Read Online Corporate Fire: Corporate Romance Book 1 by Evelyn Aster - Free Book Online

“Thank you.”
    They ate in silence, Grace a bundle of sudden nerves, having no idea what to say. It wasn't as if she'd never dated, but her brain seemed fuzzy. She really wanted to ask him why he fired people for a living, but she didn't want to talk about something so unpleasant. Finally she realized she needed to even out the relationship a bit since he'd listened to her answers to all those embarrassing questions in the doctor's office.
    Royce had started making small talk while she tried to make sense of her blurry thoughts, and when he paused she blurted out, “So I'm assuming you don't have a girlfriend. When was the last time you had sex, and were you tested for HIV?”
    Royce coughed but managed to swallow his food instead of spitting it out. “Where did that come from?”
    “Well, you know I haven't had sex in forever, and I'm not pregnant. I think you owe me a little info here.”
    “Going in the examination room with you was your idea, not mine.” Royce sounded put out, but he grinned.
    “Hey, I was in shock, and I'd just been sexually harassed by the medic.”
    Royce put his fork down and raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, you win. I haven't had sex in six months, and I'm HIV clear.”
    Grace's eyebrows shot up her forehead.
    “What's that look?”
    “I don't know. I guess I just thought you had a different woman in every town.”
    “I think I should be insulted, but I'll let it pass. I don't have all your rules, but I like my relationships serious.”
    Grace gazed into his eyes, her emotions for him intensifying with each word he said.
    Royce cleared his throat and changed the subject. “I was surprised to see programming books on the table. Do you have private contracts?”
    Grace blushed. She hadn't told anyone about her app project. She took a bite of the pasta so she could avoid the question a little longer. When she'd swallowed she said, “That's just something I do for fun. It's not a contract or anything.”
    “You program for fun?”
    “Well, yeah. Would you ask a professional musician if she enjoyed playing her instrument?”
    Royce laughed and said, “I guess not, but I never equate musicians and programmers.”
    Grace shrugged, feeling a tiny bit of annoyance rising, and said, “I love what I do.”
    “So what's the project?”
    Grace lifted her nose. “I don't know if I want to tell you.”
    “In that case maybe I won't share dessert.”
    Grace gave a mock gasp. “You'd keep dessert from a wounded skier? That's just cruel.” At that moment the pain in her leg suddenly increased, and she let out a moan.
    “You okay? You should probably get your leg back up, and I should get you more ice.”
    “I can finish dinner, and maybe we can have dessert in bed—I mean… that didn't come out right.”
    Royce grinned. “Sounds just right to me. I should've mentioned earlier that the way you're dressed takes my breath away.”
    “Really?” This man was going to make her crazy.
    He took her hand and pulled it to his lips—so soft and warm. “You're a conundrum, Grace.”
    “How so?”
    “You're vital and strong—you would've won the race if you hadn't hit that deep patch of powder, but you have this vulnerable side too with all your rules. Have you been badly hurt in the past?”
    Grace lowered her eyes and withdrew her hand. His question took her back to her parents standing over her as a child yelling at her about the spilled milk or the dirt on the floor or the book on the table. She picked at her food without answering Royce. He was getting too close. She didn't talk about these things—ever.
    After a pause Royce said, “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I just want to understand you better so you're not uncomfortable around me.”
    “I'm too comfortable around you is the problem.” She put her fork down, and her words tumbled over each other. She didn't mean to tell the whole story, but it spilled out on its own.
    “I'm a bit, well maybe a lot, OCD. I like things