Page 6 of Baby Bombshell for the Boss

Elliot nodded. “Let’s go, then, before the food gets cold.” He set off down the street, and Ivy followed, wondering where this night was going to take her next.

CHAPTER 3

ELLIOT

“Are we supposed to be here?” Ivy asked in a hushed tone as Elliot led the way up the stairs of the office building.

“Sure we are,” Elliot said. “It’s fine. I work here.”

“And no one minds if you come in after work hours?”

“Nope.” What he wasn’t telling her — what he wasn’t sure if he wanted to tell her — was that he didn’t just work here. He owned the building. Women tended to change when they found out he was the owner and CEO of SmartSilver. Even if they’d been having fun together, even if he had been sure they liked him for his personality and not his money, they always seemed to act different toward him once they realized who he was. He didn’t know whether Ivy would be like that or not, and he was hesitant to risk finding out the hard way that she would. They were having such a good night. There was no reason to ruin it with something like that.

“I think my boss would murder me if he found out I snuck into the office late at night,” Ivy said with a grin. “You’re brave. Or maybe your boss is just nicer than mine.”

“That might be it,” Elliot said vaguely. “Sorry we can’t take the elevator. It shuts down at night.”

“I don’t mind. But how high up are we going?”

“All the way. But it’s only ten stories. Is that okay?”

“I can handle it,” she said gamely.

And apparently she could — she kept up with him all the way to the top of the building. Once there, he led her to the sliding door that opened onto the rooftop patio. He opened the door and showed her out.

Ivy gasped. “What a view! I didn’t expect much, since we’re only ten stories up, but this is beautiful!”

Elliot nodded. “You can see the ocean really well, and the bridges,” he said. It was something that had been important to him when choosing a building to house his company. They didn’t need a mega-high-rise, but he wanted the views to be good — that was ultimately why he’d gone for something on the coast. “I thought this would be the perfect spot to enjoy our tacos.”

“I have to hand it to you,” she said. “You really do know all the secrets of this city.”

“Oh, we’re barely getting started,” Elliot said. “I know it’s getting to be too late to do much else tonight — I’m sure you’re tired from your work week. But if you’re ever up for another little adventure like this one, there are plenty more things I could show you.”

“I’d definitely be into that,” Ivy said.

Elliot was surprised by how thrilled he was to hear it. He’d never had much trouble finding women to spend time with, but he had also never felt particularly attached to any of them. Most of his affairs tended to be one-night things, and at the beginning of this night, he had assumed it would fall into the same pattern. He’d thought he and Ivy would have a little fun, whatever form that might end up taking, and would then go their separate ways and never see one another again. Now, though, he felt differently. Now he wanted to see her again, and he hated the idea that when the night came to an end, their time together might end as well. It would be a shame, he thought, if the two of them simply never saw each other after tonight.

And the fact that she seemed to feel the same way thrilled him. It seemed like such a long shot, like such an unlikely turn of events that he could find himself genuinely liking a woman who seemed to really like him in return. Was it possible the two of them might become friends?

How fortunate would that be? How lucky if he had just collided with a woman on the street and they would go on to actually be in each other’s lives? It seemed wildly unlikely that something like that could happen — but that didn’t make it impossible, of course.

Ivy was walking up and down the balcony, peering in the windows at the various offices and conference rooms. “This is such a beautiful space,” she said. “But your company is underutilizing it.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s decorated so simply,” she said. “I could do so much with this space to make it feel more soothing. I mean, this is beautiful, but it doesn’t seem like anyone has put much care into it. It feels a little institutional.” She laughed. “But I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, since you come to work here every day.”

Elliot pondered. He had never thought of his building in those terms before, and now he found himself wondering if she might not be right.

And here he was with an interior designer. It was almost too perfect. She would have the knowledge and the experience necessary to turn his workspace into something beautiful. He should let her do it, he thought — it would be perfect for both of them. Wasn’t this the kind of important project she’d hinted that she’d love the chance to work on? And he would get a beautiful redesigned space out of the deal. It was win-win.

He decided not to ask her about it just yet. This night had been going so well, and he didn’t want to take the risk of anything souring it for either one of them. Probably the idea of her decorating the place would be well-received, but there was always a chance that she wouldn’t like it, or that she might turn him down and leave him feeling embarrassed he had asked. He’d make the proposal, but he would wait and do it later. Another day. Tonight was far too magical to inflict business on it.

Now Ivy seemed to remember the reason they’d come here. She sat down at the table on the balcony and unpacked her tacos. Elliot sat beside her and watched as she closed her eyes and took a bite.

“Oh my God,” she groaned. “That’s amazing. You were right. These have to be the best tacos in the whole city, and I never would have found that place on my own. I bet most New Yorkers have no idea that’s there.”

“Probably not,” Elliot agreed. “That’s another place I’ll never tell anyone about. I wouldn’t want to give away the secret.”

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