Page 37 of Business or Pleasure

“I’ll have the same as him,” she said to the bartender as she took the stool next to me. “So, what did you want to talk about?”

I saw no better way than to jump right in. “In your office today, did Brigh say something to you?”

She took a sip of her beer before answering. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Bullshit.” I didn’t raise my voice, but the curse still startled her. “Something was off.”

“Fine.” She turned on her seat to face me. “Brigh saw me leaving your hotel room Sunday morning.”

Shit. That was bad.

“Apparently, she didn’t recognize me until she caught us kissing at the picnic.”

It kept getting worse.

“She told me that if I even spoke to you outside of work-related conversation, she’d tell Mr. McCrae and I’d lose my job.”

“Fuck,” I muttered.

“That pretty much sums it up,” she agreed and took a longer drink of beer.

“Alec won’t fire you for sleeping with me,” I said. “That was before we knew who the other was.”

“True,” she agreed. “But, we shouldn’t have kissed. You’re my client.”

“Technically, I’m MIRI’s client,” I pointed out. “You just happen to be handling my account at this point.”

“Does it really matter?”

The question sounded simple on the surface, but I knew what she was truly asking. If I brushed it aside as if I didn’t understand, that one night and one later kiss would be all we had. As good as they had been, we had the potential for better.

And I wanted that.

“I would like to take you to dinner.” I brushed some hair from her cheek, fingertips grazing her soft skin, and she caught her breath. “Not for work and with just the two of us.”

“I can’t.” She grabbed my hand. “Not while I’m working on your account.”

Disappointment was like a punch, but I couldn’t deny the truth of her words. While I made a vow to not mix business with pleasure anymore, it wasn’t just about me. Her job was on the line. “Aye. You’re right.”

She placed my hand on the bar and broke contact. If she thought I was giving up so easily though, she was about to learn just how stubborn I could be. To hell with my promise and to hell with my telling Alec I wouldn’t even flirt with Harlee. To hell with all of it.

I wanted her more than I ever wanted anyone.

“When will your part of the project be finished?” I asked.

She gave herself a mental shake. “Uh, Thursday, if things keep going the way they are now. I should hand off my findings to marketing and only get involved if they have questions or want me to research another angle.”

I could wait that long. “Will you do me the honor of accompanying me to dinner on Friday evening then?”

Her eyes met mine and warmth curled in my stomach. Any contact with her was like holding on to a live wire. This quiet moment was more like sitting in front of a fire on a dreary winter day. Safe and comfortable…with the occasional spark to remind us that fire, no matter how pretty, could be dangerous.

Damn.

“Friday is my friend’s birthday.”

“Oh.” I didn’t try to hide my disappointment.

“But I was going out to dinner with her and her boyfriend. Instead of me being a third wheel, you could…be my date.” Her smile was almost shy.

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