Somehow, that doesn’t make me feel much better. Clearly, there’s still something bugging him. I know better than to push him too far. We’ll only end up having the same argument all over again.
“You want to maybe order lunch in tomorrow?” I venture.
He offers the first genuine grin since coming in. “Sure. You buying?”
CHAPTER TEN
“You’ve got this.” I adjust my boobs, using the old scoop-and-lift method before slipping a dress over my head and tying the belt around my waist. The reflection in the full-length mirror on the back of my bedroom door isn’t half bad. Blue has always been my color. It brings out my eyes.
Everything’s perfect—or it should be. It had better be, considering the trouble I’ve gone through today. Cleaning the apartment until I was ready to drop. I even made sure to stock condoms in the nightstand.
Hope springs eternal. Wouldn’t want to get caught without them.
Dinner’s due to be here around seven, which is when Paxton said he’d come around. He’s been in meetings all day, and he seemed a little short via text. I can’t help but think about what Matt told me. About the trouble the company’s having.
Is that why they’re in the city in the first place, he and his father? Why they’re going to all these meetings? Who are they meeting with? Are they trying to sweet-talk the board?
And if they are, what business is it of mine?
I don’t want to see Paxton’s family fail, is all. But there isn’t anything I can do about it either. I can be sensitive to his mood when he gets here though. And I can try to take his mind off it.
“Calm down,” I whisper to myself after thinking this. Not like it’s any use. My hormones have a mind of their own. And right now, the anxiety over having him here and making a nice night for us is nothing compared to the absolute frenzy my body goes into when I think about all the fun little ways to take his mind off work.
The food arrives on time. I decide to leave everything in the metal containers it came in, keeping it warm in the oven while waiting for my date.
And waiting.
It’s seven thirty when I get a call.
“I’m on my way. I’m so sorry. The last meeting went way later than it was supposed to.”
“That’s okay.” I mean, it is. It’s perfectly fine. Are my insides all jumbled up? Did I just spend the past half hour questioning, oh, just about every decision I’d ever made? Like in my entire life?
But it’s fine.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” he promises before ending the call.
This gives me a few minutes to freshen myself up since I spent the past half hour pacing and fidgeting with my hair.
Grandmother was right. Having it swept to the side shows off my neck and shoulders. With age comes wisdom, I guess.
There’s a knock at the door only a minute or so after I finish pulling the food from the oven.
“Hi, Paxton. Come on in,” I say, greeting him at the door.
“Oh, it smells good,” he says, pulling me into a tight hug and burying his face in my hair after stepping into my apartment. “You smell good too.”
“Thank you. I can’t take credit for the food. Sit down, make yourself comfortable.”
“What a day.” He loosens his tie, unbuttons the collar of his shirt, and then takes off his jacket.
The man knows how to wear a suit. No doubt about that.
Of course, I’d like to get him out of it—and fully intend to.
“Your meeting went so long. Is everything okay?” I’m busy plating the food but always with one eye on him. Wondering, wondering. Wishing Matt hadn’t gotten into my head about Cleary Oil.
“Honestly, I don’t even know.”
That doesn’t sound good, putting it mildly. “I’m sorry. Wine?”
“At least a bottle.” He looks back over his shoulder with a smile. “Smells like Italian food.”
“You’re pretty quick on the uptake. I hope that’s okay?”
“I’m so hungry; you’ll be lucky to get any for yourself.”
I bring the plates out to the coffee table since he’s so comfortable on the couch. “Chicken Parmesan and a ton of pasta.”
“Oh, that’s miraculous.”
He’s already digging in by the time I bring back a couple of glasses of wine.
“I hope you don’t think I’m rude, but I had a light lunch.” He looks me up and down while chewing. “Now that I’m eating and I can think straight, you look fantastic.”
“Thank you.” I’m still so nervous; I can barely bring myself to eat. It feels like my first date.
Is this what it’s supposed to feel like when things are for real? When there’s more to a potential relationship than fooling around, having fun?
Or am I kidding myself?
He wolfs down one chicken breast and then starts on the second a little more slowly. “So, tell me about your day. Remind me there are people in the world who live normal lives.”
“I don’t know how many people would call my life normal,” I admit with a chuckle. The wine helps loosen me up some, which is just what I need. Otherwise, I’ll sweat through the dress. Not the sexiest look.
He glances around the apartment, taking everything in. “I didn’t get much of a look the other night. I was busy making sure that neighbor didn’t bite my head off.”
“What do you think?” Why does he have to bring up Matt? He’s the last person I want to think about right now. Bad enough that I can’t stop fretting over Paxton’s company, thanks to his little bit of advice.
“I think it’s beautiful.” He gestures to the bookshelves. “I love the way you have them arranged by color. Very smart. At least you have plenty of space to work out of.”
“True. I like working right by the window, over there.” I nod to the table that serves as a desk, positioned between the two big windows looking out over the street.
“I imagine there’s plenty to inspire you out there.”
“And distract me, if I’m not careful.”
“I know I said it before, but it bears repeating.” He wipes his mouth with a napkin before settling back with his wine. “I give you all the credit in the world for being self-driven. It must take a lot of discipline to finish a book. Especially at the rate you’ve been publishing.”
I turn away from my food to face him. “Uh, how do you know that? I didn’t tell you anything about publishing so rapidly now.” My knee nudges his. “You’ve been researching again.”
His already-tan skin seems to darken a little. Wow, to think, I can make a man like him blush. “Sometimes, I have a hard time falling asleep at night in a strange place. Like my hotel room, you know. I’ve done a little reading these last couple of nights.”
I rub my hands over my thighs to dry the nervous sweat that magically slicked them when he said that. “Why is it one thing for hundreds of strangers to read my work and another thing for just one person?”
“Because you know me and I’m sitting right here in front of you?”
“Yeah, that could have something to do with it.” I need the rest of my wine, so I drink it and wonder if I should have another glass. Or two.