Page 18 of Tempted By the Butler (House of Durand)

She was on the phone.

"I don't care if you have to stay up all night. Find me those depositions!" Bethany smiled at me and mouthed thank you as I placed her mail on her desk.

Spinning on my heel, my feet ate up the small distance between Bethany's office and Mr. Biggs. I went to put his mail in the box by his door. Before I could slide the envelopes home, the door opened.

"Oh, Piper. Just the person I was looking for." Mr. Biggs's warm brown eyes smiled down at me. His black hair gleamed in the light, making it almost blue in color. A dimple peeked out on one side of his face that would make any other woman fawn over him.

I was neck-deep in sexy vampires and thus immune to his charms.

"Mr. Biggs, I was just bringing you your mail." I handed him the stack of envelopes with a polite nod.

Mr. Biggs' hand wrapped around the envelopes, his fingers brushing mine purposely. "You can call me Jack. I think you've been here long enough to drop the formalities."

Uncomfortable with his familiarity, I chewed on the inside of my cheek and nodded once. "Did you need anything else?"

Mr. Biggs stared down at me for a moment longer than was normal before shaking his head. "You are an enigma, Piper. What did we do to deserve someone like you?"

I shifted in place awkwardly. "I don't know about all that. I have hardly done anything worth the praise. Just doing my job."

Bethany giggled from her desk. "Which in and of itself is a miracle. You wouldn't believe how many incompetent receptionists we have had. Most can't even work the email system, let alone answer phones like a normal human being."

I shrugged. "I'm just glad I can help."

Mr. Biggs placed his hand on my shoulder and gave me a small squeeze. "We appreciate it more than we can say."

A tight smile was my only reply. Either Mr. Biggs was this friendly with all his coworkers - something I had yet to see with Bethany - or he was interested in me. I hoped for the former, but I didn't have that kind of luck.

Thankfully, the phone rang.

I thumbed back towards my desk. "I better get that."

Without waiting for an answer, I hurried back to my space. Grabbing the phone off the receiver, I put it to my ear at the same time I shifted the box on the counter over to me. "Biggs Law Firm, how may I help you?"

The box didn't have a return name, only an address. One I didn't recognize.

"Have you received my gift yet?" A smooth, seductive voice oozed into my ears and made me shimmy in place.

My eyes widened. Glancing around the office hurriedly, I held the phone closer to my face as I whispered fiercely, "Wynn?"

"Why, my lovely, have you forgotten me already?" His voice was low and sultry, a caress along my skin with each word.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and grabbed the box cutter out of my drawer. "You know I haven't. What did you send me?"

"So, you did receive it." The smile in his voice did strange things to my insides. "And you haven't opened it yet. I so wished it so."

I sighed and cautiously cut the box open, keeping my voice low. "I swear if this is another skirt, I already told you, I bought a new one. You don't need to keep buying me things. I have a job."

"Yes," Wynn's voice sobered. "You do. And you should not forget it while playing assistant to the charming lawyer."

I paused for a moment, mid-opening of the box, and stared at the phone. "Wynn...are you jealous?"

The phone was silent for a long time before Wynn finally answered. "Perhaps. Is that so strange?"

I couldn't help the silly smile that crept up my face as I pulled the edges of the box open and delved through the tissue paper. A small piece of paper read, "Made custom with you in mind."

My brows drew down as I reached further into the box and wrapped my hands around a soft yet rubbery item. Not lifting it from its container, my fingers felt along the long expansion of what I was beginning to suspect was not safe for work. Evenly spaced ridges decorated the sides of it until I reached the end where it flared out into a circular dipped surface.

Swallowing thickly, I glanced back where Mr. Biggs's door was firmly closed once more, and Bethany was on the phone again.