Executive Decision: A Romance Novel

by Mandy M. Roth

  “Oh, like I want men ogling at my sister’s assets. She is permanently five in my mind. The very fact she even has assets is extremely disturbing.”

  Paige huffed and gave Dale a slight push. He tumbled back into me as I was trying to slip my heels on. We both tumbled onto the bed.

  Dale pushed out, attempting to remove the mosquito netting that had ensnared him. “Help, Liz’s bed ate me--again.”

  “Don’t worry. It’ll spit you out. The indigestion you’d cause it isn’t worth the effort,” Paige shot back.

  The girl gave as good as she got and I adored her for it. She looked mild mannered and sweet. In many ways she was. But cross her and there’d be hell to pay.

  Pushing myself off the bed, I grabbed hold of the netting, untangling Dale and almost undoing his towel as well. He grabbed it and our gazes met. Heat flared through me. I glanced away from his hot stare and slowly pulled back from him. “You’re free, against my better judgment, of course.”

  Dale laughed as he stood. “Gee, it’s so wonderful to be loved by the two of you.”

  “I called for a cab. It should be here soon. We’re still planning on grabbing a bite to eat before heading out to dance, aren’t we?” Paige looked directly at me, knowing Dale would only defer to me anyways.

  “Umm, dance? Somehow, I don’t remember that coming up. Maybe it did and I just blocked it.”

  Paige puckered her lips and looked as though she’d burst into tears if I dared say no.

  “Dale, how does dancing sound to you?”

  Please say you don’t want to go.

  He shrugged. “Sounds fine.”

  Great.

  I peeked around him and stared at Paige. “We are still eating first, right? I’m starving.”

  Dale glanced back at me with a smirk I almost wanted to smack off him. “You’re always starving.”

  “Don’t make me push you back into the netting, fly boy.” I patted his firm butt on the way past him and instantly thought of how wonderful it felt without the towel covering it. Heat moved through me again. It was fast becoming a habit where Dale was concerned. “I need to grab a glass of really cold water, then I’ll meet you at the cab.” Glancing over my shoulder, I caught Dale’s attention. “Can you handle locking up?”

  “I don’t know. That’s a really big task,” he said sardonically.

  My gaze fell to the front of his towel. “Uh-huh, big. I agree.” When I looked up, he was staring at me. The knowing smile on his face sent that new chronic heat problem right back through me. I was going to need to make that glass of water an extra large for sure.

  Chapter Seven

  Dale nudged my knee as I stared at the menu. “Decide what you want yet?”

  I huffed and blew a piece of dark hair out of my face. “No.”

  “You don’t see anything that looks good?”

  No, all I saw was a hodgepodge of things I’d never even heard of. And I really didn’t need or want my food piled pretty in the center of my plate with something drizzled over it. Maybe it was because my family ate meatloaf. The thought of my father eating here lightened my mood dramatically. He didn’t like it when my mother put pineapple on the ham. He’d never go for this.

  Dale rubbed my leg and heat flared through it. He’d done that a million times before and it had never caused that reaction. “Find anything you want yet?”

  My body tried its best to move closer to him. Apparently, it had selected something that was off the menu but very close. Thankfully, my mind still maintained control. Granted, it was holding on by a thread, but holding on all the same.

  Dale began to make tiny circles on my inner leg. My eyes went to Paige. Could she see him? Could she read on my face what was going on inside me? She said she wanted Dale and me together. But did she really mean it?

  Whoa, hold up. You do not have feelings for Dale.

  As I looked at him I found myself visually tracing his profile and wondering why he suddenly looked so different to me. “Did you change your hair or something?”

  Dale baulked. “No, why?”

  “You just look different that’s all.”

  A cunning smile unfolded on his smooth face. “Do I? Hmm, I wonder why?”

  Me too.

  I studied him a bit longer than I should have but there was certainly something different about him. I couldn’t put my finger on it. I didn’t want Dale to think I was ogling him so I looked away. The restaurant Paige had picked wasn’t one I would have selected. It was a bit more upscale then I enjoyed. How we were in allowed in wearing jeans was beyond me. So far, I’d read the menu twice and not one damn thing on it appealed to me.

  “Anything yet?” Dale asked, adding another squeeze to my leg.

  “Umm, does that say duck gizzards?” My stomach knotted.

  Dale snickered. “Yes and from the look on your face you should go with something else. Though, they aren’t bad at all.”

  My nostrils flared and my nose crinkled. “Yuck.”

  He just smiled. I swear, the man could find amusement in just about anything. It was a sickness really. I don’t think they had any remedy for that at least not yet.

  “Did you two decide what you’re getting yet?” Paige asked. She was still mauling over the menu as well. “Karen, from work, told me about this place. I’ve been dying to try it. Interesting décor.”

  She could say that again. The walls were not just white they were so bright that I’d had to look away fearing I’d damage my eyes without the proper eyewear. The grey marble columns that ran around the outskirts of the large dining area helped to break it up a bit. But the odd, large crimson sculptures placed throughout the room were a bit distracting. Every person who worked there looked identical to the other. Male, female it didn’t matter, each had their hair slicked back from their face and tied tight. Everyone had a white cotton top on and the same charcoal grey slacks. I get that they were going for a clean chic look but they were coming off as militant.

  “Hello? You two? Have you decided what you want? I so enjoy having to ask twice.”

  Paige wasn’t one that liked being ignored. I’m surprised that was all she’d said.

  “We enjoy making you ask twice, so it works out well all around. Don’t you think?” Dale, the master of provoking Paige outbursts, was dangerously close to setting her off.

  Heading off a potentially embarrassing scene, I flipped my hair back and leaned in towards Paige. “What are you getting? Every time we’re out and your plate comes I always wish I’d have gotten that.”

  Liar.

  Dale flicked my leg lightly. He knew what I was doing.

  Paige seemed to forget about Dale for a moment and that was a good thing. “I’m going with the cheese-stuffed artichokes.”

  Skimming over the menu, I found what she was talking about. “Can I ask a question and not have you laugh at me ... Dale?”

  “I’ll do my best. Can’t promise anything though.”

  That was what I figured. Well, it was worth a shot. I could have gotten lucky. Of course, I could have also won the state lottery. Winning the lottery was much more likely to occur.

  Paige set her menu down and took a sip of ice water. “What’s your question, hon?”

  “What is Bolognese sauce?”

  “Don’t they have that down on the farm?” Dale asked.

  I shot Dale a nasty look and he kept smiling. At random points of the day I often wanted to smack the expression off his face. Now, was one of those moments.

  “It’s got fresh tomatoes in it, some herbs, a drizzle of vinaigrette and theirs has a bit of cucumber in it.” Paige gave me a warm look and I knew she felt bad about Dale’s teasing. “Don’t worry, Elizabeth. There are loads of people out there who have no clue what that is.”

  Dale snickered. That only meant he had another comeback prepared. “Yes, Paige, and all those people who don’t know are Liz’s neighbors back home.”

  My temper began to rumble just below the surface. If he co
ntinued he’d cause an eruption and I’m positive he would not like that. I wasn’t sure why his normal razzing suddenly seemed to sting but it didn’t matter. I focused on the cross-hatch pattern of the white linen tablecloth rather than pushing Dale out of his chair.

  “Knock it off, Dale. I’m tired of hearing you pick on her about where she comes from. I can only imagine how she feels.”

  I thought for a moment that Paige might throw something at Dale. And if she did, I sure wouldn’t try to stop it from hitting. Maybe she’d get lucky and nail him between the eyes.

  Dale nudged my leg with his. “Liz knows I’m just kidding. Don’t you, Liz?”

  Just because I knew he was only joking didn’t make me like it any better. No part of me was ashamed of my upbringing. There was nothing wrong with Ohio, the farm, the people in the community and my non-existent accent.

  I looked at the menu and ignored his question. “So, what are you going to get?”

  Paige giggled. “Ouch! She pulled a change of topic rather than answer. Every time she and I double date, she does that the minute the guy I normally set her up with starts to annoy her. That’s her signature move. Any time I hear it, I cringe and wait for her to drop the axe and cut him loose.”

  Gee, thanks for spelling it out for everyone.

  I could feel Dale staring at me. My cheeks flushed and I found myself staring at the menu without really seeing it.

  “Are you prepared to order?” a rather high voice asked. The server that stood to the side of Paige looked like she had as much personality as a wet paper towel.

  Paige fluttered her hand in the air. “Not yet. Thank you though.”

  “Liz-B?” Dale asked, sounding slightly concerned. “You know that I don’t mean it, right?”

  Oh, yank that one out to calm me down. When in trouble, pull out the cute nickname. Very mature.

  I didn’t leave my face a choice. I made it look pleasant, jovial. “Are you going to tell me what you’re getting? I still can’t decide what I want.”

  Dale looked a bit taken aback but he answered all the same, “The raw cured salmon sounds good.”

  My stomach gurgled at the thought of eating salmon raw. Dale seemed fond of raw fish. He still tried on a monthly basis to get me to try sushi. I was breaking down slowly. Very, very slowly.

  “Liz, you have that face again. If I eat raw salmon next to you are you going to be okay?”

  “You can eat whatever you want.”

  Dale’s hot gaze ran down me, and I rolled my eyes. He grinned. “I’m not saying a word.”

  I huffed. “There’s a shocker. You normally can’t wait to seize every opportunity to remind us that you really are just like all the other guys, with a handful of pick-up lines on a notebook card, underneath that well groomed exterior. And a pocket full of pot-shots just in case you need them.”

  Where in the hell had that come from?

  “Pfft.” Paige spit water and almost choked as she laughed. Wiping her face, she coughed a few more times before she laughed again.

  “Lovely, Liz, now she’ll remind me of what you said each and every day.”

  “Damn straight,” Paige added between coughs and laughs.

  Dale tapped my menu with his long finger. “Hurry up and pick something before Attila the Waitress comes back.”

  It was my turn to laugh. “I don’t know. Pick something for me and I’ll eat it.”

  Paige stared at me. “Aww, you dress each other and order food for each other too, how incredibly sickening. Would you two just do it and get it over with?”

  Dale bit back a laugh as he leaned over to look at the menu with me. “You’re going to let me order for you? You must be very brave or incredibly stupid.”

  Hearing my own words repeated verbatim left me smiling. “I like to think of myself as incredibly trusting.” I didn’t miss the funny look he gave me. It seemed as though he was trying to make sense of our tit-for-tat. I didn’t comment.

  “You like fish, right?”

  “Yep.”

  Cooked.

  I held back from adding that.

  “Then how about the rosemary grilled tuna? Don’t worry, I’ll tell them not to serve it with the eggplant. I know how much you dislike that.”

  “Thanks.”

  “What would you like to drink? Wine?”

  Wine didn’t sound good to me. I had to be in the mood for it. “No. Pop will do.”

  “Pop? I love it when you call soda that. It reminds me that you’re from Ohio. Say it with an accent and it will remind me that your parents are originally from Texas.” He leaned into me, giving me a tiny push and laughed.

  Oh, did you miss the fact that the comments bother me?

  Narrowing my eyes, I gave him a warning look. “You know, you should really watch what you say to me or the next time you let me shave your face, my hand might not be so steady. And an uncontrollable razor near a throat is a very bad thing.”

  After I said it, I realized what I’d just implied. I’d tossed it out there as if I expected a repeat performance of our early adventure. Horrified, I blushed and exhaled deeply.

  Running his hand up and down my leg, Dale smiled and patted me gently. “Relax, I know what you meant.”

  “Hold it!” Paige shouted, drawing a crowd in the process. “You,” she pointed at Dale, “let her--,” she pointed at me, “--shave your face?”

  Dale flashed a very nonchalant look. “Sure, she wanted to know how to do it and I showed her. No big deal really.”

  Paige’s blue gaze flickered between us. Raising an eyebrow, she gave us a suspicious look. “And how long have you been showing her things, Dale?”

  “Are you ready to place your order?”

  The powers that be were smiling at me as they sent Attila the Waitress in to interrupt Paige.

  Dale sat up straight and nodded towards Paige. “She’ll have your cheese-stuffed artichokes.”

  “With Bolognese sauce?”

  Dale and Paige both looked at me. I wanted to shout “what” but didn’t.

  Dale tapped my leg gently. “Yes please. She’ll take your rosemary-grilled tuna, no eggplant. And I’ll have your Lemon creamed, almond-crusted salmon.”

  Dale continued with our drink orders, and I sat there wondering why he’d changed his mind about the raw salmon. He loved that kind of stuff.

  Chapter Eight

  “Elizabeth?”

  I stopped staring out the cab window at the man on the street corner with dreadlocks that hung to his knees and turned to look at Paige. “Yeah?”

  “Did you hear me?”

  “No, after all these years here she still gawks out of the taxi window like it’s her first time here.”

  I leaned back on the seat and elbowed Dale. “New York is ever-changing. Maybe if you spent a little less time admiring yourself in the mirror you’d notice it.”

  He baulked. “I do not admire myself.”

  “Right,” Paige added sarcastically.

  I nudged Dale and smiled sweetly. “It’s okay, sweetie. No one loves you more than you. But don’t worry. It’s one of the things I love most about you.”

  His jaw dropped, and I think he was honestly surprised I’d said that. I was more than a little surprised that came out. Yesterday, I wouldn’t have thought twice about saying there were things I loved about him but things had changed dramatically between us since then.

  “I ... err ... forget it.”

  Dale kept staring at me as if at any moment my head would spin.

  “What?”

  He closed his eyes slowly before opening them again and shrugging.

  I’d have commented but the odd odor I’d smelled upon entering the taxi returned. It smelled like old gym socks and curdled milk. Never a good combination.

  “Elizabeth, I need to give Karen an answer. She really thinks you’d be perfect for her cousin, that neurologist I told you about, since your father and brother are both doctors, and she’s up to asking four times a da
y about you going on a date with him,” Paige said.

  It took me a moment to register what she’d just said. “Who?”

  Paige leaned forward and shot me an aggravated look. “Don’t tell me you forgot. I just talked to you about it last week. You said you’d think about it. So, did you?”

  Nervously, I looked towards Dale, hoping he’d fix this for me. He didn’t. He simply sat there and stared at me.

  “Did I what?” I asked, doing my best to follow the conversation when my head suddenly felt as though it really was spinning. What was wrong with me? Normally, I jumped at the opportunity to go out with someone who came highly recommended. Now, I didn’t even want to talk about it.

  “Are you on something I should know about? I mean, we were just talking about the lack of good, eligible men in this city and the minute I find you one you don’t remember ever discussing it.” Paige’s stare was hard, but I knew her well enough to know she rarely was truly mad.

  “I ... uhh ... umm.”

  Tilting her head down, she rolled her tongue over her upper lip and sighed. “So, the conversation Lauren and I had with you flew right out of your head?”

  “What conversation?” Dale asked, taking a newfound interest in my plight.

  Sure, show up when I don’t want your help.

  Paige flashed him a wide smile. She was up to something. “Well, big brother, we were rating the men we’d been with lately. You know one to ten, based off looks, personality, penis size and bedroom performance. The oral sex category was my personal favorite. Always is.”

  Dale’s hands flew up. “I really did not need to hear that from my baby sister. In fact, I never want to hear that again, Paige.”

  “Yeah, well it’s Lauren’s favorite category too. It was in Elizabeth’s top three but it wasn’t number one.” Paige seemed to be thinking.

  “So, what was Liz’s favorite category?” Dale asked.

  Please don’t say it out loud.

  Paige’s face lit up. “Ohmygod, that’s right! Lauren and I had you pegged as a vanilla sex kind of gal. But the whole doggie-style or any variation of proved otherwise. I personally enjoyed your enthusiasm in explaining the finer art of having sex standing up.”