Page 48 of Beyond Question

“This is New York; call a taxi.”

“—how about hamburgers?” I pause, considering, then shake my head. “Nah, not really in the mood. Had a burger yesterday.”

“You’re not staying here.”

I shrug. “Not all day, no. Only until Cabot comes back with Rylan.” Leaning forward, I hold the phone out and turn the screen toward her. “Sushi.”Classy. Sophisticated. Just like her.

“I detest fish.”

“You detest…” I frown, but give her a curt nod. “No fish. Noted.”

Paige sighs loudly. “Why are you doing this?”

I look up at her again, giving her my sweetest, most innocent expression. “Because we’re hungry.”

“Maybe I’m not.” Her stomach rumbles softly and she huffs in annoyance.

“I’ve got it.” I use the hand not wrapped around my cell phone to give her a little jazz hand. “Curry.”

Paige’s eyes narrow. “Indian or Thai?”

“Ooh,” I say, releasing mysexydimple—her word, not mine. “A test.” I hold her gaze as I consider the options. “Meat?”

“Anything but seafood.”

I nod. “Allergies?”

“Only if you count my allergic reaction to arrogant CFOs.”

I laugh, holding my hand to my heart. “You wound me, Ms. Matthews.” Leaning forward again, I lower my voice and say, “And you certainly have areactionto me, but I think we both know it has nothing to do with allergies.”

Her mouth falls open, but I focus on the app and choose Thai food. I have a fifty-percent chance of choosing correctly, and I like my odds. Knowing this stubborn woman, she’ll probably tell me I’ve chosen wrong either way, but you reallycan’t go wrong with Thai. After a bit more scrolling through the menu, I punch in an order of Massamun curry with tofu, an order of spicy pineapple curry with chicken, and, just to play it safe, an order of Pad Thai—because who doesn’t love Pad Thai? Before checkout, I throw in a couple of Thai iced teas because if this woman doesn’t love Thai iced tea, I won’t be able to marry her after all.

When the order is placed, I set the phone face down on her desktop and look across at Paige. “All set.”

“Why?” she asks.

“Why what?”

“Why are you doing this?”

“I like you.” I shrug.

She huffs. “No, you don’t.”

Pursing my lips, I watch her for a moment. “Why do you do that?”

“What?”

I stand and strip out of my jacket, then drape it across the back of the chair beside mine. As I sit back down, I begin to unbutton and roll my sleeves up. “That thing where you pretend you know what I like and dislike… why do you do that?”

I watch the motion of her throat as she swallows, obviously remembering the conversation I walked in on earlier, but then Paige drops her gaze to watch my right hand as I roll up my left sleeve. I slow my movements and she licks her lips.

“Or that,” I say. “Why do you do that?”

“Hmm?” She lifts her gaze to meet mine.

“That thing where you pretend you’re not attracted to me when you very clearly are.”