Page 17 of Tuxedos and Tinsel

Ian nodded. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get this done. Just tell me when.”

“Good.” Chris angled his head and studied the design on the table. “Is that for the office complex?”

“Yeah. I want to have two or three designs ready, based on what the client requested. I’m ready to take on more projects, but Dad still seems reluctant. The other three architects will be doing the same and I want mine to stand out.”

“Well, judging from these, I’d say you’ve pretty much got the deal locked up. And don’t worry about Dad. He knows how good you are at your job. Oh, before I forget, Shellie said you’re invited for dinner tonight.”

Ian smiled. “As much as I love my sister-in-law’s cooking, I’ll have to take a rain check. Maya and I are hanging out tonight.”

Chris’s brow knit in confusion. “Maya?”

“Yep. The woman from the party.”

“You’re still seeing her? I thought it was supposed to be a one-nighter. It’s been two weeks.”

Yeah. Two weeks of the best sex of Ian’s life. Visions of their lovemaking last Saturday popped into his head. “We agreed to a short-term affair just until the end of the year.”

“And you’re sure you’ll be able to walk away after that time?”

He shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I? I’m not looking for anything long-term and neither is she.” Somewhere in the back of his mind, a nagging voice told him walking away might not be as easy as he thought, but he immediately dismissed it. Ian glanced down at his watch, stood, shut down his laptop and rolled up the papers. “I need to get going.”

“For a casual affair, you sure are eager to see her. And on a weeknight,” Chris said with a smile. “You’ve never acted this way with other women.”

“How do you know?” Ian asked, making sure to lock up his files. He was taking his designs home to work on them...if his evening with Maya ended early.

“Remember, I’ve been around since you were born. So I know you pretty well.” Chris followed Ian out of the office and waited while he locked the door. “Sounds to me like things are not as casual as you’d like to believe.” He clapped Ian on the shoulder. “Have fun and don’t forget what I told you at the party.” He strolled off down the hall to his office without waiting for a reply.

He ignored Chris’s reference to being bitten by the love bug. Ian had no intention of being bitten by anything. But no matter what he tried to tell himself, he enjoyed being with her. His anticipation mounted the closer he got to Maya’s place. And by the time he rang her doorbell, his heart was racing with excitement. She greeted him with a smile that made his heart leap.

“Hi, Ian. Come on in.”

The greeting was barely off her tongue before he lifted her in his arms, kicked the door closed and kissed her with a hunger that stunned him and gave him pause. He eased back and lowered her to the floor.

“Now,that’sa greeting,” Maya said, taking his hand and leading him to the living room. “It was your turn to pick the place for dinner, so what did you decide?”

“Actually, I was thinking we could stay in tonight—pick up something to eat and take it back to my place.” Where in the hell had that come from? Ian had never invited a woman he was casually dating to his house, and he tried to figure out a way to rescind the offer.

Maya’s eyes lit up and she smiled brightly. “That’s a great idea. I don’t really feel like going to a restaurant. But I wish you would’ve told me earlier so I could make dessert.”

Her smile and enthusiasm, along with the mention of her desserts, killed any notion he had of reneging. “Don’t worry about it. We can always get dessert later, if you want.”

She waved him off. “Wait a minute while I check the kitchen. I usually keep a little something, just in case. Can I get you something to drink?”

“Just some water please.”

“Okay.” She started to the kitchen, then turned back. “And I know you like chocolate.”

As soon as she was out of sight, Ian scrubbed a hand down his face and groaned. What was he thinking?

“I’m ready.”

He spun around at the sound of Maya’s voice. His gaze strayed to the small gift bag in her hand. “You made a dessert already?” he asked, taking a bottle of water from her outstretched hand. He unscrewed the cap and took a huge gulp.

She shook her head. “No. I had some chocolate-chip cookie dough in the freezer. They’ll only take about fifteen minutes. But, if you don’t mind, I can pop them in the oven at your place.”

Ian nearly choked on the water going down his throat. He coughed and tried to catch his breath.Cook? At his place?Granted, he had a state-of-the-art kitchen, but he had never allowed any woman, including his ex, at his stove. That implied an intimacy he purposely avoided.

“Are you okay?” Maya asked with concern.