Designed for Me: Book One of the Blue Building Chronicles Read Online Free

the rest of her form. Pastel teal pants fit snugly over her thin legs which are folded beneath and behind her in the seat, stopping just shy of her ankles. Simple white flats adorn her feet, and as she stretches, the fair-skinned sole of one gorgeous foot arcs above the low edge of her shoe. I am transfixed.
     
    Evidently I’ve missed a question. The evidence therein is the questioningly raised eyebrow beneath which she’s now staring into my eyes, the twitch of a knowing smile flickering at the corners of her mouth. I am caught.
     
    I feel every degree of the warm flush that has scorched my face, and I cough, vainly attempting to hide my entirely indiscreet observation of her.
     
    “Sorry, what was that?” I ask.
     
    She laughs and repeats the question I’d missed.
     
    “I said , I’ve reworked the whole design. Then I asked , is this going to cause any problems to the flow you’d planned for the programming?”
     
    “No, no, it looks great,” I answer honestly. “Will be no trouble to drop in.”
     
    She nods and thanks me for saying so, obviously pleased.
     
    * * * * * * * * * * * *
     
    Idiot , I think, as I stare unseeing at a wall of code on my screen. Like a horny teenager, I’ve been caught outright in my ogling. At least I didn’t try to deny it like an even greater idiot.
     
    Since I can’t get her off my mind anyway, I work on preparing the user interface for her latest revisions. I’m woefully behind on the more important aspects of the system I’m building, but at least I’m getting something done.
     
    A few hours pass in this fashion and then the day is done. I’m out of hell and on the highway home, still thinking of Cadence. Damn it all.
     

After a fitful night trying at once to sleep and to stop dreaming of the things I’d like to do to her on her cubicle desk - and there are many - I’m back to work. Her revisions were waiting on me when I arrived and so I quickly mock up the working demo of the UI for testing and feedback from the many salesmen around me.
     
    If they can use it without spraining the last brain cells available to them, I’ll rest assured that we have a winning design.
     
    Surely enough, they all manage to use the software exactly as it was intended, and so with delight and trepidation I head back to Cadence’s desk to have her come have a look at the somewhat-working copy.
     
    Today she’s taken on the guise of a statue. I know she’s moving at least a little because the mouse pointer on her screen is millimetering its way over the curve of a football helmet in a poster she’s obviously preparing for one of the company’s owners and their many, entirely unrelated projects they tend to foist on their employees from time to time.
     
    “Howdy howdy,” I offer in greeting, trying to be flippant over a slight tremble in my voice.
     
    Cadence turns, all smiles, and sings, “Morning, Frank!”
     
    I could get used to her greeting me in the mornings.
     
    “The design’s a hit. Everyone loves the look except one guy who doesn’t like the contemporary feel, and none of them had any trouble using it upstairs. You did an amazing job,” I ensure her.
     
    “Oh Frank! I’m so excited! This is my first user interface design! But why didn’t the other guy like it?” she asks, pouting. She shouldn’t do that….
     
    “Aww, can’t please everyone. Don’t sweat it.”
     
    “Well, I’m glad I pleased you, anyway,” she says, still smiling widely.
     
    I manage to keep my face perfectly, stoically still, until Jessi guffaws from her cube behind us.
     
    “Did you REALLY just say that, girl? Geez,” she huffs, shaking her head as Cadence blushes furiously in realization.
     
    I grin down at her, firm in my effort not to burst into unrestrained laughter.
     
    “Well, I am glad to be your first,” I start with an exaggerated wink and waggling eyebrows, “and would you like to come see it in action?” I ask, eyebrows now raised as high as my