I could fire her.
Yes, then she'll be thrilled to become my trophy girlfriend. What a bloody moron you are. If I phrase it differently, as if it's a business arrangement, then maybe it won't sound like such an insane idea.
"Are you okay?" Rika asks.
For once, my brain and my cock are in complete agreement. I meet her gaze. "Actually, there is one more thing you could do for me."
"What is it?"
The words "be my trophy girlfriend" get lodged in my throat. I open my mouth, but the only sound that comes out of it is a faint croaking noise.
Rika leans over my desk, peering into my eyes. "Are you sure you're okay? Should I call a doctor?"
"I'm all right. No need for a doctor."
"Okay." She keeps leaning over the desk, which makes her blouse fall away from her chest, giving me the barest glimpse of her cleavage. "What did you want to ask me?"
"Uh..." I tug at the collar of my shirt. "Would you have lunch with me? I need to discuss some business matters with you."
"Lunch?"
Why does she look so shocked? It's not that barmy for an employer to take his employee out for a working lunch. Maybe sharing a meal with her will calm this lust and help me decide whether Rika might be amenable to the trophy girlfriend idea.
Yes, that sounds like a reasonable plan.
"A business lunch," I say. "Nothing untoward about it. I'd like us to get to know each other a bit, strictly to improve our working relationship."
She straightens. "Okay, sure."
I stand up. "You should choose the restaurant. I don't know the area."
"Um, it's nine thirty," she says. "I guess you're still on UK time?"
"Oh. Yes, I suppose I am." No, I'm not, but at least that gives me an excuse for not realizing it's still morning. "You settle on a restaurant, and we'll take our lunch at one o'clock. All right?"
"Sounds good."
Rika sashays out of my office.
I admire her arse until she shuts the door behind her.
Christ, I'm in trouble.
Chapter Three
Rika
At precisely one o'clock, Dane walks out of his office and waves for me to follow him. We ride the elevator in silence, ride in a cab in silence, and enter the restaurant in silence. He settles a hand on my lower back as we walk inside and while the maître d' leads us to a table at the back of the restaurant. The curved booth is smokily lit and secluded.
Dane had asked the maître d' for a "private" table.
I don't think he meant this.
We slide into the booth, but Dane keeps an arm's length between us. The maître d' gives us menus and then leaves us here---alone, in our secluded, sexy booth.
No, it's not the booth that's sexy. It's the man sitting beside me.
A waitress arrives before we have a chance to say anything to each other. She sets down two glasses of water, then takes our orders and hurries away.
We're alone. Again. In a romantic little corner booth.
Dane fiddles with his shirt cuffs. "Well, I, ah---We should---" He clears his throat. "Tell me about yourself."
"What do you want to know?"
"Anything you'd care to tell me. For instance, do you have brothers or sisters?"
"I have a sister. She's a doctor, currently working in Lebanon with Doctors Without Borders." Yeah, she's amazing. My piddly job as a PA sounds shallow and worthless in comparison. Not that I'm jealous of her. I love my sister. "Maddie is two years older than me. She's an epidemiologist, out there saving lives every day."
"Do you get along?"
"Sure. We always have, though we're not as close as I am with my two best friends."
"You have best friends?"
"Yeah. Don't you?" Oh jeez, that sounded rude. "Sorry, I wasn't trying to be mean. It just came out that way. But since we're getting to know each other, maybe you'll tell me more about you too."
"Of course. And no, I don't have best friends. I have brothers, and we are close, but I don't know if we're best mate close."
"Chance and Reese think you are."
His brows hike up. "You know my brothers?"
"Sure. Elena and Arden are my best friends."
Dane stares at me, his face blank, for several seconds. Then he guzzles water from his glass. "You're friends with Elena and Arden. I did---Ah, I didn't know that."
Why does he seem disturbed by the idea? "If you're worried I'll gossip to them about what you say to me, I assure you I won't. A good PA respects her employer's privacy and the confidentiality of work-related information."
"I'm not worried about that. I was surprised, that's all." He takes another, more measured drink of water and studies me for a moment. "Do you know Celeste Arnaud, then?"
"Yes. She's the one who asked me to be your PA."
"Why would she do that?"
"Because I needed a job, and she thought you and I would be a perfect fit." I realize how that might sound and add, "In terms of work. A perfect fit as employer and employee."
"I see." He's still holding his water glass, but now he's gazing down into it like water is the most fascinating thing he's ever seen. "How long have you been a personal assistant?"
"Ever since I graduated from college. I have a degree in liberal arts, which means I studied lots of different things." I wait a couple seconds to see if he looks unimpressed, but Dane watches me with interest. "Snooty people think liberal arts is a nothing degree, but it's served me well. My education included everything from math and science to ancient history. Whatever my boss wants, no matter what their career is, I have some kind of knowledge that can be useful to them."
"You must be bored working with me. I haven't asked you to do anything except answer the phone and schedule my appointments."
"I'm not bored." Because lusting after him keeps me occupied during lulls in my work duties. The thought of a gorgeous man like Dane designing sex toys... That makes me even hotter for him. And it reminds me of something I've wanted to ask him since day one. "May I ask you a personal question?"
"Go on."
"Why sex toys?"
He jerks his head up. "What?"
"I mean, why did you decide to design sex toys? It's not a common career choice."
Dane taps his glass with one finger, his focus on the water inside it. "I, uh, couldn't decide what to do after university. My degree is in mechanical engineering, but the job I got after graduation was unbelievably dull. I couldn't imagine doing that for the rest of my life. I got a different job but still didn't feel inspired by my career. After trying two more positions, I thought I could do better if I started my own business. But I had no idea what that business should be."