Absolute Zero (12 page)

“Right. Sure. Why?” he asked with the strangest expression on his face.

“Why?”

“Why is it red? What makes it red? That’s crazy,” he muttered as he shook his head.

“Ah…food coloring? Beet juice? I don’t know what Em puts in it, I just know its’ good,” she replied with a nervous smile.

“How can something that turns your teeth pink be good? They are, by the way. Your teeth are pink.”

Her mouth clamped shut immediately as her fork descended rapidly toward the plate.

“Don’t mind me. Keep eating, I just…don’t get it, that’s all. Whose Birthday is it?” he asked, not quite sure why, really.

“Umm…the new girl, down in the Lab? Bennett? Anne Bennett?”

His eyes widened slightly before he settled them back into a bland countenance. “Really? She’s been here for, what? A couple days?”

“Everyone gets a cake, Sir. If you’re here for your birthday, you’ll get one too. There’s a list…”
Hopefully you’ll be long gone before your birthday pops up
, she thought.

He was so completely befuddled by this whole conversation, or at least his cocked head and confused expression made it seem that way to her.

“Right. I want a green one,” he stated so seriously, it caused her expression to match his previous one. “That was a joke, love. Why would I want a green cake?” he asked more to himself than her.

“I…umm, Ok?” she tried for a smile but it came out as more of an awkward grimace.

“So I need some copies…” he finally uttered before dropping a pile of papers on her desk. “Twelve should do it.”

She pushed her chair back immediately, but his hand rose to stay her.

“Go ahead and finish your cake, by all means,” he smiled but apparently it did nothing to ease the look on her face. He gave a small shake of his head before he turned toward the sound of his ringing cell phone in the office beyond. Thoughts of
her
popped in his brain yet again.

Did Anne like red cake? Nah, she didn’t seem like the type of person who would even acknowledge a birthday, or enjoy technicolor cake.

Maybe I should walk down there?

A disembodied voice rang out over his phone speaker, drowning out the bleating cell phone on his desk.

“Sir, your one o’clock conference call is about to start. Should I connect you?”

His eyes flitted to the doorway and back to the phone before a frustrated sigh broke from his mouth. This call would take up his entire afternoon.

Damn, but he would love to see Anne’s expression as everyone fussed over the birthday girl. She was probably hiding under her desk…

“So you really don’t have anything to work on? Why did they hire you?” Beth’s voice sounded concerned and much too far away later that evening.

“Who knows? Not that I’m complaining, mind you, they
are
paying me so I don’t have a problem with that. I just wish my boss would get his ass back in the office so I at least have my own project to work on,” she stated as she added the freshly chopped cilantro into a small bowl.

“So tell me about this report, no wait, don’t tell me. It’s boring isn’t it?” she amended causing a smile to form on Anne’s face.

“For you? Yes, extremely. However, I believe the presentation will be a success. I think I nailed it. At least Em was pleased,
and
it kept me occupied all afternoon. Maybe I’m a nerd, but I thoroughly enjoyed helping on it.”

“You
are
a nerd, but I love you anyway. So, how was the red cake, anyway?” Beth changed the subject to something slightly more intriguing than a report.

“Between you and me? It was delicious. Who knew? Red cake…it turned my teeth pink, though. I only ate a few bites, but I swear, if I could? I’d probably have eaten the entire thing; it was
that
good.”

“Maybe you should send me the recipe? No, don’t do that,” Beth amended quickly causing both women to laugh. Beth was a notoriously bad cook. “I’d probably manage to make it purple somehow,” she added causing another small laugh to erupt from Anne before a sound jolted her. Between the sound of sizzling from her frying pan, Beth’s laughter in one ear and birds chirping beyond the screen of the open patio door, she heard something.

A knock.

There it was again…definitely a knock.

“Shit.”

“What? What is it?” Beth’s voice quickly switched from laughing to concerned.

“There’s someone here.” Anne whispered as she slowly walked toward the corner of the kitchen and poked her head beyond to see a figure standing in front of the front door. She had both doors open to enjoy a bit of cross breeze, now she thoroughly regretted it. The setting sun illuminated the figure from behind, casting the front of the figure in shadow.

“Who is it?” Beth whispered back.

“Anne?” A man’s voice. Not just any man. The accent gave it away.

“Oh dear god, what is
he
doing here?” Anne breathed out before pressing her body against the cabinets beyond his view.

“Who’s
he
? What the hell is going on?” Beth asked in an urgent whisper.

“My…”
What was he? Her employer? Her boss’s boss ten times over?
“Umm, the guy that owns the company I work for?” she finally whispered.

“Anne? Darling, I just saw you. You can’t hide, love. Come out here,” his voice rang out through the house.

“Wow! Was that him? He sounds like Shrek. Tell me he doesn’t
look
like Shrek,” Beth asked before adding, “Why is the owner of the company at your house?”

“I have no idea,” Anne answered honestly.

“Is he good looking?”

“Beth! He’s…I…he owns the damn company! What am I supposed to do?” she whispered frantically.

Another round of knocks.

“Anne?” she heard again from the front door.

She quickly looked down, realizing that she wasn’t appropriately attired for guests in a tank top and yoga pants. Oh! And missing one slightly necessary piece of apparel.

“Oh my god Beth, I don’t have a bra on!” She practically hissed through the phone.

“So what? The girls are perky. Go answer the door. Wait! Is he hot, or what?”

She took a deep, calming breath that turned out deep but completely missed the calming part. Her pulse was practically pounding.

“Um…he’s…”
what was he? Was he hot? This was so crazy,
“He’s…yes? I don’t know. I guess so?” she whispered before the distinct sound of the screen door opening caused a jolt of apprehension to race throughout her body.

“He’s coming in. He just walked in my house! Beth!” she whispered through clenched teeth.

“Anne? Come out here like a big lass, eh? I already saw you…” he stated calmly.

“I’m dialing 911!” she yelled out.

“You can’t. I’m not intruding, darling,” he stated as footsteps sounded closer.

“What’s going on? Anne? You’re not really going to call 911, are you?” Beth’s voice sounded through the phone, but she ignored her.

“You just walked in to my house. I consider that intruding,” she stated loudly as she inched her body along the wall of cabinets, further into the kitchen.

“Actually,” he appeared around the corner suddenly, his eyes fastening on her immediately, “I own this house. If anyone’s intruding, it’s you.”

What?

“What?”

“It’s true. I built this house when I bought the company. You didn’t dial 911, did you?” His eyes shifted to the phone against her ear. He looked casual in a pair of somewhat worn jeans and a golf shirt that showed just enough of his ripped arms. For a half-crazy moment, she thought that the look suited him, right before her eyes fastened on the blaze of color in his hands.

“What’s that?” she indicated the flowers he was holding.

“These? These are called tulips, love. It’s your birthday,” he shrugged. “I saw them and I thought of you. They’re kind of delicate but they look like fire. Isn’t that the craziest thing?” he lifted the bundled flowers and studied them. They were absolutely beautiful and unusual with yellow bottoms changing to orange and finishing as red at the tops of the petals. “Could you put the phone down, love?”

“What’s he saying? Did he buy you flowers? What the heck have you been doing this week, girl!?” Beth was practically shouting on her side of the phone.

“Umm…Ok, this is just very…unusual,” she muttered as her eyes continued to follow the flowers as he set the bundle down on the counter next to him.

“Yeah, well, you’re an unusual kind of lass. I could’ve just called, but what’s the fun in that? What’s that smell?” He looked toward the stove and the distinct sound of sizzling brought her back to reality.

“Anne? Tell me what’s going on!” Beth’s voice again. Anne immediately turned toward the stove, hoping that the fish wasn’t burnt during this new “development”. She flipped both portions over, relieved that they were both seared perfectly before whispering, “I can’t. I better go. I’ll call you later?”

“You better. Or just call me in the morning after he leaves…”

“Stop!” she barked out a bit louder than she had anticipated.

“Sorry, wishful thinking. Hot rich guy, panty melting accent, flowers…”

Anne blew out a breath as she kept her back turned toward McClellan, trying desperately to collect her wits. “I have to go. I’ll talk to you later,” she whispered before pulling the phone from her ear and pressing the off button.

“So, what’s for dinner?” McClellan’s voice seemed closer now, in fact, if she cared to turn around, he was maybe a few steps from her, if that. She just wouldn’t turn around.

“Mahi Mahi tacos, daikon radish slaw…” she mumbled as she watched the frying pan.

“Hmm. Sounds interesting. Have enough for two?” he asked before her body whipped around before she could stop it.

“No!” Her eyes were wide and she gave her head a small shake. Of course the giant piece of fish left on the cutting board would negate that fact. The original intent was to cut it into portions and freeze it, not feed the man who so rudely wandered into the house he apparently owned.

“Are you sure?” One of his brows rose as well as one side of his mouth. The action revealed a crease between his lips and cheek and if she cared to ponder it further, she would have to admit it was very attractive. She just wouldn’t ponder that.

“Ok, obviously there is, but…you shouldn’t be here. Why are you here?”

Why was he here?

“Trust me, I asked myself that the entire time I walked over here,” he stated as he backed up and placed both hands on the edge of the island behind him before leaning his weight back on it. “Maybe I’m lonely; maybe I thought you might not like to spend your birthday alone? Who knows? I’m here, you have something cooking, I haven’t eaten dinner yet, I brought you flowers. You should probably return the kindness and feed me. It does smell incredible, by the way.” His eyes shifted from her face down her neck stopping abruptly at her chest before a lump formed in his throat. Immediately his eyes rose back to her face lest she catch him gawking at the small pinpoints protruding from her tight tank.

Holy shit
. Immediately he felt a tightening that had nothing to do with friendly intentions and more to do with sexual desire. It was, as with anything regarding Anne – a most unwelcome and slightly disturbing feeling.
Keep looking at her face. Do not look down.
His hands squeezed the counter edge like a vise.

She must have caught on because her arms immediately crossed over her chest. “Did you say you
walked
over here?” she asked with a strange expression.

“I did. Come on, I’ll show you something,” he turned and wandered toward the back patio doors. She finally unstuck her feet from the floor and followed him after he turned toward her. As soon as she neared the door he turned his attention out to the back yard and the copse of trees bordering the property.

“See that ridge? There’s a house up there, you can see the floodlights through the trees at night. I own that house. Actually I own the whole ridge. It’s the only house up there.”

Her eyes strained to make out anything beyond the thick trees covering the hill but came up with more trees.

“So, I guess you could say we’re neighbors.”

She could see he turned his attention to her once again out of the corner of her eye. She continued to stare straight ahead as he continued speaking. “Personally? I prefer this house. It’s much more appropriate for one person. That one? Insanely huge. I’ve tried selling it but no one snags it up. So I keep it. But I’m hardly ever here. Seems ridiculous…” he trailed off.

“Anne?” he asked after a few moments.

“Hmm?” she responded absently as her eyes continued to search the trees.

“I think you better check the fish,” he stated calmly causing her to jolt and quickly turn toward the source of increased sizzling. For a second, she must have assumed the sound was her nerves crackling from his close proximity, not the fish.

“
Shoot
,” she hissed out as her feet carried her quickly toward the stove. She immediately turned the knob and removed the pan from the burner and set it on another. This whole situation had her completely off balance. She took a deep breath with her back turned toward him, her eyes bolting downward catching a glimpse of her chest in the process. She almost groaned in despair. Almost. He had to have seen them…

“Would you excuse me for a moment?” she asked before turning quickly and walking toward the living room.

“Certainly. You’re not going to bolt out the front door, are you Anne?” she could hear as she rounded the railing and bounded up the steps to the second floor.

Actually, that thought had crossed her mind, but how utterly ridiculous would that look? This was so completely surreal. She didn’t bother to respond to his quip. As soon as she entered the bedroom, her body immediately stalked over to the dresser drawers, pulling the sweat pants and oversized T shirt she kept for comfort, however they completely suited this situation. She opened another drawer and grabbed a bra even though she probably didn’t need it considering the size of the shirt. It gave her a bit of added confidence though. She had a feeling she would need it.

*****

He almost barked out a laugh. As it was, he could barely contain his amused smile at her San Diego Chargers T-shirt and sweat pants that could probably fit two of her inside.
Charming
…

“Where? Ah…where did you get that?” she indicated the bottle of white wine and the half full glass he just took a sip from.

“There’s a wine cellar in the basement. A small one, but it’s still stocked. You didn’t really look around here, did you?” he asked before grabbing another half full glass and holding it out to her.

She stood firmly rooted to the entrance of the kitchen.

“Come on Anne, my arm’s getting tired,” he smiled as her eyes shifted from the outstretched glass back to his face.

“This is very odd,” she blurted.

“Tell me about it.”

“You really shouldn’t be here.”

“Let’s just say I’m checking up on my investment,” he continued to hold the glass out. His arm was corded; his large, strong hand looked strange holding the delicate glass. She was staring at it.

“Are you talking about the house or me?” she muttered.

Good question.

“The house, of course. Anne? Darling, take the glass. I promise my intentions are not nefarious in the least.”

Her eyes shifted toward the beautiful array of brightly colored tulips he had placed in a mason jar on her counter.