I exhaled. “I think so.”
“Then drinks, it is. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“Could we have them on Leilani?” I asked. “Maybe watch the sunset?”
The muscle in Grant’s jaw flexed. “My apartment overlooks the harbor and faces west. The terrace gets a beautiful sunset. Or there’s a nice bar down at the pier.”
“I’d prefer your boat, rather than your porn palace.”
Grant’s lip twitched. “Porn palace?”
“You said you use your boat to live and your apartment for fun.”
His eyes roamed my face. “If I say yes, is it a date?”
I wanted to say yes in the worst way. I was incredibly attracted to him physically, but I also found his direct, no-bullshit attitude a turn on. Not to mention, he’d let down his guard around his grandfather and shown there was more to him than the gruff exterior. Yet…something about him terrified me.
I looked him in the eyes. “Do you just want to sleep with me, or do you want to actually take me out?”
Grant smiled. “Yes.”
I laughed and shook my head. “I appreciate the honesty. But can I think about it?”
His cocky smile fell. “Of course.”
“Thank you. Have a good night, Grant.”
I shut the door feeling deflated, but inside I knew I’d done the right thing. Nothing about Grant Lexington was simple. Especially the fact that he was my boss.
Chapter 13
* * *
Grant
“Mr. Lexington?” My assistant buzzed into my office. “You have Ireland Saint James on line one. Would you like me to tell her you’re about to go into a meeting?”
I stood with a file in my hand, ready to head to a ten o’clock meeting, but I sat back down. “No, I’ll take it. Tell Mark Anderson I’ll be a few minutes late and to start without me.”
I tossed the file onto my desk, picked up the receiver, and leaned back in my chair. “Ms. Saint James. It’s been three days. You must’ve had a lot to think about.”
“Sorry. I’ve been busy. But I wanted to get back to you on your dinner invitation, or rather our discussion about having drinks.”
“Okay…”
“You seem like a really nice guy—”
I sat up in my chair and cut her off. “Let’s finish this conversation over lunch.”
“Uh…well, can’t we just—”
I interrupted a second time. “No. I have a meeting now. Be in my office at one o’clock. I’ll have lunch waiting.”
“But—”
“We’ll talk then.”
She sighed. “Fine.”
On my way to my meeting, I stopped at Millie’s desk. “Can you please order lunch for me and Ms. Saint James for one o’clock?”
“Of course. What would you like?”
“Whatever.”
“Do you want salads, sandwiches? Is she vegan?”
“How the hell would I know? Just order a few things.”
Millie’s forehead wrinkled. “Okay.”
“And if I’m late, tell her to start eating without me.”
“The mail just came. Would you like me to put today’s letter on your desk?”
“Shred it,” I bit out.
When my meeting finally broke at five after one, I was impatient. Some people took ten minutes to dance around and spit out one damn fact. For the last hour, I’d found it hard to focus, too busy wondering if my next appointment was going to stand me up.
The tension in my shoulders dissipated as I walked into my office and found Ireland snooping. I shut the door behind me. “Looking for something?”
She turned with a framed photo in her hand. “Is this you and your grandfather?”
I walked over. The photo had been on the credenza since I’d moved into this office eighteen months ago, but I hadn’t really looked at it since. Pops and I were fishing off the side of Leilani. I must’ve been about seven or eight. “He caught a thrasher shark that day. I caught a sunburn.”
Ireland smiled and set the frame back down.
Lunch was set up at the small seating area, rather than at my desk. I held out my hand. “Please, have a seat. I’m a few minutes late, and the food is probably getting cold.”
Ireland sat on the couch, and I took the seat across from her.
“Are more people joining us?” she asked. “There are six different lunches here.”
“I didn’t know what you liked.”
Her face softened. “Thank you. I’m not picky. But I’ll take this cheeseburger, if you don’t mind. I’m starving.”
“Whatever you like.”
I grabbed a turkey sandwich and wasted no time getting to the point. I preferred to discuss business first, so I could actually enjoy my food after. “So, you were about to give me the you’re a nice guy, but… brush-off speech. It’s one I don’t hear too often.”
“Because no one says no to you?”
“No, because I’m not that nice of a guy.”
Ireland picked up a French fry and pointed it at me. “Well, that in itself is a reason I shouldn’t be having dinner or drinks with you, isn’t it?”
I leaned over and bit the fry from her fingers. “Probably. But I’d like a chance to change your mind anyway. I get the feeling you’re wary of me because you sense I’m not being forthright with you. But I’m in a difficult position here. I can’t say whatever is on my mind because you work for me, and I don’t want you to feel pressured.”
“I don’t feel pressured by you as a boss. Even though you did bark at me to come up here for lunch. I somehow know my job isn’t at stake, and it’s just you being you. If I’m being honest, your barking felt real, and I’d rather see that man than the hesitant one who is trying to be appropriate.”
“So you prefer me inappropriate and barking?”
She laughed. “I prefer you to just be you and not filter what you’re thinking.”
My eyes locked with hers. I’ve found that often a woman thinks she wants unfiltered honesty, but it turns out not to be the case once she hears it. “You sure about that?”
“Positive.”
I reached over and took her hand. “Good. Then let’s be honest. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you in days. Hell, since you told me off in that email. You asked me the other night if I just wanted to sleep with you. I absolutely want to be inside you. I’d lock that door and take you on my desk right now, if you were game.”
She swallowed.
“But if you’d like to have drinks and watch the sunset on my boat, I’m up for that, too. I haven’t had anything but a sexual relationship with a woman in seven years, and to be candid, I’m not entirely sure what I’m capable of offering anymore. But if you’d like to start with drinks, we can most definitely see where it goes.”
Ireland started to shake her head. I couldn’t get a read on the surprised look on her face—whether it was a good surprise or one that confirmed she should run the other way.
“Was that supposed to be you pleading your case for me to go out with you? Because you basically told me you suck at relationships and might just only want to have sex with me. And oh by the way, if I’m up for banging on your desk, that’s an available option, too.”