"A first date on Valentine's Day? Sounds like another notch to be added on your dates-from-hell bedpost to me."
I rolled my eyes at my coworker, Taylor, who also happened to be my best friend. "This one is going to be different."
"Right," she replied. "It's cute how you always say that."
I opened my mouth to blast her with a snappy retort but lost my train of thought when I caught sight of the man stepping off the elevator.
"Here comes Mr. Meaniehead," I muttered, feeling my eyes get squinty.
Taylor deigned to raise her gaze from her phone screen to peer around. "Who? Matthew Grant, the IT guy?"
"Yes." I sniffed. "Remember when he got mad at me that time?"
"Well, in his defense, you did pour orange juice all over your new printer."
I pointed a finger at her. "It was a freak accident! And there was a spider!"
She held up her hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm just saying."
We watched as he stopped to talk to one of the managers outside the elevator doors.
Taylor propped a hip on the corner of my desk and smoothly flipped her long, auburn hair over one shoulder. "I think he's cute. Reminds me a little bit of Tom Hardy with that dark hair and those broody eyes." She wagged her eyebrows suggestively.
I snorted in derision, but truth was, the tech guy was kind of hot. "Too bad he's got the personality of bad-tempered llama," I grumbled.
"Know many llamas, do you? Had a date with one?"
"Shut it, Tay."
I scowled in IT Guy's direction. It seemed like I'd had to contact tech support way more than everyone else in my department. It was embarrassing. I wouldn't put it past that guy to be breaking my computer on purpose just so I'd have to humiliate myself over and over by asking him to fix it. I had even caught him staring at me on the sly a couple times...undoubtedly plotting new ways to torture me via technology.
"Ooh, Stell, it's your lucky day," she teased. "He's coming this way."
"Yeah." I sighed. "I had to put in another repair request."
It was her turn to snort. "Not orange juice again, I hope?"
I felt my eye begin to twitch as IT Guy stopped in front of my cubicle and consulted his clipboard.
"I have a repair request from Stella McGuiness in the Accounting Department. Aren't you Stella?"
His dark eyes met my own dark blue ones with cool neutrality, but there was something in his regard that always flustered me. Not quite a gleam or a twinkle, but whatever it was made my scalp prickle with an awareness I had no name for. It threw me off kilter. He threw me off-kilter, and it annoyed me.
And he knew my name. I was certain of it. My eyes narrowed, and I pasted a syrupy, sweet smile on my face. "Yes, I'm Stella."
Matthew consulted his stupid clipboard again. "Looks like you reported that your computer fan is running too loud?"
"It's making a weird, roaring noise when I turn it on."
"Hmm," he replied with a raised eyebrow.
It seemed like a very condescending raised eyebrow to me. Human Resources would probably frown on you punching him in the throat, I reminded myself.
"Let me take a look," he said.
Taylor and I moved out of the way so he could kneel down for a closer look at my PC tower under my desk. He bent forward, placing his little box of tech tools on the floor, and we unashamedly checked out his very nice ass, outlined by his pulled-tight khakis.
I elbowed Taylor hard when she held up her phone as though about to take a picture.
She cocked one brow. "So, tell me more about the newest prospect taking you out for Valentine's."
I frowned at her, not really wanting to talk in front of
him
.
"Oh, he isn't listening. Are you, Matthew?"
IT Guy grunted.
"See? Not listening," Taylor said.
I rolled my eyes again and gave up. "We're going to Cuore Mio, that nice Italian place over on Chadwick Street."
"Who set up the date this time?" she asked.
I folded my arms across my chest. "Our mothers go to the gym together," I replied, feeling my cheeks turn pink.
"Oh, you poor, poor girl. This is going to be hideously bad. I swear that you're purposely setting yourself up for failure with this never-ending string of losers."
"His name is Richard. And I've spoken to him on the phone a few times. He actually sounds pretty okay."
She eyed me doubtfully then shrugged. "Well, don't forget to wear your sexy undies in case you decide to screw his brains out."
"Taylor!" I growled.
"What?" she protested. "If any girl needed to get laid in the history of womankind, it would be you. A couple more years of bad dates and you'll be surrounded by cats in your lonely apartment wondering what the hell happened."
"I'm only 28, for God's sake."
"Meow, Stella. Meow. It's time for you to quit mooning over that stupid hipster-wannabe ex that dumped you a freaking year ago and get on with your life."
"Bitch," I said without heat. "I haven't mooned in at least six months." I gave her the side eye. "Get out of my cubicle and go do some work."
She winked and blew me a kiss on her way out.
I smiled and turned around, then jumped back upon seeing IT Guy, still kneeling but staring up at me. One hand rested on his hip, and I couldn't help but notice the slight bulge of arm muscles under his shirt.
His sexy muscles, my lady parts slyly whispered.
I shook myself mentally as he stood, looming over my much shorter stature.
"I think it was just gunked up with dust," he said. "Let me know if it keeps making a noise. I may need to check out your wiring."
"Ah, will do," I said. He felt too close for some reason, and I errantly wondered if he thought I was pretty.
What the hell is with you, I chastised myself. I did need to get laid ASAP.
"So, hot date on Valentine's, eh?"
I blinked up at him. Holy shit, he had been listening.
"Um," I said. "Yeah, first date." I tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. "Taylor's right, it's probably going to be a complete disaster, but you know...you never know."
"Yep," he said.
The look in his eyes was indecipherable, but I couldn't seem to look away.
"So...is there Mrs. IT Guy?" I blurted and clapped a hand over my mouth. Crap! I hadn't meant to say that!
That damned eyebrow rose again.
"No, I'm divorced," he replied quietly. "She said I'm an incurable asshole and a bane to women everywhere."
"Oh," I said as an awkward pause ticked by.
A slight smile crossed his face and was gone again. He nodded and looked down at his clipboard, writing for a moment.
He turned and started to walk away. "Let me know if your computer keeps crying out in agony. Oh, and Stella?"
"Um...yeah?"
"Get a lid for that plastic cup on your desk."
I glared at his back but found myself fighting back a laugh.
***
Oh, dear mother of God, it was so not going well.
The evening had started off with promise. I was wearing a black and crimson print silk blouse with a deep cowl neckline that showed just the right amount of not-slutty cleavage paired with a swirly, black skirt that hit an inch or two above my knees. Combined with the red, fuck-me heels I had borrowed from Taylor, I was looking pretty hot, if I did say so myself.
Richard, my date, had picked me up out front of my apartment. I had only seen him in a photo before tonight and was relieved to see he was nice looking and suitably dressed. He had even scored gentleman points by opening my car door for me.
We were seated at a cozy table in Cuore Mio, which was both lovely and elegant without being too snotty. It could have been the beginning to a wonderful evening. Instead, I picked at a breadstick and forced myself not to sigh out loud in disappointment.
Richard spared me a brief glance over the screen of his phone. "Sorry, Mom always loves a play-by-play." He rolled his eyes before gluing them right back to his smartphone. His thumbs flew nimbly back and forth.
I wondered what in the world he could be telling her that took this long. Good grief, we had only driven across town and been seated at our table.
Glancing idly around the crowded dining room, I couldn't help but take in all the happy couples celebrating the holiday of love. Taylor was right. I shouldn't have agreed to do the first date on Valentine's. It was just asking for disaster.
As I chewed on another bite of breadstick, I promptly choked upon seeing a lone, familiar figure stride through the front doors into the restaurant. Holy shitake mushrooms! It was IT Guy.
I gulped down some water and craned my neck to see if he had a female companion. Oh Lord, I pleaded to the Almighty, please don't make me watch him get all lovey-dovey with his date for the evening.
My irritating coworker sure did look handsome, I couldn't help but noticing. He wore grey dress pants with a blue button down that stretched nicely across his shoulders.
I breathed a sigh of relief when he walked into the bar. At least in there I wouldn't have to watch him meet some skanky woman. The thought made me a little sick to my stomach, but I couldn't say exactly why.
I looked back at Richard and was momentarily blinded by the flash of his camera phone.
