by Max Henry
She turns and body-blocks the doorway. “And that concerns me how, Mr. Roberts?”
Jesus. Stop calling me that in public. “Because you keep distracting me.”
“But I’ve been out of the office,” she says with a frown, playing dumb perfectly. “How could I be doing that?”
“Move.” I shunt her with my thigh, forcing her back into her office.
She gives me a raised brow and then swings her hips around her desk to take a seat. “I have a few quotes to prepare, so if this can wait—”
“Lisa, I’d like to ask you on a date.”
Her shock is clear. As is her apparent joy at the idea. “Would you?”
“I said I’d start again and do it right. So, this is me doing it right.” I unbutton a cuff, making a show of rolling my sleeve. “You know, you really should turn the A/C on in here. Or at least open a window.”
“It’s not hot in here, Mason,” she deadpans.
The woman can do her best to pretend she doesn’t eyeball my forearms as I reveal the other, but I saw it: the switch of her legs, the rigidity of her spine, and the curl of her fingers.
“Are you sure?” I wiggle the knot in my tie. “Because I’m seriously considering loosening this off and undoing a button or two.”
“Okay,” she says with a slight laugh. “I’ll go on a date. You can stop stripping.”
“As if you were going to say no anyway.” I make for the door, pausing before I turn back around for dramatic effect. “Hotel lobby at eight.”
Fuck the rules.
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.
Suck on that, bitch.
We walk in silence to the restaurant, sharing nothing more than a few awkward glances at one another. It also doesn’t escape my notice the attention Mason draws from the group of women we queue behind while we wait to be seated. With every second that passes, every not-so-casual glance our way, or turned body during conversation to face him, I grow hotter under the collar.
“Everything alright?” Mason asks, tugging on my arm a little.
I pull away, choosing to cross my arms over myself instead of continuing to hang off him like some desperado. “Fine.”
“Doesn’t seem that way.” He stares straight ahead, clearly agitated by the wait, and settles a hand around the back of my neck.
Goosebumps erupt in a wave of wicked promise. Damn, this man is slick. No wonder I caved in so easily the first night we met.
“Should I have booked, do you think?” He frowns as the group of women are ushered to a cramped setup in the far corner.
The place is packed. I honestly can’t find a spare table in sight. Makes me wonder if the bitch behind the hotel front desk were doing her best to sabotage his date, hoping the night would then go in her favor.
Settle it down, Lisa. When the hell did I become so catty? So possessive.
“I’m totally okay with eating somewhere else.”
His hand flexes on my nape. “I can’t be fucked trawling the city for a table.”
“Well, my feet can’t be assed standing for half an hour while we wait, either.” I laugh awkwardly, unsure if I’m about to meet Angry Mason from last Friday again.
He sighs heavily out his nose, his hand sliding off my neck to trace a path down my spine to the swell of my ass. He settles his palm there for a brief moment before letting go with a gentle squeeze. “If we leave here, we’ll decide takeout is fine. And then next thing you know it’ll be ‘Let’s not go to the movies. Let’s just head back to the hotel’,” he says in a mocking tone. “And before you know it the whole date idea is fucked and you’re unimpressed, and I’m pissed off—”
“Mason.”
He snaps his head around, regarding me with wide eyes as though I startled him out of a spiral he never realized he’d entered.
“It’s okay.” I offer a soft smile. “All I wanted was a night out with you, that’s all. I really don’t care where we are or what we do.”
His brow twitches into a frown. “Are you sure?”
“Do I look like a girl who needs to be wowed with expensive dining to be impressed?” I thought he’d realized that when he suggested dinner and a movie. Maybe not.
Mason’s face softens, the most gorgeous smile gracing his lips. “Is it bad if I say no, you don’t?”
I chuckle while shaking my head gently. “Not at all.”
; “Thank you for waiting,” the Maître D’ offers. “I must apologize, but there is a short wait for a table tonight.”
Mason swallows thickly, appearing to take a moment to compose himself as his shoulders soften and he draws a deep breath before answering. “Thank you, but we’ll make arrangements elsewhere.”
“Are you sure?” the Maître D’ presses. “You can have a drink at the bar while you wait.”
“No.” I rest a hand on Mason’s arm. “Honestly, it’s fine. Thank you.”
I turn and head for the door, praying like hell he follows me out. To my relief, Mason steps onto the sidewalk shortly after I do and expels a loaded breath.
“You don’t like things not going your way, do you?” I muse.
“Obvious?”
“Just a little.”
My jest cracks his mood, pulling another dashing smile from him before he offers his arm again. “Shall we?”
I take ahold of him. “Shall we what?”
“Get the fuck out of here and grab a hot dog from that cart we passed earlier?”
I laugh as we start back toward the hotel. “Sounds perfect to me.”
Maybe he does get me after all.
TWELVE
Mason
I couldn’t get it right the first time with her, and now, my second attempt at kicking off on the right foot with Lisa has gone to hell, too. Worst of all, I know exactly what my error was: I treated her like goddamn Louanne.
Fine dining, entertainment of her choosing… they were things my goddamn ex craved. Along with pricey jewelry, lavish holidays, generally anything that could damn near bankrupt me.
My first real attempt at trying to win a woman over after that God-awful divorce and what do I do? Fall into old habits.
Nice, Mason.
“How’s your dog?”
Lisa strolls beside me, hands cradling her lightweight dinner as she squashes the overstuffed bun down small enough to fit in her mouth. I totally shouldn’t be thinking of blowjobs when she has processed meat in her hand, but then again, look at her go.
“It’s good,” she mumbles around a mouthful before swallowing. “But I was getting a bit hangry, so I may be biased.”
Yeah, well, she probably could have fit a bit more in if she’d softened her jaw, but then again, I may be biased too.
“What do we do next?” I ask before polishing off my final bite.
She shrugs, slowing to a stop a few yards from the hotel.
“Let me rephrase.” I clean the mustard off my thumb with the paper napkin and then duck over to toss it in the trash. “What would you normally do on a Monday night?”
“You really want me to answer that?” She shields her mouth with one hand, still eating.
“Sure.” How else am I supposed to know more about her than she’s not averse to a little adult action in the archive room?
“Well.” I wait while she cleans her hands and ditches the trash too. “First I’d have an equally unhealthy dinner like the one I just ate, and then after a long hot shower I’d really kick the thrill-factor up a notch and either read in bed or binge Netflix on the sofa.”
“You’re a regular daredevil, aren’t you?” I tease.
She steps into my embrace when I tug her forward, allowing me to wrap my arm around her shoulders. Her manicured hands settle on my chest, and I get a flash of us doing exactly this, yet naked, and in bed. Nice.
“I may have got into comfortable habits after being on my own for so long.”
What? My face displays my surprise given how she pulls away.
“I’m sorry that I’m not more exciting.” Lisa’s chin drops, her arms defensively banded over her chest.
“Don’t be.” I guide her face up with a finger beneath her chin. “You want to know how riveting my nights are?”
She manages a weak smile.
“Some nights I’m a real naughty boy and skip dinner,” I tease, leading her toward the hotel once more, “then head straight to bed where I sit for the next hour checking my finances.”
“An hour?” She lifts an eyebrow. “I know I can be thorough with my personal budget at times, but it sure doesn’t take me an hour.”
“I’ve got a finger in a few pies,” I explain. “Investments.”
“Makes sense.” Her tone is standoffish. “Like what?”
I gesture to the main entrance of the hotel as the doorman lets us in. “This, for one.”
The woman damn near pulls me flat on my ass as she jerks her hand free of my arm. I turn to find her anchored with her heels firmly on the sidewalk, while I stand halfway in the lobby like a goddamn moron.
“What the hell, Lisa?”
“You part own this place?” Her eyes dart everywhere but at me as she regards the building with a new perspective.
“Is that a problem?”
“You don’t get it, do you?” She takes a step back before muttering to herself, “No wonder you’re bloody staying here.”
“What of it?” I follow her back out onto the street, much to the doorman’s annoyance. “Wouldn’t you stay here if it cost you nothing?”
“I feel like such an idiot, now.”
“Why?” Fucking women. They never make sense.
She lifts her chin defiantly. “Here I am, pretty much begging you to make sure I don’t lose my job, hoping you’d have an ounce of sympathy for how hard it is to get by between jobs. And for what?” She tosses her hands in the air. “Of course, you wouldn’t care. You’re clearly loaded. You wouldn’t know what it’s like to live paycheck to paycheck.”
“Quite the assumption, isn’t it?” I mirror her stance, folding my arms.
“Accurate, though?”
“Partially.” She’s got no idea where I started from.
“Thanks for… for this.” She falters, apparently unsure what to say next to get herself the hell out of here.
Like fuck, she’s going anywhere. Not off the back of some cock-eyed assumption. “This is not finished.”
“Isn’t it? I think this revelation of yours has proved how worlds apart we are.” She turns her head to check the driveway.
Damn it. I spot the taxi offloading his fare at the same time as Lisa does. “Oh, no you don’t.”
“Watch me.” Her heels click loudly on the pavement as she takes off at speed toward the cab.
I’m forced to jog to dive in front of her, drawing attention. “Quit being so silly.”
“Silly?” She halts, lifting one perfectly sculpted eyebrow. “Is that how you see me? Silly, like a child?”
“Right now, yes,” I snap. Damn it. Not exactly going to work in my favor if I talk to her like that. Still… this woman.
“Good night, Mason.” She reaches for the taxi door.
I slam my palm to the glass and lean against it.
The front window glides down. “Are you getting in, or what?”
Fuck’s sake. I back away and lean down to level my heated gaze with the damn driver. ”Are you always this rude to customers?”
The slam of the rear door has me grinding my molars to save saying something I’m really going to regret.
“I’m sorry,” Lisa offers the driver in a sickly-sweet voice from the back seat. “Ignore him.”
I straighten and side-step, ripping her door back open before she has a chance to finish giving the guy her destination.
The driver sighs.
I shoot him the kind of look that hopefully conveys what’ll happen if he so much as breathes too heavily from here on in.
“Get out, Lisa.”
She slams her hands in her lap, purposefully staring straight ahead. “No. I really feel for my own interests it would serve us better to keep this relationship purely professional from now.”
“Get out, now.”
“I’d rather not, Mr. Roberts.”
So that’s how she wants to play it. “You have fifteen seconds.” I squat beside the open door and pull my phone out.
“What are you doing?” H
er eyes narrow in on the device in my hand.
I pointedly wait a few seconds before answering, all the while typing a message to myself. “Sending a text to Alf to let him know you tendered your resignation in light of recent findings.”
Silence.
I chance a look at her to find those delicate nostrils flared wide, her brow crushed into a rather unattractive scowl.
“Anger is really not a good look on you,” I bait, dropping my gaze back to my phone. “Should I say you gave one week’s notice, or two?”
“You wouldn’t.”
“You think?” I twist my lip as though in thought. “I’ll say one. Makes it less stressful if you’re not hanging around like dead weight.”
She huffs out her nose, slamming her arms across herself. “You’re bluffing.”
Select all, copy and… paste. “Am I?” I twist the device around to show my text is now, in fact, in Alf’s message thread.
“You know,” she states incredulously, “that’s the second time you’ve blackmailed me.”
“Some habits die hard.” I wiggle my thumb over the Send icon. “Shall I?”
“God, you’re a nuisance.” Her hand smacks down on the far door, and she rises on the opposite side of the vehicle.
I step back and shut my door in victory. “Not so hard, was it?”
Her head hangs, lips pursed tight as she sighs. “I guess not.”
I turn for the lobby, expecting the sound of her heels on the pavement to follow. Instead, I get another fucking door closing. My heel bites into the concrete as I spin around to see what the hell she’s up to now, only to find Lisa in the front passenger seat and the fucking driver peeling away from the curb with a smarmiest grin on his wrinkled face.
Fuck.
Goddamn woman outplayed me.
With a disgruntled sigh, I thrust my phone in my pocket and head for the lobby. The unmistakable swoosh of a message as it sends has my blood slowing into an ice-cold trickle. Oh, shit.
I can’t scramble that thing out of my pocket fast enough.
Not that there’s any hope of saving my ass now.
I just tendered her resignation.
THIRTEEN
Lisa
A midweek date night. What on earth was I thinking?