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."Go fetch the troublemakers.They need to eat and restbefore they tire the ocean out."Tori and Ricky smiled smugly as Lin vanished.Ricky opened the new beers and passed them out, grinning like a pleasedcat as he handed one to Dri."So - going to make that appointment?""Shut the hell up," Dri muttered, looking out over the water and pointedly ignoring his brothers.Who had clearly lost theirminds.There was no way Oliver liked him.He would have noticed.*~*~*~*Oliver's fingers twitched on the back railing of the elevator.He resisted the urge to fidget with his tie.It was too much.Stupid.He never should have accepted it for his fifteen year anniversary with the firm.Especially not from giggling officewomen.Damn it.This one made him look like he was trying too hard.Not that it really mattered.He could walk naked into Dri's bedroom with a gilded invitation and the man still wouldn't catchon.Not that it really mattered, anyway.Dri had Lin.That was the end of it.Damn it, he was too busy today to do this.Atleast Dri was coming to see him, if only for a couple of hours of business.Which was why he'd debated all morning over what to wear, like some idiot high school girl, and he definitely should nothave warn this tie! Too late now.Maybe the girls would grant him some measure of dignity.He didn't know how they knew,he'd never said a damn word or acted that different when Dri was around, but somehow they knew.Girls always knew.Damned women.Though he'd take the girls over the newest man to join the firm that seemed to think Oliver's drawing a breath was aninvitation to hit on him.Ugh.He'd managed to block out that little problem under the rush of knowing he'd be seeing Drisoon.Damn it.The elevator chimed, sounding like a death knell.He should not have worn this tie.It would accomplish nothing but grief.On the bright side, he finally had a competent secretary.Ginger was everything the last six hadn't been.Meaning he didn'twalk into chaos anymore.No, today he only had to deal with the damned tie.He should have worn the blue one.He stepped into the office and Ginger absently greeted him, her eyes on the screen as she spoke to a client, scheduling anappointment."Good morning," Oliver murmured, breathing a sigh of relief and quickly striding past her desk toward his own office."You're wearing it!"Cursing, Oliver ground to a halt and conceded defeat.He smiled at the woman who'd run the mailroom for the past tenyears."Elise, good morning."As if sensing a suffering man, women from all over the firm began to appear, clustering around like hens - or hyenasmoving in for the kill.Oliver calculated how much of his dignity would be lost if he bolted for his office.It was just a tie."You look so good, so sharp, we knew you would." Eyes glittered with amusement.With knowledge."Especially with thatsuit, sir."Oliver rolled his eyes."Eli, in fifteen years you haven't once called me sir.Don't be a smartass.Would you hens get awayfrom me? I have work to do." He fought a smile, knowing that would just encourage them."Yes, you're quite busy today, sir," Ginger said, joining the other women as they whispered and laughed.She was way toosmug and knowing for a woman who'd been working for eight weeks."Your ten o'clock moved the appointment up to nine.I've got the coffee brewing and called the bakery." Her eyes sparkled."I put you in the back conference room, since Mr.Walter will need room one for his meeting with the Phillips group.Is there anything else you require sir?"Oliver sighed in defeat."How about a new staff?"Ginger laughed tolerantly and reached out to adjust and smooth his tie."Now what would you do with a staff that behaved?The tie is beautiful, it matches your eyes exactly." She winked."If I were a certain client, I'd jump you.Maybe find new usesfor the tie.""Inappropriate for the office!" Oliver turned and bolted down the hallway as quickly as the shreds of his dignity would permit,chased by affectionate laughter.file:///H|/NOVEL/New%20novel/The%20Dragon%20Pits.htm[9/25/2009 10:22:03 AM] AmaSour FictionSo many clients complimented his cool aplomb, his perfect professionalism.Thank god they never saw him being harassedby the office women.Setting down his laptop bag, Oliver pulled his cell phone from the side pocket and set it down besidethe files and ledgers Ginger had brought to the small conference room.Strolling to the sidebar, he poured a cup of coffeeand moved to the wide picture window that looked out over the east side of downtown.Overcast day, but the sun wasfighting.By afternoon maybe it would finally beat out the gloom.Why had Dri moved his appointment up an hour? Was something wrong? No, Dri would have called him directly.Rolling his eyes at himself, Oliver topped off his coffee and sat down to begin reviewing all they'd be discussing - he knew itall by heart, but a review never hurt.Dri wanted to work on moving things around to adjust for the kit Ricky had taken in.Ignoring the pang in his chest that always sprang up when he thought of dragons, Oliver forced himself not to muss his hair,to pull out his reading glasses even though he hated them, and not to take his stupid tie off.A perfunctory - smartass - knock at the door broke into his thoughts and Ginger appeared in the doorway."Sir, your nineo'clock is here and I've brought the pastries.""Thank you, Ginger." He shot her a quick glare as she set a tray of pastries on the side bar."My pleasure, sir.Mr.Cross, a pleasure to see you again." With a smile, Ginger closed the door behind her
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