Page 52 of How to Resist Prince Charming

“Okay,” he called, unable to control his beaming expression. “Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Now, quit standing around here, clapping, and get back to work. We’re going to have a lot to discuss once I get back from France.”

His cheerfully-given demand was followed by a room full of laughter. As they began to file out of the conference room, numerous employees stopped to slap Braxton on the back and tell him he was doing the right thing.

He couldn’t believe how supportive everyone acted. It was too good to be true.

Tom Davenport, however, lingered at the rear.

Smile faltering, Braxton glanced away for a moment and waited for Tom to reveal his true thoughts about the company’s new plan of action.

In the past month he’d been seeing Lenna on the sly, Braxton had become proficient at meeting Tom’s gaze without flinching. He could even converse with Lenna’s dad without wondering if Davenport could see inside his head and know what he’d been doing with the man’s little girl.

Braxton had been bending over backwards to please him. Other employees had noticed, realizing if they needed a favor from Braxton, they could go to Tom first and have him approach the Boss Boy to get it. But Tom hadn’t softened toward Braxton. He’d stopped the outright obstinacy, sure, but he remained annoyingly gruff.

Meeting Davenport’s gaze head on, Braxton frowned when Tom pulled cash from his pocket.

“Uh...” Tom started, making Braxton even more perplexed when the older man blushed. “I was wondering, since you’re going to be in Paris anyway, you know, for business.” He faltered. “Well, it’s just that my daughter, Lenna, has always been fascinated with stuff from France. She took French classes all the way through high school and into college. I just thought...”

He stalled, kicking his foot at the carpet. “I thought it would be nice if you could, you know, find something for me while you’re there. Nothing big. Just...” He shrugged.

Braxton nodded, already reaching for the money. “Sure,” he said. “I can get you a memento for her. No problem.”

But as he took the bills, Braxton’s mind was already buzzing. So, Lenna was fascinated with France, huh? Well now, he might have to do something about that.

He spent the rest of his afternoon planning. As soon as he stepped from the office after work that evening, he slid open his phone and dialed Lenna’s number. She wasn’t scheduled to clock in at Renneys for another hour, so he knew he had a couple minutes to persuade.

She answered his call on the second ring.

* * * *

“Hey, beautiful.” Braxton’s voice was friendly, and yet it held a steamy pitch that caused Lenna to shiver in delight.

“Hey, yourself,” she returned, grinning. She wasn’t sure how, but just hearing him made her glow. But he didn’t say anything for a moment, and her brow wrinkled. “Braxton?”

“Yeah?”

She laughed. “Was there something you wanted? Or did you just call to say hey?”

“Oh. Sorry. I...” She could hear him blow out a breath. “Yes, I called for a reason. I just...” He fell quiet again.

“Is something wrong?” Her mind automatically went to her father. Had Tom found out about them?

“No. Nothing’s wrong. I just...I wanted to ask you something.”

She rolled her eyes. “Then ask.” It was cute, yet exasperating, when he turned bashful like this.

He chuckled. “Okay, then. I wanted to know if you’d go somewhere with me.”

Now if that didn’t sound outright secretive, she didn’t know what would. Growing suspicious, Lenna squinted her eyes. “Go where?”

Instead of answering, Braxton added, “Just for a couple of days.”

Lenna paused. Ooh...How romantic. He wanted to take her on a getaway vacation. She grinned, picturing a long, cozy weekend at a remote cabin in the mountains away from the rest of civilization, where they’d spend the entire trip in bed, curled around each other and drinking wine in front of a toasty fire.

“Go where?” she asked again, getting excited.

He didn’t speak immediately, and when he finally did, he was completely evasive. “It’s a surprise.”

“A surprise?” she repeated.

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