Corporate Groom. Linda Varner
began to ascend. Since the woman didn’t punch a destination button, he could only assume hers was the same as his: the twenty-third and topmost floor.
Interesting. There was nothing on that floor but Reo’s own suite of offices and a large conference room.
“Miz Rusty?” A miniature soldier, who sported camouflage war paint and gear, tugged at the angel-fairy’s exotic attire.
The appropriately named Rusty looked down to give the young warrior her full attention. “Yes, Preston?”
“Can we stop on the way and visit my dad?”
- “I’m afraid not.” Her hair swung when she shook her head. “He’s working, you know.”
“How about my mommy?” chimed a pint-size princess with big blue eyes and a glitter-encrusted tiara.
“Oh, she is, too, Amy,” Rusty assured her. “All your moms and dads are. Sampson Enterprises is a very busy place. We’re lucky that the man who owns it is going to let us borrow his conference room for a little while for your Mardi Gras party.”
So that’s it, Reo thought. Miz Rusty was no angel or fairy, but one of the workers in the new day care located in the basement of his building. Reo had heard nothing but good about the place since it opened four months ago. According to Angie, his personal assistant and mother of a precocious three-year-old, the children who spent their days there enjoyed a wide range of special celebrations, one of which must be this Mardi Gras party.
Instantly regretting the whim that had prompted him to give in to Angie’s pleading and loan out the conference room, Reo imagined how it would look once these rug rats finished with it. The plush beige carpet would never be the same, not to mention the walls and drapes. He closed his eyes and pictured cherry punch spills and chocolate handprints.... It would cost a fortune to have the room cleaned and fumigated.
“It was kind of you to let us share your ride. The elevators have been a nightmare today. I think this one is the only one working.”
With a start, Reo realized she talked to him. He felt his face heat. “Er, some kind of electrical glitch, I expect.” One definitely deserving of a quick chat with Maintenance...if he could squeeze it in between retrieving the new tuxedo he’d purchased yesterday, then forgotten to take home, and this afternoon’s golf game, which he hoped would lead to another sound financial investment.
The redhead nodded and Reo found himself wondering if Miz meant Miss, Ms. or Mrs. The sapphire on her third finger, left hand did not solve the mystery since it was mounted on a wide gold band.
“Miz Rusty?” This time it was a sibling of Casper the Friendly Ghost who clamored for the woman’s attention. Clearly these children adored their teacher, who appeared to be patience personified, wrapped in a package sexy as hell.
“Yes, Holly?” She straightened the child’s costume so that the eyeholes helped instead of hindered her pint-size view.
“Are we almost there? This tickles my tummy.”
Miz Rusty laughed. “Mine, too, and, yes, we’re almost there.” She glanced at the indicator light. “Only seventeen more floors to go.”
Thank God, Reo thought, though he had to admit that as children went, this group seemed fairly well behaved. He suspected that Miz Rusty could be thanked for that.
“Only twelve more floors....”
Her voice was easy on the ears—surprisingly deep, a little husky. Seductive with a capital S. Reo marveled that such could belong to a woman with freckles dusting her nose. Sexy getup or no, she had a definite tomboy look about her that said she would probably be more at home on a softball field than in his bed.
In his bed?
Reo nearly choked when he realized the inappropriate direction his thoughts had taken. Highly disconcerted, he made a show of pushing his wire-rimmed glasses back up on his nose and straightening the collar of his tasteful paisley golf shirt.
“Just seven more now....”
Her voice also had a pleasant lilt that suggested laughter, Reo realized. He discovered that he actually liked that hint of mischief, that promise of “never a dull moment.” How odd. As a rule he preferred predictability in a woman—predictability, independence and intelligence.
“Four, and we’re there,” Miz Rusty announced just as the elevator slammed to a sudden halt and total darkness engulfed them.
The jolt threw Reo forward, but luckily not off his feet. He suspected that some of the children weren’t so fortunate. The air instantly resounded with cries and screams of terror, and the elevator rocked in response to frantic scrambling. Reo guessed that Miz Rusty must be surrounded by her panicked charges. Her next words proved it.
“Don’t be frightened,” she as good as yelled. “Everything’s going to be OK.”
As if by magic, the auxiliary power kicked in, bathing the enclosure in a dim, reddish glow that did little to soothe Reo’s own ruffled composure. Quickly he assessed the damage and saw exactly what he expected: Miz Rusty surrounded by ten clinging youngsters. He reached out and punched the Alarm button, rewarded for his efforts by the sound of a bell ringing loudly somewhere in the bowels of his building.
“See there?” Miz Rusty murmured as she alternately patted, hugged and cajoled each one of them into giving her breathing space. “Everyone knows we’re stuck now. I’ll bet that this ol’ elevator will be moving again in just a second, don’t you?” When not one child agreed, she glanced over to Reo, who watched her in silence. “Tell them that this happens all the time,” she ordered, words that took a second to soak in.
“Oh, uh, sure. All the time,” he then blurted, silently adding, somewhere in Shreveport. To his knowledge, today was the first day there had ever been problems with the elevators in his building. He wondered fleetingly if their nonstop flight from the fourth floor had been a clue that all was not well with them today, since that was a first, too. Obviously everyone else in this busy building knew there was an elevator problem today and had utilized the stairs.
“And we’ll be moving again in no time, won’t we?”
“No time at all,” Reo agreed, though he wasn’t so sure.
“See?” Miz Rusty studied the sea of upturned faces that surrounded her and frowned. “Goodness, you’re a gloomy bunch. May I see some smiles?” She waited a second, then tried again. “Preston...gimmee a big grin. Come on now, you can do it...there! Now don’t you feel better? Lauren, you’re next. Big smile...yes!”
One by one she talked them into smiling until Reo suddenly found himself addressed.
“Now it’s your turn.”
“Me?”
“You. I want a great big smile on your face, too, just like this one.” She demonstrated, revealing dimples that were a sweet surprise.
Reo could only stare, speechless.
With a huff of impatience, Miz Rusty reached out and, placing the tips of her forefingers at the corners of his mouth, attempted to help him smile.
Reo, his knees downright wobbly, grudgingly cooperated.
“Thanks,” Miz Rusty said, for the first time looking as if she might be a bit ruffled by their situation, too. But there was only a second’s awkward silence before she turned to her charges and spoke again. “Why don’t we play a game while we wait to get moving? Would you like that?”
Most of her mesmerized companions nodded. Reo noted that a smile or two seemed genuine now.
“How about I Spy? Do you like that game?”
More nods. More real smiles.
“OK. I’ll go first.” Miz Rusty, who was surely an angel, after all, made a production out of looking all around the elevator. Then she said, “I spy something blue, purple and green, all swirled