Hard Choices by Theresa Ellson Read Free Book Online Page B

references?”
    “Yes,” he smiled that melt-your-lady-parts smile at me, “they’re in Mr. Miller’s office.”
    “Perfect!” I said brightly. “Let me just grab those, and I’ll meet you back in Robert’s office in a few minutes.” It was pretty clear I intended to study his resume and check his references, but Aaron didn’t miss a beat. I stood in the hallway while Robert and Aaron headed into Robert’s office. When Aaron reached across Robert’s desk, his suit coat stretched tightly across his shoulders. I felt my inner cougar purr a little. OK, a lot.
    “Here you go, Lyssa,” he handed me the paperwork. “Please let me know if there’s anything else I can get you,” again with that panty-dropping smile. Holy hell, how was I supposed to work with that every day for three months? I sent a silent prayer of thanks that I’d gotten rid of that flighty young girl who’d worked here ever so briefly – I could barely keep my feet on the floor around this guy.
    “Thank you, Aaron. I’ll be back in a bit.”
    “Don’t be long,” he said as I turned away, quietly enough that only I could hear.
    I whipped around, surprised. I saw the same look in his eye that had been there right after I crashed into him in the hallway. Instead of flustering me this time, though, it just produced a slow, deep heat in my chest and deep in my abdomen. I smiled back – with nothing whatsoever professional in my look, I hoped.
    I walked down the hallway to Jean’s desk. “Jean,” I said quietly, “I want you to call the university and check this guy’s credentials. I think Robert really wants to make him an offer, but I want to dot all our Is and cross all our Ts.”
    “Sure, Lyssa,” Jean took the resume from me, looking surprised.
    “Call me in Robert’s office as soon as you have any info.”
    She nodded and picked up her phone.
    I went back into Robert’s office and found the two men laughing together, Robert relaxed in his leather wingback armchair, Aaron comfortable on the couch. I slipped onto the other end of the couch, as far away from Aaron as I could possibly get.
    “Lyssa, I was just telling Aaron what would be expected of him as a summer intern here, if he came on board with us.”
    “I never thought of accounting as particularly funny,” I said sardonically. “But I guess we can’t all get accountant humor, right?”
    “I’m sorry,” said Aaron, sounding perplexed, “aren’t you a CPA, too?”
    “Me? No,” I said, taking a sip of my coffee.
    “Lyssa is our business manager, and an invaluable part of our firm. Nine years ago, it was just the two of us. We’ve built this place up together.”
    “Oh!” said Aaron, clearly getting the wrong idea. “I didn’t realize… I mean, I thought you were just… partners,” he looked a bit confused as he jumped to the conclusion that Robert and I were a couple. And, dare I say, a little disappointed. I liked it.
    “We are business partners. Lyssa runs everything around here. I was smart enough to snatch her up right after she graduated,” Robert took a sip of his coffee, “If you take the position, you’ll probably meet my partner, Alan. He and I have been together for more than twenty-five years.” I wasn’t shocked that Robert told Aaron he was gay. We’d both learned, the hard way, that we had to vet applicants for homophobia. It was easier than springing Robert’s life partner on people and hoping for the best. We’d also decided we just didn’t want to work with bigoted assholes.
    Aaron’s reaction couldn’t have surprised either of us more. We were used to seeing people be a bit taken aback, but Aaron’s face spread in a wide grin. “Twenty-five years? Wow, good for you!” Then he turned and looked at me, sitting several feet away from him on the couch. His smile was like the cat who’d just eaten the canary – and I was the dessert on his menu.
    I liked it.
    Just then Robert’s phone rang. “I’ll grab it,” I offered