Page 43 of Hate Notes

Now I was the one feeling off balance. "Like Mr. Davenport, you mean?"

Orion held my gaze for a meaningful moment, then gave a slight nod. "Sure. Like Mr. Davenport."

We talked about more harmless work topics as we continued walking toward the restaurant. The place was some trendy, upscale situation where the lighting was dim, the wine was expensive, and couples were canoodling in cozy booths. Very conducive to our totally professional working dinner.

We managed to keep up the facade of talking business through the appetizers, though I kept finding myself thinking about when we kissed at the art gallery every time our eyes met across the table. I also thought about the awkward drunken dinner at his place and the number of sexually charged moments we nearly shared at the office. By the time our server took away our appetizer plates and refilled our water glasses, I could hardly keep my mind on the conversation.

"So tell me," Orion said, leaning forward. "What exactly did you whisper to Davenport as you walked him out?"

"Oh, that." I toyed with the condensation on my water glass to keep from fanning myself. Even his curiosity was sexy.

What the hell had gotten into me tonight?

"He was telling me about his late wife," I said. "Apparently she used to bring him lunch at the rubber factory every day. That'swhy he never upgraded the break room, to keep it like it was when she was alive. He said he still goes in there sometimes and just sits to feel closer to her.”

Orion's face actually softened, making him even more devastatingly handsome. "Ember... I should tell you why we're actually trying to get Mr. Davenport's business."

"Because renovating three huge factories would be a big project... right?"

Something unreadable passed over Orion's face. Finally, he smiled slightly. "I suppose that's really the essence of it. Yes."

I tilted my head. "Why did you make it sound like there was more?"

He shook his head. "It's nothing you need to worry about for now."

"Okay," I said, frowning in confusion but shrugging the weirdness off. "Anyway, I wanted him to know we cared about the history and legacy, not just the property value."

"We?" His voice dropped an octave on the word.

"I mean, you. The company. Foster Real Estate." I took a too-big gulp of water so a few drops fell on my cleavage. I sputtered, leaning forward as I noticed Orion’s eyes locked on the drops of water slipping into the crevasse between my breasts.

I dabbed at myself with a napkin.

Orion cleared his throat, lifting his eyes to something above my face. “You had it right the first time,” he said. “We’re a team. And with Davenport requesting to work with you personally, you’vejust become one of the most critical members of the entire team, Ember.”

The way my name rolled off his tongue made me want to do terribly unprofessional things with said tongue. I clamped my thighs together and tried to remember how to breathe.

When the waiter arrived with our mains, I was grateful for the distraction. Until I noticed Orion watching my mouth as I wrapped my lips around a bite of steak.

“God,” I said, lifting a hand to cover my half-full mouth. “This steak is the most delicious thing I’ve ever had in my mouth.”

“So far,” Orion said, voice low and raspy.

Holy shit.I nearly choked on my steak, coughing and swallowing as Orion lowered his eyes to his own plate.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked, half-laughing as my cheeks flushed with heat.

“It… just that you’re still very young. I imagine you’ll eat something even more delicious at some point.”

“Right,” I said, nodding a little too eagerly.He definitely wasn’t implying his cock would be in my mouth and I’d find it more delicious than this steak. Get your mind out of the gutter, Ember.

From that point forward, the conversation carried a subtle electric note of tension—as if nothing we spoke about really mattered. The real conversation was in the way his pupils seemed to dilate or how his fists clenched around his silverware every time I leaned forward slightly, giving him a better view of my cleavage. Our bodies were speaking, and they frankly didn’t give a shit about what was coming out of our mouths.

By the time we finished eating, I was squirming in my seat, hot and aching in places that had no business being hot and achy during a work dinner.

"This was a mistake," Orion said suddenly after a mostly quiet walk back to my building, up the elevator, and to my apartment door.

I turned to him in hurt surprise. “What?” I asked.

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