Page 134 of One Big Little Secret

“On the contrary,” I say, linking my fingers with hers over the table, “anyplace is suitable for what I’m thinking.”

“You’re crazy.”

“I think you mean obsessed.”

“You’re shameless,” she gasps.

I grin again.

Shit, I can’t remember the last time I’ve smiled this much. Not since before I had the company, I’m sure.

This Mexican restaurant in Page, Arizona, is an intimate place without the resort’s bed and whistles. We have a table in the corner to ourselves. No one from the conference is likely to show up here, we’re mostly obscured from view, and the food is excellent.

Three good reasons to choose this particular spot.

“We can’t right here,” she says, but there’s a look on her face that tells me she’s considering it.

“There is a bathroom,” I growl.

“Not sexy, Patton.”

No, but it doesn’t dampen my disappointment.

“I never said we should do anything besides eat here,” I say.

As if on cue, a waiter appears carrying our food. A steaming pile of fajitas for Salem and carne asada for me.

“Thanks. This looks delicious!” Salem gives him a wide smile before she turns to me again. “Why are you glaring now?”

“Glaring? I’m not.”

“If you’re getting jealous over some college kid who just served me food—”

“Do you know how long it took you to smile at me like that?” I’m not jealous of that kid, no—not like the millionaire whales back at the resort who never learned to take no for an answer—but sometimes I hate the fact that it took her so long to warm up to me.

“You’re my boss,” she reminds me. “And when we reconnected, our history was pretty complicated.”

“Still is,” I say with a shrug, tucking into my food. “Six years. Almost a lifetime.”

“For some people.” She frowns at the table. Her phone, turned upside down beside her, vibrates and she glances at it. “Sorry. It’s just the sitter, I bet.”

“Arlo’s?”

“Yeah, she’s a rock star. They were supposed to go to this dinosaur art exhibit for kids over at the Nelson-Atkins.”

“Don’t turn him into an art nerd too soon. It hasn’t helped humanize Dexter one bit,” I say with a snort. “How’s he holding up with you gone?”

She winces. “He misses me, I think. I’ve never left him alone this long.”

“Ever? In five years?”

Her gaze hardens.

“You think I can afford a vacationandchildcare? Cute.” She sighs, her lips pulling into a sad smile. “I’ve lived a very different life from you, Patton Rory. Down here at ground level, people are scraping by.”

Fair enough.

I forget that this lifestyle is new to her when she slides into it so seamlessly. It’s easy to forget this is just a fleeting break from reality.

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