Marie Harte - Bending the Rules

Augusta, Georgia

June

Nodding at something the mayor said to Ty, Rex Samson subtly tuned out the dull conversation about city revenue and taxes. He tried not to be obvious as he stared into the hallway outside the office at a tall, thin brunette chewing out the guy standing in front of her.

Despite her low voice and attempts at being discreet, Rex knew well the signs of a man getting his ass handed to him. Curious, because something about the prickly woman intrigued him, he made an excuse about needing to use the restroom and ducked out of the mayor’s outer office.

Walking slowly past the pair engaged in a tongue-lashing, he took his time at the water fountain behind them.

“Jesus, Mike. It’s like you’re stuck in slow motion. When I tell you we need that information like yesterday, what exactly does that mean to you?”

Mike looked on the verge of tears, despite the fact he had to be at least ten years older than the woman, who seemed closer to Rex’s age.

“I’m sorry, Nat. But I—”

“But nothing. You’ve been working here longer than I have. You have no excuse. And don’t give me any bullshit about having a tough time at home. I saw you playing tonsil hockey with Brad yesterday, after your long-ass lunch. This is two strikes for you. One more and you’re out. Now get me that information by end of day, or you’re gone.”

“Okay. Okay, Nat. Sorry. I swear, it’ll be on your desk before I go home tonight.” The older man pulled at his tie, then dashed down the hallway.

Staring after him, Rex shook his head, amused by the guy’s timidity. Then he felt the woman’s gaze and turned to see her focused on him. Before he could say anything, he caught the scent of her perfume, a subtle blend of sultry and sexy, and his body instantly reacted.

Well, well. Mean, arousing and fascinating. He had to get her number. Today.

“Something I can help you with?” she asked. Aggression laced her tone.

Never one to go for nice, he found Nat’s antagonism more than a bit attractive. She wore her long brown hair in a ponytail, and it hung straight, no curl in sight. A fringe of bangs saved her from looking too austere, yet the plain package couldn’t hide the striking, impatient woman waiting for him to answer her. She was downright sexy as hell.

So he’d let her wait a moment longer while he studied the rest of her.

Angry eyes that couldn’t decide whether to be brown or green glared at him. She had a narrow face, high cheekbones and a full lower lip. He wondered if she’d bite if he drew closer for a kiss…and prayed she would.

The rest of her was just as lean. She seemed built for efficiency, with the look of a runner—that or she had a naturally high metabolism. She wore a long-sleeved, white button-down shirt rolled up at the sleeves, and black slacks. Sexy black pumps, gold hoops in her ears and a manly watch completed the outfit. No ring, he noticed with a satisfied smile. The big watch should have looked out of place on her but didn’t. Her boyfriend’s maybe? No, that wouldn’t do.

“Take a picture. It’ll last longer,” she snapped.

He laughed. “Sugar, I’d love to take a picture or two. Maybe over a beer?”

She snorted, opened her mouth to respond, then after a look over his shoulder, seemed to change her mind. “Sorry, slick. I’m busy.” Without another word, she stalked down the hallway and turned the corner.

“Rex, you done harassing that woman or what?” his friend Ty asked from the doorway.

Rex rejoined them, this time in the mayor’s inner office.

“Oh boy. Please tell me you didn’t,” the mayor said. “I try not to deal with Nat until I’ve had at least three cups of coffee.”

Rex stared at the closed door, puzzled by the suddenness of his attraction. For months he’d been beyond bored with women, preferring to work instead of date. Threesomes and orgies had become stale, and even his quickie romps with men had begun to tire him.

He knew who to blame for his lackluster love life. His best friend Brian, that ass, had once been a fun-loving ladies’ man. Now engaged to the ultra-fine Faith Sumner, he’d turned into a stay-at-home stud. Granted, the few times the couple had let Rex play in some voyeuristic games, he’d gotten off, but the experience had been lacking. Brian and Faith were in love. Their connection showed him how much in life he didn’t have. As if he needed reminder with his parents just returned from vacationing overseas.

He turned his head back to watch Ty and the mayor joke about dates and dancing at the upcoming gala at the Savanna River Club.

Rex nodded and settled back into the conversation. “Oh, right. I’ll be there. My parents should be too. They returned from Europe last week.” And thus, his reprieve from their constant meddling had come to an end.

Ty said something else, to which Mayor Tom Jessup laughed. Tom and Rex’s father were golf buddies, so he did his best to tolerate the blowhard.

“I think the boy is still distracted,” Ty mused and nodded at the doorway.

Tom grinned. “Can’t blame him. Nat’s great, but I wish she’d use that tongue for something other than ripping my guys a new one.” Tom wiggled his brows, and Rex forced a laugh. The city mayor was just as big a womanizer as he’d been before he’d taken the election.

“Nat?” he asked.

Tom nodded. “Natalie Wielder, our urban planner. Girl is a genius with figures and strategy, but she’s tough to work with. Has the whole damn city council scrambling to stay out of her way while she works her magic.”

Ty grinned. Married and disgustingly happy about the fact, Rex’s friend ribbed the mayor. “Yeah, I heard your son talking about her the other day. Tough for him to get her job if she’s so damn efficient.”

Tom grunted. “You got that right. Much as I’d love to work with Josh, truth is, we need Nat to keep us afloat.” He smiled at Ty. “But now we’re not so desperate for funds, since you and Rex brought us some much needed revenue. You two gave the city a real boost, and I can’t thank you enough.”

Ty shrugged. Arrogant but not obnoxious, he knew his company’s new headquarters had made him a popular man. “It was between here and Atlanta, but Jan’s parents live here, and Atlanta’s crowded enough as it is.” His warehouse club chain sat a few rungs below the giants in competition and was steadily gaining ground.

Tom continued, “And Rex, S&F has become a staple at over half the local restaurants. You’re in all the supermarkets and liquor stores. Kudos, young man. I know Harry and Sue are pleased.”

Rex’s parents had always encouraged him to follow his dream. A finance major who didn’t want to be known as Harry and Sue’s little boy for the rest of his life, he’d found his calling and jumped on the opportunity to be his own man. His pride and joy—Squirrel & Feather Microbrewery—had delivered. Their beer had become so popular he’d had to build another center for manufacturing and distribution in Charleston, with plans to expand in Florida down the line.

“Rumor has it one of the big chains is interested in buying.” Ty watched him. “You interested in selling?”

“Maybe in the far future. Not now.” Not when he was on top of the world. He had money, charm, fabulous parents—when they weren’t nagging for grandchildren—and friends. Not to mention Rex could have his pick of the fine women in town.

Just then, Natalie Wielder came to mind. He’d have to find her and ask her out, if only to see why she’d been so captivating. Was it her temper, her attitude, that slender build that went against his usual type? Nothing about her screamed “flashy”, yet he’d been drawn to her. Considering it had been years since he’d last been so fascinated by any particular person, he decided to follow up on her. Besides, he needed a date for next week. Why not take the prickly Ms. Wielder?

Determined to get a yes out of the woman, he angled the conversation back toward her. Pleased when he learned she had to go to the gala as well, he ended the meeting, then went in search of the urban planner’s office. Time to put the Samson charm to good use.

Nat sighed when she saw the fifty emails she’d gotten while she’d been handling Mike’s slack. She hated inefficiency with a passion. Why couldn’t everyone work as hard as she did? She got things done, on time every time. But at the rate she had to save everyone else’s ass, she worried she’d grow an ulcer.

Plunging back into her day, she made phone calls, worked on Derrick Warren’s laughable changes to the budget on the new convention center, wrote a note to call Harper to deal with it—thank God at least her assistant knew how to make things happen—and darted back and forth between emails and her current project.

She pointed in the direction of the knock on her door. “Yes?”

“Well aren’t you sweet.” That deep, husky Southern drawl had the effect it no doubt intended.

Nat tensed, stopped working and looked up at the model Southern boy she’d done her best to ignore earlier. Talk about the Monday from hell.

No man should have a face that handsome, eyes that rich a brown, or hair so dark it looked blue-black in a cut that probably cost as much as one of her car payments. She’d seen him and Ty Burnell hanging out in the mayor’s office earlier, chatting with each other. Though she didn’t know Ty personally, she liked what she’d heard about him. The man had money coming out the wazzoo but didn’t act like it. Unlike Mayor Tom Jessup—one of the good ol’ boys who looked on most women as ornaments to fuck or impress.