Page 45 of Magnetic God

Brooks is silent, and an uncomfortable tension fills the room.

“Did you need something, Mr. Henderson?”

Brooks drags his attention to me.

“Is this your fiancé, Ms. Foster?”

Dave beats me to answering by saying, “Oh, I’m her boyfriend. We’re not engaged yet.”

Yet? What the fuck?

I’m about to correct him when I see the look in Brooks’ eyes. Oh, he doesn’t like what Dave said one bit. So I’m not going to correct Dave and let Brooks assume whatever the fuck he wants.

“Mr. Henderson, I’m about to leave for the day. Is there anything I can do for you?”

Brooks’ jaw tics. Finally, he says, “Nothing that can’t wait. Say, would the two of you like to go out to eat? My fiancée ran off without me, and I don’t think I can bear to eat another meal alone. My treat, of course.”

I’m shaking my head as Dave says, “We’d love to, wouldn’t we, Hannah?”

Freaking hell.

Brooks gives me his megawatt smile that’s known around the world. “It’d mean the world, Ms. Foster.”

Dave touches my arm. “Babe, it would be rude to turn him down.”

Smiling up at Dave, I say, “You’re right, of course.” To Brooks, I say. “Lead the way, Mr. Henderson.”

“I must insist that you call me Brooks,” he says with a wink.

I glare, but he smiles.

Dave doesn’t have a clue what’s going on and says, “Brooks. Wow. This is such an honor.”

Brooks waves his hand for Dave to walk first. Dave does, chatting up a storm. That’s one thing I like about him. He doesn’t know a stranger. But today, it’s not a quality that I like. Because I get the feeling Brooks is going to pump him for information.

As we make our way to the lobby, I look for my assistant. Renee is nowhere to be found, which is probably how Brooks manage to sneak to my office. Both men wait for me to lock the doors and set the alarm. Outside, I realize Brooks doesn’t have a vehicle.

He says, “Hope you don’t mind giving me a ride to the restaurant. I’ve been using a private car while I’m in town.”

“We don’t mind at all,” Dave says. He points to his black truck. “That’s me.”

“You didn’t drive?” Brooks asks me.

Dave answers, “She took a private car this morning so I could pick her up tonight.”

Brooks’ jaw tics, but he says in a carefree tone, “Oh, jeez. I hope I didn’t ruin any big plans.”

“Of course not. Hannah and I can see each other any time. It’s not every day we get a chance to eat with Brooks the Body McGruff.”

Brooks meets my gaze, smirking.

Glaring, I open the front passenger door, climbing in. Dave looks chidingly at me from the driver’s seat.

“What?”

“I just assumed you’d let Brooks sit in the front.”

Is this guy for real? One look at him confirms that he’s serious. I start to unbuckle, but Brooks climbs in the truck's backseat.

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