Page 36 of Captivated By You

“That isn’t an answer. You’ve been to the doctor. I want to know why.”

“Do you now?” Her face grew mottled, and a nerve pulsed in her cheek. “Not that it’s any of your goddamn business, but I went for a pap test. So no, I’m not pregnant. Women go to the doctors office for lots of reasons. Rarely are they pregnancy related. Satisfied?”

She marched off, her feet slamming against the sidewalk hard enough to crack the stone. I froze to the spot, furious at my stupidity and crassness. I caught up to her before she entered the hotel, gripping her elbow to stop her from making any further progress.

“Kiana, wait. Please.”

She hoisted her shoulder upward, shaking me off. “You’re a jerk.”

“I am that, and so much more. I apologize wholeheartedly. I jumped to conclusions and I shouldn’t have. I don’t even know why my mind went there. It was idiotic.”

She glared at me with more than a hint of fury in her fiery gaze. “I have to go.”

“Wait, please.” I went for her elbow again, then thought better of it. “Can I take you to dinner? Tomorrow?”

“Why? Because that aligns with the agreement we made to keep things on a professional level?” She huffed a laugh. “Then again, bombarding an employee with gifts for an entire month, then turning up out of the blue and asking her if she’s knocked up after you fucked her a few weeks earlier has already crossed the line. So what’s one dinner?”

I chuckled. I couldn’t help it. Kiana’s sass always brought a smile to my face and made me as hard as granite. I sneaked a look to check that my jacket was buttoned up. Yep, all good.

“Please. Purely on a friendship level. You can’t have made many friends yet. You’ve only been here a month, and I’m sure you’re missing your family, too.”

She fisted her hands on her hips. “I’ll have you know I’ve made atonof friends. I’m an outgoing person. I make friends easily.” Her eyes narrowed. “Maybe it’syouwho needs friends.”

I pressed a palm over my heart. “You’ve discovered my secret. I do. I do need friends. Please, help a guy out. Eating dinner alone sucks, and tomorrow is Saturday night. You wouldn’t leave me alone on a Saturday night right before Christmas, would you?” I put on a playful pout.

Her lips twitched. “What about your brother?”

“Johannes? He’s returned to LA, thank Christ. Come on, Kiana. One dinner. What harm can it do?”

“A lot, actually,” she muttered. Her accompanying sigh reeked of capitulation, so much so that I had to hide a triumphant grin behind a cough.

“Is that a yes?”

“Persistent, aren’t you?”

“You already know this about me.”

“True.” She rolled her eyes. “Fine, one dinner. Text me the details.” She walked away, then stopped and glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, and, Asher?”

“Yeah?”

“Here’s your chance to impress me.”

“The gifts didn’t do that?”

She twisted her lips. “They were a start, I guess. I’m sure a resourceful guy like you can do better.”

Without casting another look my way, she jogged into the hotel. I stayed where I was until she vanished from sight, then headed to my office with a spring in my step.

Impress her? NowthatI could do.

Chapter13

Kiana

This is not a date. I repeat, this is not a date.

This wasa mistake of gargantuan proportions. I’d been the one to set the boundaries. And while Asher had stayed away, they’d been easy to maintain, even with the incessant stream of gifts he’d showered on me. Yet all it took was one meeting, and the clear red line I’d insisted upon now looked like a rather murky shade of brown with scuffed edges. Not even a proper line any longer.

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