Page 4 of Catch a Tiger

A knock sounds on his door and he huffs out a sigh. “Come in.”

The door swings open and Sean pokes his head through the door. “Worked to the bone, are you?” He’s grinning, already knowing the answer to that. He’s always jovial and it annoys Mark to no end. At this moment, he’s in no mood to put up with him.

Mark glances at him with narrowed eyes. “You have no idea.” Though Mark isn’t a fan of his job, he has an excellent work ethic, which is how he got so high up in the first place. Sean works underneath him, and Mark also has a secretary, Wynita, who does all of his tedious work, answers his phone calls, and picks up his lunch.

“Then I won’t keep you.” It’s clearly a lie because he comes into the office and plops down in a chair. He crosses a leg over the other and leans back into the backrest.

Mark studies him. He has short-cropped blond hair and a narrow jaw that meets a weak chin. He’s built like Mark, however, packed with muscle and tall. Sean is technically his friend. Most of the time, anyway. Sometimes Mark avoids him. But they both go to the same gym at the same time and work out together before Mark takes clients.

They had originally met at the gym a year ago, and when Sean was at the lowest point of his life, Mark gave him a job. He had felt for the guy. Everyone goes through rough patches. He didn’t want to see his gym buddy go through any more than he already had.

However, ever since, the guy has been glued to his hip like an imprinted puppy. Most days, Mark doesn’t mind. But days like today . . .

“What do you need, Sean?”

“I see you’re fun today.”

Mark simply stares at him.

“Okay, okay.” Sean puts up his hands. “The paperwork I had Wynita set on your desk last night. Did you finish it?”

“I gave it back to her.” Mark frowns. “Didn’t she get it to you?”

Sean quirks an eyebrow. “Would I be here if she did?”

Probably, but Mark doesn’t comment on that. Instead, he curses under his breath. The phone clicks as he picks it up and dials her desk number. It rings and rings and she never answers it.

He hangs up the phone with the intention of hunting her down, but she strolls in. Her movements are rushed as she bypasses Sean and heads to Mark’s desk with papers in her hand.

“Sorry, sorry, I completely forgot,” Wynita says quickly. She sets the papers down on the desk and pushes black hair from her face. Her chocolate skin stands out amongst her light gray dress suit, and her high heels do nothing to hide how short she is. She’s beautiful in her own right, but she’s too much of a mess for Mark to see her as attractive.

“It’s fine,” Mark says, grabbing the papers and stacking them.

Pulling at her fingers, she lingers by the edge of the desk. Sean turns a grin at Mark, and while continuing to look at him, Sean says, “Wynita, did you know your boss is single?”

Mark curses under his breath and pins his friend with a stare that could kill. “What are you doing?” he growls.

“I did,” Wynita answers. A blush rises to her cheeks and she glances down at her shoes.

“What would you say to a date with him?” Sean presses on.

Wynita’s response is shy when she says, “I’d have to say no. Sorry.”

“What?” Sean asks with a high-pitched voice. “With that chiseled jaw and eight-pack underneath that suit? You’d turn down those brown eyes? The thick brown hair you could run your fingers through?”

She shifts her weight from one foot to the other. “This is inappropriate.”

“I have to agree,” Mark grinds out. What the hell does Sean think he’s doing?

Her hazel eyes turn to Mark. “Can I go now?”

“Yes. Sorry about this. It won’t happen again.” Mark pins Sean with another stare as Wynita rushes from the room. When she’s gone, he asks, “What the hell was that?”

Sean waves him off. “I’m just having a little fun.”

“By harassing my secretary?”

“Look,” he begins, and Mark braces himself for a lecture. “You turn down every woman. I’m trying to get you out there. What better place to look for them than in your own office?”