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“Any criticism?” I ask. “I want to know where your head is at so we don’t have to do a lot of revisions.”
“My head is…not really on work right now.”
My eyes trail up to his and my breath catches in my throat.
“I’m thinking about dinner,” he goes on.
“It’s only breakfast.” My words come out all breath.
“I’m always hungry.” He half shrugs. Then he lets the statement hang in the air for a moment before going on. “Have dinner with me, Izzy.”
I blink. “Like a business dinner?”
“Like alet’s meet at a restaurant and eat food and let the conversation flowdinner.”
I sit up straighter. “That sounds like it’s on the line of breaking the rules.”
“Is it though?” He asks. “If I remember right, and correct me if I am wrong, the main rule was that I need to keep my hands to myself. I haven’t done anything to cross that line.”
Maybe not with his hands. Even our knees haven’t bumped. But the way his eyes keep raking over me, the way his words caress my skin, well. Who needs hands when you can make a woman’s panties wet just by laughing through a boyish grin.
“I’ll tell you what,” he says. “You name the place and the time. That way it doesn’t feel pretentious. The only thing I ask is that I pick up the tab. And that there is no talk of business whatsoever. Call it an incentive dinner. All good employers reward their best workers with a little R&R. Keeps morale up and creative juices flowing.”
I don’t know about creativity, but just the way he’s talking right now has some other juices flowing. I cross my legs and hope he doesn’t notice.
“Fine.” I agree. Mostly because I don’t know how much longer I can sit here before bursting into flames.
“Great. You work on that article and then give me a call.” Ethan gets up from the table and grabs his things. Then he winks at me and saunters off.
I don’t know what just happened. This man, a man I have been crushing on hard for the last decade of my life, just wentfrom my arrogant sparring partner to…charming. I don’t trust charming men. I know better. But as I look back down at the screen and force my fingers to start typing, I realize that knowing better doesn’t always equate to behaving better.
I am on some thin ice.
Chapter 10
Ethan
“I’m going to be leaving early today, Rose.” I set a folder of papers on the secretary’s desk before checking the notifications on my phone.
It’s been blowing up all day. In fact, it’s been blowing up constantly since I hired Izzy. It’s not her, of course. But since working with her and checking on her and thinking about her 24/7, I am out of the office more and the place is unraveling without me. Even today, I have a thousand things to do before 5pm. For the first time, I might actually be admitting that I am in over my head.
“Early again?” Rose says with a teasing smile. “And yesterday you were late. Whatever will Mr. Sloane think?”
“Liam isn’t my keeper.” I mutter without looking up from my phone. I have emails a mile long from the journalist staff. I might have to have a meeting just to put everyone’s training wheels back on before I leave for dinner tonight.
“No but he is your boss. And he’s been extra grumpy recently.”
I shove my phone in my pocket and look down at her. Rose is a middle aged woman, mid thirties maybe. And while I wouldn’t say she’s not attractive, she’s not my type. She’s a meddler forone, always snooping on office business that isn’t her business. I’m not gonna lie, I’ve thought about suggesting to Liam that we find someone else. But he seems to like her and she seems okay with keeping secrets. If I ask her to do something, she does it. And considering the amount of work I have cut out for me right now, I kind of need that. Obviously, she has no idea about Izzy and the article. But she doesn’t ask questions when I ask her to cover for me.
“Yeah well, when is he not?” I smile at Rose and she blushes, her lips tugging into a full blown grin.
“I’ll make sure everything is taken care of, Ethan. I mean Mr. Savage. I mean–”
“Ethan is fine.” I say, completely indifferent to it. If I am going to herd the turkeys before I leave today I don’t even have time to piss. I make my way back to my office but not before hearing Rose whisper.
“Ethan.”
Whatever.