Working Romance. Susan Kohler

someone because I saw her at a nude beach? I promise that tomorrow, I’ll act like I’ve never seen you before.” He had a soft, yet husky voice that was very intriguing. At any other time, it would have made Kate think of silk sheets.

      “Come on Bob. You know I didn’t tell her you were a jerk.” Laura added, “I did mention a few things like your sexist attitude, your rotten temper and your special rules: No coffee breaks ever. Bow and kiss the floor whenever you walk into the room. Oh, and we have to wash your car on our lunch hour.”

      “Yeah, but I don’t make you wax it,” Bob grinned, “not everyday, and if I really were such a sexist pig, her chances for success on the job have just improved a whole lot.”

      By now Kate had gotten up her nerve to take a quick peek up, just to see if the owner of that intriguing voice looked as good as he sounded. She had, however, failed to realize exactly what part of a naked man kneeling in front of her would be in her immediate field of vision. Her eyes landed on the part of him that would have been covered up at any regular beach.

      Oh my, she thought as she gasped, it’s been a long time, but if I remember right, that’s pretty darn spectacular! Kate knew instantly that her libido was not dead, it was gloriously alive and well. All her dormant hormones began to rage as she also noticed wavy brown hair, bright blue eyes, and a surprisingly muscular build for an accountant. I wonder what he does to get that body into shape, she thought, he didn’t build those muscles behind a desk. Her muffled gasp did not go unnoticed by Laura.

      “Kate,” Bob said, quietly sitting down and discretely laying his light brown towel in his lap, “I can’t help noticing that you’re embarrassed. Please tell me you’re not going to let it stop you from coming in to work tomorrow, are you? You aren’t going to chicken out, are you?”

      “She certainly will,” Laura commented. “She’s not only shy but she’s also a world champ at second thoughts. If it were an Olympic event, she’d make the team.”

      Bob considered this for a moment.

      “We’ll fix it so that she doesn’t have time to think. Why don’t you two get dressed and come up to the house? I’ll fix lunch for you both and we can talk before Kate has a chance to get those second thoughts in gear.” Bob offered, “Besides, we have things we can go over before she starts work. You know that I wanted to have a private conference with the two of you outside the office so no one else could overhear. Would barbecued burgers be enough inducement to talk shop for half an hour on your day off? I’ll even do all the cooking.”

      “Can I bring Jack?” Laura asked.

      “Sure, why not?” Bob and Jack, Laura’s husband, had become good friends.

      “So boss man, tell me how to get to your new house and I’ll drag Kate along, kicking and screaming.” She listened as Bob gave her the directions. “We’ll be there in about an hour, okay?”

      “Laura, I can’t,” Kate finally found her voice. “I’ve got to get the kids from my mom.”

      “Kate, that’s an excuse, she was going to keep them for a couple of hours longer anyway,” Laura said firmly. “You might as well give in, because you know I can talk you into anything.”

      “Why don’t you bring them along?” Bob suggested. “Do they like hamburgers?”

      “Are you serious? They’re kids; they practically live on hamburgers.” Meeting his eyes for the first time, Kate continued, “But won’t your wife get mad if you invite us over without warning her? And about my kids, I hate to admit it, they can sometimes be little monsters.”

      “No problem.” He gazed into her brilliant green eyes, only peripherally looking at the full swell of her breasts she unconsciously revealed as she raised herself up on her elbows. “I don’t have a wife and I firmly believe that all kids are supposed to be little monsters on occasion. At least my mom says I was, and I know I’m practically perfect.” He winked, full of humor. “Do you have any other objections?”

      At her silence he went on, “Please bring your swimsuits, I’ve got a pool. Unless you would prefer to go skinny-dipping?” He couldn’t resist teasing. “I’ll see you in an hour or so.”

      As he walked away both women were watching, they had to, he had great buns.

      Kate and Laura pulled on their clothes. Then they started to gather their things, stuffing their towels, books and sunscreen into Laura’s large straw beach bag, and pouring the melted ice out of the small cooler. They opened the last two sodas.

      They headed for Laura’s car and put all their things in the backseat. Kate was still arguing that she didn’t want to go to Bob’s house.

      “Shut up already! It’s for your own good. I know you better than you know yourself, and I know that if you wait until tomorrow you’ll worry about it all night. You’ll make it into such a major problem in your mind that by morning you’ll be a basket case. I don’t know why it bothers you so much that Bob saw you naked but I know you well enough to know that it does,” Laura explained, feeling like a kidnapper as she pushed a reluctant Kate into her car.

      Once she had Kate in the car, Laura quickly flipped through her CD’s, choosing Clay Aiken for the drive home.

      Kate continued to protest. “I’m just a prude, I guess, the old cliché of a lonely widow who’s forgotten all about sex.”

      “With all those kids, how the heck can you have forgotten about sex? And, you don’t really have to be a celibate widow, you know. Even with all the dangers out there, like rotten men and worse diseases, I could still set you up. Jack has a lot of nice friends.”

      “Sure, Jack has lots of friends that want a widow with three kids, all under six. Besides, if I didn’t know better, I’d say that you have already set me up.” Kate was suddenly suspicious. “I wonder why you never mentioned that my new boss was such a hunk.”

      “Bob, a hunk? I never noticed!” Laura exclaimed. “After all, I’m a married woman.”

      She eyed Kate speculatively. She really hadn’t planned for it to happen, but she was glad it had. They would make a great couple and she was an inveterate matchmaker.

      “You’re not blind, just married and not too married to notice a face like that, and the body? The muscles? Even Jack wouldn’t buy that one,” Kate threatened. “I’m going to tell Jack to spank you for lying!”

      “Jack would love it but I’d rather pass until my butt wasn’t sunburned, if you don’t mind,” Laura said giggling. “Bob is very good looking, isn’t he? He’s also very nice, thoughtful and considerate, well-built, well-off, not at all a sexist pig, amazing as that is these days, and he can be funny as heck. Hell no, I would never set you up with a man like that.”

      “Of course you would, brat. For once, however, I don’t mind half as much as you think I do. Did you notice, uh, his uh, how do I put it?” Kate searched for a tactful word.

      “Who wouldn’t?” Laura exclaimed, needing no further explanation. “It was rather hard to ignore, wasn’t it?” She pulled the car into her driveway and parked. “He had a great backside, too. Hi Honey!”

      Her husband looked up from working on his car, a classic red Ford Mustang. A big smile crossed his handsome face, his brown eyes filled with warm humor.

      “It’s the perverted women! See anyone better than me?” He took one look at Kate’s face and added, “Oh, oh! If Kate’s face is anything to go by, it looks like maybe you did. I think I’m jealous.” He grinned, absently rubbing one hand on what might once have been a white T-shirt.

      “Dear, you know you’re the only man on earth for me. I can’t imagine who Kate saw. I didn’t see anybody special, because I wasn’t looking. I couldn’t care less about other men,” Laura replied, but her cheeks were a little flushed. She kissed him. “After all, I’ve already got the best.”

      “Stand