"More like a kickass woman putting me in my place."
"I'm right here, Miles," I tell him, annoyed that he's letting Keir treat me like I'm not.
"I wasn't sure if it was safe to greet you," Keir says with a sheepish smile.
He's too damn handsome, with his tousled blonde hair, grey eyes, and dimples, and I want him to suffer a little longer for it. "Safe is relative."
"I'm sorry for mistaking you for an assistant, but honestly, is that really such a bad thing? Susan seems more capable than some of the bosses I've had in the past."
Double damn him. "It wasn't about the job. I just don't like being underestimated."
"I haven't had the chance to formally meet you, Grace, so it would be hard for me to underestimate you," he tells me, walking over, and holding out his hand.
I shake it firmly. "I'll concede that point."
"Great," Miles says, clapping his hands together. "Now that we're all getting along, let's talk about work."
Keir takes a seat across the desk from me, looking my way before he turns to speak to Miles. “I’m not sure which part of my resume you’re looking for.”
“All of it.”
“What?” Keir and I say in unison. I thought we were hiring him as a photographer.
“I need photos of our new hotel here in Vegas, but I also need someone to look into some other places I’m looking to acquire. Your background in secret shopping, and going undercover, fits perfectly with that.”
“We’re not acquiring any other Vegas properties right now,” I remind him. I’m a little pissed he didn’t discuss this with me.
“No. The job will require a little travel.”
“I can handle a little,” Keir tells him.
He sounds so casual about all this, but I’m getting a bad feeling. “Where exactly are you wanting him to travel to, Miles?”
My boss actually has the grace to look apologetic. “I’d like him to travel with you. Research strongly suggests a couple blends in better than a single person at a restaurant.”
“Restaurants?” Keir asks, and I understand his confusion.
“Yes. Grace is my VP, in charge of Hospitality Acquisitions. We’ve mostly acquired hotels, but there are some restaurants I’ve been approached about investing in. I obviously can’t go in myself to check them out.”
“Research, or no, I can do this alone,” I insist.
“No one is questioning your skill set, G.”
He says it, but part of me doesn’t completely believe it. Nothing I can do about it now. Not when Keir’s agreeing to the photography, and the undercover work. I’d look like an ass if I complained, and I’ve worked too hard to get where I am to do that. Time to just suck it up, and get the job done.
1
Keir
It’s been a week since I signed the contracts in the HR office of C&C. There’s no real job description for all Miles needs me to do, but they came up with “Special Project Coordinator”. The money is more than I’ve ever made in my life, and the perks are unreal, so they can call it whatever they want.
I don’t have a special Corrigan apartment like my sister did before she moved in with Zack, but I got a huge discount on a rental in Summerlin. The childcare for the building includes school pick-up on days I can’t make it, there’s the free food, a gym, and the list goes on and on. I’m psyched to be working here, and making a new start for the boys. Connor and Trevor deserve the best, and since it’s just me now, I’m going to be the best parent they could ever have.
“Daddy, you have to go!” Trevor tells me, practically pushing me towards the door.
I know he loves the thought of spending the night with his football star uncle, but I still have to give my seven-year-old a hard time. “You want me to go? Don’t you love me?”
“I love you, Daddy,” Connor tells me. He’s almost five, and loves trying to outmaneuver his brother.
“I know you both love me. I’ll miss you,” I tell them, picking one up in each arm.
“Impressive,” my brother-in-law, Zack, says.
“Can’t let you be the only one with big guns in this family.”
“Save it, bro, before I throw up.”
Ainsley mimes gagging, and I pull her into a hug once I put the boys down. “Thanks for watching them for the night.”
“Always.”
“Thanks for the job, too.”
“I just got you the interview.”
“Just take the compliment, brat.”
“She’s still getting used to compliments, even after years of me showering her with them,” Zack explains, wrapping his arms around her, and kissing the top of her head.
I’m happy for my sister, because she deserves that kind of love, but at the same time, I wish I had it, too. Not with Jacky, my ex, because that ship sailed the moment she walked out on me and the boys, but with someone. The voice in my head—that sounds a lot like Ainsley—reminds me I need to be dating to find that person. As usual, I ignore it, because it’s low on my list of priorities right now. Speaking of which, I say a quick goodbye and make my way to the airport.
“You’re late,” Grace tells me when I board the Corrigan jet we’ve been assigned for this trip.
“I’m exactly on time.”
“Being on time is being late.”
“Look, I apologized to you, and I’ve met every one of your requests over the past week, even though I know some aren’t real.”
“Excuse me?”
“Part of my job was really to try every brand and type of salsa I could find, and create a spreadsheet on my thoughts about each?”
“We’re going to a Mexican restaurant,” she reminds me, but there’s no missing the sparkle in her eyes, or the smile she’s trying to hide.
“I don’t need to be a salsa expert to know if the food and service are good.”
“If I say you do, then you do.”
So, that’s how it is. “Yes, boss.”
“I don’t do this—I’m not like this with anyone else. You just bring it out in me.”
“I hurt you, but I swear I didn’t mean it. If a guy had been at that desk, I would’ve asked him for water too.”
“Would you have? Really?”
“Yes,” I answer without hesitation, because it’s the truth.
Grace intrigues me, and I want to know her. Maybe as a friend, and maybe as something more. I can’t rush into anything, because of the boys, but I can start something, and see where it goes.
“Can we start over?”
“Dinner tonight can be our first date.”
Her eyes go wide, and my mouth is opening and closing with no words coming out. I don’t know why I said that. I was thinking it, but those words were not supposed to come out of my mouth.
“This isn’t a joke, or a way to get back at me for the salsa, is it?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Under other circumstances, I’d like a first date with you.”
“What’s wrong with our circumstances?”
“I’m your boss.”
“Technically, yes, but I have the job title no one understands. Miles was listed on my paperwork as who I report to.”
“I’ve worked hard to be taken seriously.”
“No one has to know, but us. They can think the meals we share are still just fake dating.”
“You’d be okay with that? With hiding?”
“If it’s what you need, yes. When you’re ready for people to know, we’ll tell them.”
“You seem pretty confident we’ll want breakfast tomorrow to be our second date.”
“I like you, Grace. And honestly, it’s been a long time since I liked someone the way I like you.”
“You haven’t been dating?”
“Since my wife left me, I’ve been on one date, and that was set up by my sister.”
Silence descends as Grace takes that in. I realize we’ve never brought up my being divorced. Or my boys. I haven’t decorated my office yet, since I’ve been busy movi
ng into the house I’m renting. If tonight goes as well as I hope it does, I’ll tell her I have sons. If not, she’ll find out anyway. I may be willing to hide her for the time being, but I’ll never hide my kids.
Grace
He’s divorced. I knew there had to be something that wasn’t perfect about this man before me. I’d already noticed his hair and eyes at our first meeting, but over the past week, I’ve noticed so much more; his muscled forearms, fantastic ass, and once, when he was moving furniture around in his office, his t-shirt lifted a little, and I saw the bottom of a six-pack. I have no shame about looking, and I’ll own it if I’m caught.
What do I do now, though? I’ve already agreed to a date, but that was before I knew he might be pining for an ex. I’m usually comfortable with how I look, and who I am, but I don’t normally walk into a losing battle when I’m not at work.
Give me a hostile takeover, and a CEO who doesn’t want to deal with a woman, and I’ll fight to the death. I fight so hard in my professional life that I need easy in my personal one. One-night stands, casual hookups, and even a previous beneficial relationship with a friend are the norm for me. Dating a guy who’s divorced? Not in my wheelhouse. Until now.
“Kids?” I ask, because I want all the info now. No, I need it.
“Two boys. They live with me.”
“Your ex is around a lot, then?”
“Not at all. She left us all, and didn’t look back.”
Great. Rebound all the way, which should be a good thing. For some reason, it’s not.
“What are you looking for, Keir?”
“I don’t know. I like you, Grace, and I’d like to see if this goes anywhere, but I don’t know where we’ll end up.”
“Are you pining for her?”
“Not even a little.”
“You’re sure?”
“If I was looking for a rebound fling, I’d have been going out with women over the past year. I’ll be honest; my boys are my number one focus.”
“Of course.”
“So, did I scare you away, or are we still doing this?”
I look him in the eye for almost a full minute, and all I see is honesty in his eyes. I like to think I’m a good judge of character, and the water incident aside, he’s been nothing but hard-working and genuine this past week. And he has those abs.
“I don’t scare easily.”
His smile is wide and real. “Yes?”
“Yes.”
I may regret this, but right now, I just don’t care. He’s smart, sexy, and those dimples should come with a warning. Yeah, I’m in trouble.
2
Keir
The first restaurant looks nice enough from the outside. It’s somewhat plain, but that can easily be fixed. At least the cacti and plants are well maintained.
“Boring,” Grace whispers in my ear, and I smile, because we’re on the same page.
“Fixable.”
“Yes.”
Upon entering, it takes almost five minutes before someone greets us at the hostess stand, and if this really were a first date, I’d have walked us out already. As it is, I’m regretting suggesting this as our first date.
“Even if it doesn’t get better, we’re here together,” Grace reminds me with a smile.
“Mindreading now?”
“You look upset.”
“I wanted this to be a good date.”
“It will be.”
“Since when are you the optimistic one?”
“If I didn’t look for the good in some situations, I wouldn’t have come as far as I have.”
I think about that for a moment; think about being a woman in the business world. Miles, and his brother Matt, don’t see gender when hiring and promoting their staff, but others don’t work that way. I can’t imagine what Grace has gone through.
“I’m glad you’re at C&C now.”
“Me too.”
“I hate to throw my pessimism out there, but shouldn’t we have been asked for our drink order by now?”
“We passed pessimism a few minutes ago.”
“Thank God for great company in this situation.”
“Yes.”
A server finally approaches, dropping some chips and salsa on the table. The guy seems annoyed that he has to wait on us, despite the restaurant being half-empty at the moment. We order two different kinds of margaritas, and he disappears again. By the time he’s back, we have our order ready, because there’s no way we’re waiting for him to circle back again.
“Yum,” Grace says, taking a sip of her prickly pear margarita.
My standard one tastes great as well. “Delicious.”
“They’re doing something right.”
“Service can be fixed,” I agree.
Our food arrives, and smells delicious. I got a chicken chimichanga with sour cream sauce and cheese, and a side of rice. Grace got a combo plate of tacos, and enchiladas with rice and beans. The server sets out two kinds of salsa, and extra napkins before leaving again.
We’re quiet as we dig into everything, savoring every bite. I’m thinking there’s nothing for the kitchen to work on, until I put the green salsa on some of my chimi, and take a bite. I think I must be wrong, so I take one more bite dripping with salsa.
“This salsa is store bought.”
“What?” Grace asks, her eyes going wide.
“It’s one of the ones I tasted.”
“Are you sure?”
I’m not upset about her second-guessing me, because I don’t want to be right, either. “Yeah.”
“Damn. I was really enjoying this food, and the margarita.”
“Me too.”
“How is everything?” a woman we haven’t seen yet asks, stepping up to the table.
“Good,” Grace tells her with a smile.
We’re here to check things out, and not to tell them how we really feel. If this was just a date, I might even ask about the salsa, but as it’s not, I just nod and smile. The woman walks away, and I sigh.
“I was hoping for a better first date.”
“There’s been nothing wrong with this date.”
“Bad service, store bought salsa…”
“Amazing margaritas, and the best company.”
“Does that mean I might get a kiss later?”
“I’d prefer one now, but if you want to wait, we can.”
She looks taken aback for a moment, like she can’t believe she just said that. I almost can’t believe it myself, but I’m happy to oblige. I stand, and move to the other side of the table, taking the empty seat next to Grace.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“I’m going to kiss you now.”
We both lean in, and I swear when our lips touch, it just feels right. Like our lips are meant to be friends. Hers are soft and plump, and I can’t resist licking the bottom one, and pulling it between my teeth. My hands seem to move on their own, cupping her face as hers slide into my hair.
Tongues have just come into play when we’re jarred apart by the voice of our waiter. “Do you need anything else?”
Looking up at him, with eyes I know are glazed over with lust, I long to punch the smirk from his face. “Dessert menu, please.”
He looks taken aback, and I’m sure he thought his work with us was done for the night. I won’t deny I want to get Grace back to the C&C apartment we’re using, but we have a job to do.
“Oh, sure,” he says, walking away.
“After dessert, I want your mouth back,” she tells me.
“It’s all yours.”
Grace
The dessert empanadas I had were good, but not as good as the taste of Keir. I’m so cautious with most men, yet I asked him to kiss me. He tasted like tequila, and salsa, and him.
We behaved through dessert, and the short drive back here, but once we’re in the door of the apartment, it’s back on. Keir lifts me off my feet as our mouths collide, and then we’re on the couch. The stretchy, black dress I
chose for dinner rides up my thighs as I straddle him.
I’ve never believed kisses could be life-altering, or produce fireworks, but Keir’s kisses are doing just that to me. I love his mouth, his tongue, and oh God, his teeth. He’s everywhere in my mouth, demanding more from me. And then, he’s just on my lips, being sweet.
I need more. “Help me take your shirt off,” I demand, our lips barely touching as I speak.
I undo a few buttons, and he pulls it over his head, in the way guys do. I sit back for a moment, and take him in. His strong arms, sexy pecs, and those abs I got a glimpse of. I don’t know where to start first, but he doesn’t give me a chance to decide. Keir pulls me back to his mouth, and I don’t complain.
I run my hands over the ridges of all those muscles, scratching my nails over his pecs, and rubbing his abs like my life depends on it—and it just might. He growls into my mouth, making me a little crazier. After a few more minutes, he tugs at the top of my dress, and I help him pull it down.
Now, he’s the one pulling back to look. My bra is plain black, because lace would’ve shown through my dress. It’s not sexy, but he seems to like it, and I’m not ashamed about wearing something functional.
“I’ve been dreaming of your curves.”
“Does the reality live up to the fantasy?”
“The reality blows the fantasy out of the fucking water.”
To prove it, he leans down, and kisses the swells of flesh above my bra. He really knows how to use that mouth of his, and even without any nipple play, I’m arching into him. He teases me for a few more minutes, but I've had enough, and reach for his belt.
His hands grab my wrists to stop me. "Not tonight, Grace. It's been a long time for me, and I want to take this slow. Okay?"
Wow. "Okay. Um, how long exactly?"
"No one since my ex-wife. Is that a problem?"
"No. It's pressure, but not a problem."
"The pressure's on me, because I'm the one who's probably going to blow in less than a minute. I'm close right now, in fact, and most of our clothes are still on."
"I don't mind helping you along." I really, really don't mind.
"While I appreciate the offer, and know I'm being stupid for declining, I have to. I want more than sex, and I also have more than just myself to think about."
Unexpected Company: #2 of Company Men Page 2