“Lisa! I’m–”
“At lunch. Got it.” Her assistant gave an appreciative grin at Zachary’s retreating backside.
Well, at least I have Lisa’s approval,
Katharine thought. If not fully her own.
His car awaited them at the front of the building, giving her a rare opportunity to pass by the front desk. The two employees there nodded and offered a respectful “Miss Geryon.”
At the restaurant, he procured the best table, seated her, and fed her scallops that melted in her mouth along with words that melted in her brain. He was smooth, but never came across as the standard player. He seemed to genuinely think she was beautiful, perfect. Since she’d been played that way before–and more than once, given her trust fund and her future–Katharine figured she could spot the insincerity if it were there. In truth, she was relying on her instinct on this one. But it screamed at her that she was safe with him, that his words were only what he meant, and not a calculated gambit on his part.
His actions added to that faith. He didn’t look at other women. He complimented her, and did it in a way that showed he’d been paying attention to all the details. And Katharine spilled the details, even grinned while she did it.
“I had to go to deportment classes. Every Tuesday after ballet.”
“Is that like charm school?” He leaned back, but his focus didn’t leave her.
“Heavens, no!” For this once, she let herself laugh out loud in a public place just to watch him smile. Just to feel that jolt to her solar plexus when he did. “Charm school is for tacky people. For girls who want to do”–she shuddered–“beauty pageants.”
“So, no beauty pageants for our Katie?”
He’d just started doing that, calling her Katie. No one had ever called her anything so casual or endearing. She’d always been Katharine, even as a toddler. The feminist part of her spoke up, saying she should feel affronted by a man who simply took that liberty and didn’t ask if she minded. But another part of her was enamored with the idea; that part of her felt coddled and cared for in way that seemed both silly and completely real. Still, while that back part of her brain nagged at her, her heart disagreed. Her heart was tugged at by this man, over and over.
He ordered them a dessert and dismissed the amount of time the waiter told them it would take to prepare. The end of her lunch hour had come and gone a while ago. But if she wasn’t going to enjoy the perks of being the boss’s daughter, then what was the point? So she listened to his tales of the courtroom this morning, about how he’d won his case–just barely.
Dessert slid down as smoothly as the rest of the meal, and Katharine finally made a decision, insisting that she could not take the rest of the afternoon off. She had to get to … wasn’t there some errand waiting for her at the office? She was sure there was, but for the life of her, she couldn’t remember anything that had gone on at the office that morning. That was how bad this man scrambled her thoughts. If she wasn’t falling in love with him, then what?
He held her jacket out for her, leaning in to discreetly place a small kiss where her neck met her shoulder as he draped it around her. In the car, he agreed to take her back to the office if she agreed to see him again that night. Even before she could answer, he sweetened the deal by saying he’d bring dinner, not that she had even thought about saying no.
In a few minutes, they were parked in front of the Light & Geryon building again, and Katharine wasn’t surprised at all by the gentlemanly gesture he made in opening her door. She was, however, surprised when he followed her up the elevator, insisting that he drop her off at her desk. Her heart lifted with the elevator as it passed each floor.
She tried to tamp down the thoughts that bubbled up. Images of weddings and babies. Corporate suits and swimsuits. Caseloads and cases of baby formula.
“At lunch. Got it.” Her assistant gave an appreciative grin at Zachary’s retreating backside.
Well, at least I have Lisa’s approval,
Katharine thought. If not fully her own.
His car awaited them at the front of the building, giving her a rare opportunity to pass by the front desk. The two employees there nodded and offered a respectful “Miss Geryon.”
At the restaurant, he procured the best table, seated her, and fed her scallops that melted in her mouth along with words that melted in her brain. He was smooth, but never came across as the standard player. He seemed to genuinely think she was beautiful, perfect. Since she’d been played that way before–and more than once, given her trust fund and her future–Katharine figured she could spot the insincerity if it were there. In truth, she was relying on her instinct on this one. But it screamed at her that she was safe with him, that his words were only what he meant, and not a calculated gambit on his part.
His actions added to that faith. He didn’t look at other women. He complimented her, and did it in a way that showed he’d been paying attention to all the details. And Katharine spilled the details, even grinned while she did it.
“I had to go to deportment classes. Every Tuesday after ballet.”
“Is that like charm school?” He leaned back, but his focus didn’t leave her.
“Heavens, no!” For this once, she let herself laugh out loud in a public place just to watch him smile. Just to feel that jolt to her solar plexus when he did. “Charm school is for tacky people. For girls who want to do”–she shuddered–“beauty pageants.”
“So, no beauty pageants for our Katie?”
He’d just started doing that, calling her Katie. No one had ever called her anything so casual or endearing. She’d always been Katharine, even as a toddler. The feminist part of her spoke up, saying she should feel affronted by a man who simply took that liberty and didn’t ask if she minded. But another part of her was enamored with the idea; that part of her felt coddled and cared for in way that seemed both silly and completely real. Still, while that back part of her brain nagged at her, her heart disagreed. Her heart was tugged at by this man, over and over.
He ordered them a dessert and dismissed the amount of time the waiter told them it would take to prepare. The end of her lunch hour had come and gone a while ago. But if she wasn’t going to enjoy the perks of being the boss’s daughter, then what was the point? So she listened to his tales of the courtroom this morning, about how he’d won his case–just barely.
Dessert slid down as smoothly as the rest of the meal, and Katharine finally made a decision, insisting that she could not take the rest of the afternoon off. She had to get to … wasn’t there some errand waiting for her at the office? She was sure there was, but for the life of her, she couldn’t remember anything that had gone on at the office that morning. That was how bad this man scrambled her thoughts. If she wasn’t falling in love with him, then what?
He held her jacket out for her, leaning in to discreetly place a small kiss where her neck met her shoulder as he draped it around her. In the car, he agreed to take her back to the office if she agreed to see him again that night. Even before she could answer, he sweetened the deal by saying he’d bring dinner, not that she had even thought about saying no.
In a few minutes, they were parked in front of the Light & Geryon building again, and Katharine wasn’t surprised at all by the gentlemanly gesture he made in opening her door. She was, however, surprised when he followed her up the elevator, insisting that he drop her off at her desk. Her heart lifted with the elevator as it passed each floor.
She tried to tamp down the thoughts that bubbled up. Images of weddings and babies. Corporate suits and swimsuits. Caseloads and cases of baby formula.
Similar Books
