Page 22 of Playing with the Boss

ELEVEN

Lisa

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” My roomie, Emma, stares up at the gleaming gold and glass entrance to the hotel.

The place screams wealth. Even if Mason is here for a month, to me, this kind of expenditure on the company is totally unjustified when we’re supposedly in financial crisis.

“Too late to back out now,” I joke. My attempt at lightheartedness falls flat when I can’t control the waver in my voice.

Emma sighs, shifting her focus to me. “Want me to wait with you?”

“What?” I squeak. “No way. How embarrassing would that be?” I lift my voice a little, waving my hands as I mime. “Hi, Mason. I didn’t know if I could control myself around you, so I brought a chaperon.”

“Pfft,” she huffs. “Fine. I just wanted to see how hot he is in person, anyway.”

“You met him two weekends ago,” I say flatly. “Remember?”

“Clearly not,” she scoffs. “Otherwise I wouldn’t have said that, would I?”

“How much did you drink?” I lift an eyebrow at her as she flicks her black hair off her shoulder with the back of one hand.

“Enough.”

“Should I be asking if you’re okay on your own tonight?” We shared the Uber over here, Emma’s rendezvous with a friend from work only a block away.

She hitches her purse on her shoulder and takes a step away. “I’ll be fine. It’s not as though it’s me who’s here to meet up with a guy who only wants to bone me,” she teases.

“Emma!” I glance around, mortified that any one of these unquestionably more sophisticated guests could have heard our conversation.

“Have a good time, babe!” She waves me off, blending into the night.

I draw a deep breath and step toward the lobby. The doorman gives a slight nod as he allows me in, yet I don’t miss the way he peruses my attire. I had no idea what to wear or where Mason wanted to go, so I opted for in between formal and casual. But maybe dress jeans are still too casual for places like this? How the hell would I know?

Not as though my work put me up here while I reside over people’s futures now, is it?

The man of the hour catches my eye the moment I step onto the polished marble floor. Mason waits on his feet, although with the way he leans against the wide column you’d be forgiven for thinking he’s entirely at home. He doesn’t look out of place at all; not like I would if I was waiting on someone like that.

Nope. The sexy bastard naturally blends in with his lush surroundings, appearing like a page out of a high fashion magazine.

“I didn’t know what to wear,” I state, gesturing to my tight black denim jeans as I stop before him.

I do think I did a killer job of pairing them with deep pink heels and sweater though.

“You look perfect.” He pushes off the column with his shoulder, closing the space between us. “I thought we could go traditional and do dinner and then a movie.”

“Really?” I have to say, I kind of like the idea. It’s formal enough for a first ‘proper’ date, yet also comfortable.

It’s almost as though he really is paying attention to what I say.

“There’s a steakhouse a block over, or so the lovely woman at the front desk tells me, and then the movie is your pick.”

I turn my head to check out the darling who assisted my helpless Knight and cringe a little at the weight that sinks in my gut. She’s pristine. Gorgeous.

Competition, given the way she eyeballs Mason.

Damn it.

“Show me the way then.” I offer him my arm, pleased when he gets the hint and takes it in his.

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