Here Comes Trouble Read Online Free

muffled response, she opened it. She had no idea if he said “come in” or not, but what the hell? She went in anyway.
    The man who’d made her heart constantly do its own love/hate tug-of-war didn’t acknowledge her when she entered. He sat perched on the edge of his desk, remote control in one large hand pointed at the small television on the credenza.
    “I need to talk to you about next week’s schedule.”
    His eyes stayed on the black and white image on the television. “You know I don’t deal with scheduling.”
    “I know but Anita isn’t here, and this can’t wait.”
    He pushed a button on the remote and the image on the screen froze. His blue eyes zeroed in on her. Lacy had never been able to fully prepare herself for his eyes, which were the same color as a cloudless sky. They were one of the first things that had drawn her to him and influenced her stupid teenage crush. Now was no different. Only this time she didn’t have a crush on him. Really, she didn’t. In fact, she did her best to ignore him and the way he made her insides feel like cottage cheese.
    His gaze lowered to her button-up white shirt, which was the customary McDermott’s uniform. “What’s so important it can’t wait?”
    “I need a few days off next week.”
    “Find someone to fill in for you.”
    She took a deep breath and caught a hint of his scent. It was a manly soap that reminded Lacy of Irish Spring. Chase wasn’t really a cologne kind of guy. Her eyes almost rolled back into her head. From now on she’d always associate Chase with that distinctive bar soap scent. “I’ve tried that already. No one can do it.”
    He crossed his arms over his chest, which looked hard and sculpted beneath his light blue shirt.
    “What do you expect me to do about it?” A mischievous glint lit his eyes, making them even bluer. Why did she still have to be affected by him?
    “Find someone and make them do it.” Yes, she knew that sounded childish, but he was the boss. He could do it easily.
    A slow smile graced his boyish face and developed into a laugh. The kind of laugh that rolled over her and felt like a caress of very talented hands.
    His laughter died but the smile lingered. “Why do you need these days off?”
    She shifted from foot to foot and tucked a strand of hair that had come lose from her ponytail behind one ear. “That’s not really any of your business, Chase.”
    Again his gaze lingered on parts that weren’t her face; this time her hips drew his attention. “If I have to rearrange the schedule, it is.”
    She heaved a sigh. He had her on that one. “I have some things of Ray’s I need to work on.” A bit of an understatement but still the truth. After being abandoned by her mother at the age of four and having a father who spent more time in jail than out, she’d relied on Ray as the only person who wouldn’t abandon her.
    Chase slowly shook his head. “That doesn’t sound like a good enough of a reason to take time off work.”
    They stared at each other a few tense moments. She really didn’t want to go into details. But Chase was going to stare at her in that unnerving way of his until she blurted it all out.
    “What’s really going on, Lace?”
    He and Brody had been the only ones to ever call her Lace. It was not a nickname she’d been particularly fond of. On the other hand, anything was better than Lanky Lacy.
    He remained on the corner of the desk, his massive forearms crossed over his chest. He kept rolling his left shoulder, like he had an itch he couldn’t reach. She’d noticed him doing that earlier, accompanied by a wince of pain.
    “Why do you keep doing your shoulder like that?”
    His eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
    She motioned to his left shoulder. “You haven’t stopped moving it all night.”
    His disarming smile returned. “Can’t keep your eyes off me, can you?”
    Her eyes lifted heavenward. Lord help her with egotistical men. “What’d you do to