Janet. I look forward to hearing from you." I smiled. I needed to get out of there before that door opened if I was going to have any prayer of getting out of dinner with Greyston Michaels.

We shook hands and I slipped out of her office. Two pairs of legs were visible at the bottom of Gregory's office wall where the glass was clear. I turned and took a step just as the door opened. Shit. I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Ms. Winston, can I walk you out?" Damn, his voice was sexy.

"That's not necessary. I can see myself out, but thank you," I replied, turning but trying to avoid looking directly into those gorgeous eyes again.

"Please, I insist." He moved closer and put his hand out. "I suppose we haven't been properly introduced. Greyston Michaels, at your service."

There was a hint of promise in that last statement.

Despite myself, I laughed at his feigned formality. I was still pissed. At least I should have still been pissed at him for fooling me.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Michaels. I really do need to get going," I replied, taking his hand.

The contact sent a tingle up my arm. I pulled my hand away and gripped my portfolio, moving it in front of me. As if on cue my stomach growled loudly. The corner of his mouth turned up as his gaze drifted down to the source of the noise. Why did I look at his lips? My stomach tightened again, definitely not due to hunger, at least not for food.

"Please, call me Grey. All my friends do." He looked back up. "Let me take you to lunch."

"I can't. I have plans."

It was true, I was supposed to meet with the girls back at Homewrecker Incorporated to debrief. Not to mention I felt the need to make him pay for his little identity switching stunt and regain my control over the situation. 

"So, Grey, do you always lie to your friends about who you are?"

There was no point in small talk.

"When did I lie?" he asked as we rounded the corner, a cocky grin smeared over his delicious face.

"When we first met, you knew I thought you were your brother. Then when Janet called you Gregory, you didn't say otherwise before you took me into
your
office," I said, lowering my voice when I caught sight of the starstruck receptionist watching us curiously.

"I believe you called me Mr. Michaels when we met. That is, in fact, my name, isn't it?" he said with one eyebrow cocked. "And you said you were here to interview to be my new assistant. I will be needing a new assistant now that I'm home."

"But no one knew you were even coming, so you knew I wasn't here for you," I whispered over my shoulder, pressing the button for the elevator repeatedly as if that would somehow force it to arrive sooner. "You lied by omission."

"Exactly. You weren't here for me, but I wasn't ready to let you go and telling you would have meant doing exactly that. Besides, I think I'm the one who should be upset here. Janet has known me my whole life, and she can't tell me from my brother? And you? The woman of my dreams steps out of a cab right in front of me my first day home, and she's only interested in me when she thinks I'm my very married brother."

He moved closer. The heat of his body warmed my back even though we were inches apart.

"Perhaps we should be discussing that, Ms. Winston," he whispered against my hair.

He made some valid points, but the only thing sticking in my mind at the moment was the bit about me being the woman of his dreams and the feel of his hot breath on my neck.

"I-I--" I stammered and then stopped, took a deep breath, and turned to face him head-on.

Big mistake. Even with me standing nearly six foot tall in heels, he was several inches taller. I found my eyes lined up with those gorgeous, ultra kissable lips. All rational thought left me as I contemplated saying fuck it all and sliding my tongue over them. By some miracle, I managed to get ahold of myself. I took a step back and looked him in the eye. If it was possible, they were even sexier than his lips.

"I'm not interested in your brother." His eyes lit up. "Or anyone else," I added, an obvious fabrication considering the way my gaze slipped back down to his mouth. I even bit my lip, as if in invitation. He stepped closer and God help me, I didn't attempt to get away.

The elevator door opened behind me, but I couldn't move. I barely noticed another woman join the receptionist behind her desk. I was sure they were both watching us, but I couldn't have cared less who was around in that moment.

"So I'll see you tonight, then," Grey said with no question in his voice as he moved closer. His breath smelled of the scotch we'd been drinking. I imagined he'd had another with his brother after we'd separated.

"I don't think that's a good idea." I tore my gaze from his mouth. I looked back up into the deep amber-colored pools and found myself drowning in the desire I saw in them.

"Oh my God! Mr. Michaels, Mr. Greyston Michaels?" the receptionist's companion squealed, rushing over to us. "I'm so sorry, sir. I had no idea you were coming home, or I would have had your office prepared. I'm Rebecca Turner, the new office manager." The rather attractive brunette shoved her hand into Greyston's chest, completely ignoring my presence.

Greyston looked annoyed but turned away from me to take it. "My apologies Ms. Turner, I just arrived in town last night and I wanted to surprise my brother."

My body yearned for his closeness, which was just the wake-up call I needed. I had to get away from him and get my head back in the game. The elevator had closed already but hadn't left the floor. A quick touch of the button, an open door, a step backward, and I was inside.

His head whipped toward me while the office manager continued talking as if she hadn't interrupted us. She put her hand on his forearm. I felt an unfamiliar twinge in my stomach and glared at her and then at him. He grinned at me, a knowing look in his eyes.

"Eight o'clock, Ms. Winston," he said, watching me as the doors closed.

❖

Hidden safely in the elevator I sagged against the side. So it was definitely Gregory in the pictures, but what the fuck was wrong with me? I couldn't even begin to process what happened. It was a bad dream--a nightmare. Or maybe it was the best dream I'd ever had. I really couldn't decide. I needed to leave before I did anything stupid, like go back upstairs and drag that flirty little office manager down the stairs by her hair.

Shit, I was fucking jealous. I didn't get jealous. I also didn't do insane chemistry with strange men who weren't my marks. I needed to get my shit together and refocus on why I was there in the first place.

I thought of Gregory Michaels. Was he wearing his wedding ring? Did he even look at me? I couldn't remember anything except he looked exactly like the man whose mere presence rendered me virtually senseless.

The elevator stopped, and I quickly straightened up so as not to appear like an insane person using the wall to hold her up. I moved forward, assuming I'd arrived back down at the lobby.

The doors opened and I stepped forward, nearly running into someone attempting to board the elevator.

"Oh," a familiar voice said in surprise.

"I'm sorry." I stepped back. "I thought this was the lobby."

Bridget joined me in the elevator. I'd completely forgotten she would be somewhere in the building. Her old boss hired her back on the spot the week before, which was no surprise considering how talented she was.

"Nope, one more floor to go," she said casually as the doors closed. "It's so weird seeing you here," she whispered once we were alone. "How did it go with Janet?"

"Fine." I wasn't ready to tell her the truth.

After my encounter with Greyston Michaels, it was clear I was in trouble. I should have been thinking about how to get Lydia to replace me on the job. Our types were similar, and I hadn't made any sort of impression or connection with the man I was intended to meet. A reasonable excuse would be easy to manufacture, and Lydia was a great investigator and she'd made it abundantly clear she was willing to do a lot more than investigate Gregory Michaels.

Still, I convinced myself stepping away wasn't an option. I worried I may have compromised the mission, but I could recover from the setback who was Greyston Michaels. Patty said it herself: I was the best and there was too much on the line for me to step aside because of a few minutes of harmless flirtation with the wrong man. I'd made a commitment to Elsa, and I refused to admit failure to the most important client we'd ever had. 

That was why I kept my little mishap to myself. It had nothing to do with the fact giving the job up meant I would likely never see Greyston again. Everything was going to be fine. I just had to figure out my next move, and what I was going to wear to dinner.

Chapter 5