Page 18 of Fierce- Royce

Nope, she was glad he’d said them. “Men don’t get it and that is fine. I don’t hide who I am. I can handle myself just fine. He is of no interest to me other than a client. Besides, he had a ring on his finger and that is a big fat get the hell out of my face.”

Royce snorted. “Not all women feel that way.”

“I know that,” she said. “But no one I spend my time with is like that.”

He nodded his head. “I shouldn’t make assumptions, as you said, but it’s not always easy.”

Which told her even more. She knew Royce was single, but maybe he’d been married before. Or had a girlfriend that cheated. It’s not like she was going to ask right now and she wouldn’t ask anyone else either.

They talked some more about work and then their food was brought out and they both started to eat.

It was now or never in her mind to broach the other thing on her mind.

“So,” she said, wiping her mouth with her napkin. “You do know what Grant and Garrett are doing, don’t you?”

He looked up and frowned and she only found it sexier. The confused look on his face, his dark eyebrows coming together. The lines around his mouth that she found very kissable.

So far this conversation hadn’t shut the valve off of the juices flowing in her body. And the idea that just popped in her head almost had her squirming in her seat.

“Filling their building full of clients?” he asked.

She let out a low laugh. “No. Well, yes. Let me rewind. You know they set all their kids up with their spouses, correct? Or at least boast they had a hand in finding them and nudging it all along.”

“I’ve heard that before but don’t pay much attention to it. I only know Drake and Ryder personally. I’ve met Jade but haven’t worked with her.”

“It’s true. They’ve moved onto friends of their kids, and well, now it’s coworkers. It’s like this game to them to see if they can find perfect matches.”

“Must be nice to have that much free time to think about those things,” he said, eating his burger.

Yeah, he was pretty thick and she was wondering if she grabbed the hammer in his truck and smacked him over the head with it if he’d figure out where she was going with this.

“That could be part of it,” she said, “but I think it’s more they want to see those they care for find some happiness.”

At least that was what she was trying to tell herself and she was honored it felt as if she fell into that group. It’d taken her time to realize it and she still wasn’t sure how much she wanted to be put in that class though.

Her own parents never tried to set her up with anyone. They only asked her all the time if she was going to be single forever.

Or they lectured her that she’d never find anyone if she didn’t compromise much in life. That it couldn’t be all about what she wanted and liked in life.

She wasn’t sure why not. She didn’t need a man to make her feel good about herself. Probably because she’d spent too much time trying to find that and was flopping faster than the chubby kid doing a belly flop into the shallow end of a pool.

“I feel for those people that get suckered into it,” he said.

This time she frowned. “I’m not sure anyone feels suckered into it. Most times they know what is going on and decide to play with Grant and Garrett.”

“Now that sounds fun though I don’t know that I would do that to my boss.”

She laughed. “You’d be surprised what good sports they are about things.”

“Why are you telling me this?” he asked, finishing off his burger and starting to pick at his fries.

The ketchup from one fell and hit his shirt and she started to laugh. He looked down and grabbed a napkin to wipe at it and it only made it worse. “Guess you were right about not wearing white. At least it’s dark and not that noticeable.”

“And I’m only going back to the office. Thankfully.”

“You asked why I was telling you all this about Grant and Garrett. It’s because they’ve decided I’m their next target. And yes, they use that word. The funny thing is, I started to realize who the guy was they are picking for me.”

“Who?” he asked.

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