Page 48 of The Unplanned Wedding

When I don’t look at him again, he lowers his voice to a hush, "You want to stay; you know that. And I want you to, as well."

I sense movement behind us, then he murmurs, "Ah, there’s our food. Surely, you can’t leave now."

I blow out a breath. "This doesn’t mean anything."

"Of course, not."

I glance up into his face to find he’s looking at me with a steady gaze.

"It’s just a meal. And you deserve it after working so hard all day."

I find myself giving in, and rather than saying anything, spin around and walk over to the table where the Maître d’ places our dishes in front of our chairs. I sit down and take in the beautifully arranged food on my plate.

He takes his seat and looks at me expectantly. "Taste it," he urges me.

I pick up my fork and dig into the cauliflower starter. The fragrant taste of the curry leaves and the slightly charred notes of the cauliflower melt in my mouth. By the time I finish it, I’m ravenous for more.Thankfully, our main courses arrive right away. I tuck into my risotto. The earthy, woodsy notes of mushroom set off the more savory, aromatic flavors of the truffle. Combined with the nuttiness of the arborio rice, it’s both creamy and sweet, as well as aromatic and pungent. "Wow.”

I only realize I’ve said it aloud when he nods. "James is a true maestro."

"Is it true, The Beast has developed a conscience?" Someone chuckles, then a man wearing a chef’s garb walks over to the table.

"Hey, motherfucker." My boss nods.

"Arsewipe," the chef growls back.

"Pillock," my boss drawls in an almost lazy tone.

"Lummox." The chef glowers, before barking out a laugh. "Good to see you, mate."

"Can’t say the same." My boss rises to his feet, and the two do the kind of half hug and back slap that men often do. Then they clasp the backs of each other’s necks and smirk at each other. I watch them with unconcealed fascination. I have rarely seen my boss crack a smile, let alone man-hug another person.

When they step back, my boss nods in the other guy's direction. "This is James Hamilton."

I’d guessed as much.

"This is June Donnelly," my boss adds.

I swing my face in his direction, a strange sensation of lightness enveloping me. Hearing my name from his lips feels so intimate. It feels like he’s given me a gift for the good girl I’ve been. Pleasure blooms in my lower belly. My toes curl. I’ve wanted this so much. I’ve waited to hear him say my name, and now that he has, it feels overwhelming.

James lowers his chin. "Good to meet you, June."

"And you." I swallow down the ball of emotion in my throat and manage to curve my lips. "This is amazing," I lower my head to mask the emotions coursing through my chest and end up taking another bite of the risotto. Flavors explode on my palate. "I’ve never tasted anything like this before." When I smile at him this time, it’s more natural. The taste really is mind-blowing. Enough to ground me and help me gain some semblance of equilibrium.

"Thank you." He half bows. "I’m glad you’re enjoying your dinner. I’vebeen asking this man to visit my restaurant for the longest time, and it’s thanks to you that he decided to show up here. You must be a special woman." His eyes gleam.

"Oh, no." I flick a sideways glance toward my boss who’s watching with an amused look on his features.Why isn’t he saying anything?I scowl at him, then turn to James. "I’m Mr. Davenport’s assistant."

His forehead furrows. Then, he looks between us and nods. "My bad. Doesn’t change the fact that it’s thanks to you he’s here today." He turns to my boss. "I need to get back to the kitchen. Don’t be a stranger, mate."

My boss scoffs, "Like you have time off from your restaurants?"

James lets his gaze wander about the space. "The restaurant business is a demanding mistress, but my brothers-in-arms come first."

The two look at each other, and something passes between them. They nod, then with a wave in my direction, James leaves. My boss takes his seat.

"The two of you are close?" I venture.

"As close as two men who were held prisoners and saw each other being tortured can be."

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