Read Online Me And Mr. I.T. (Kupid's Cove Book 2) by Katie Mettner - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Katie Mettner
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wasn’t aimed directly at me, all the time.
“You’re staring,” she said and I blinked, realizing I had been.
“Sorry, but you’re so damn gorgeous I lost track of my thoughts.” I smiled to tell her it was a genuine compliment and pretended not to notice the small eye roll she did. I motioned at her plate with my steak knife. “See, aren’t you glad I ordered you the steak?”
She tipped her head in acknowledgement. “It’s very good, even if you are bossy.”
I tossed my head back and laughed freely. “I’m bossy! Have you met yourself?”
She chewed slowly with one brow raised nearly to her hairline. “I prefer to think of it as authoritative.”
I shook my head, still chuckling. “However you prefer to think of it is fine, but you’re bossy. It’s not a bad thing. I find it one of the most intriguing parts about you.”
“Because?”
“Because that’s the emotion you use as a defense mechanism and I want to find out why.”
“I’m not defensive,” she insisted and I fought against letting my eyes roll to the top of my head.
“Are you kidding me? I think the only time you’re not defensive is when you’re sleeping.”
She snorted with laughter and almost choked on her steak. She washed it down with a drink of soda that Hani had included with the meal.
“Thank you for helping me with the computer, Maltrand. I appreciate that you don’t look down on me for being computer illiterate.”
I set my fork down on my plate and leaned back in my chair. “It’s no problem. It’s my job to keep all employees up and running. You’re the most important person in this whole business, so you can’t be without equipment that works.”
She waved her hand at me. “I’m far from the most important.”
“Think about it. If it weren’t for you marketing the business successfully, there wouldn’t be a business. Gideon would have a lot of money sunk into an empty hotel. Never underestimate the important part you play on this team. And you’re not computer illiterate. You know your programs, and how they run, but you don’t understand the hardware. That’s something that can be learned, but in the end if you can turn it on, run your programs and call me when other problems arise, the job will still get done.”
“You might not want to say that. Problems always arise for me.”
I grinned. “Which I’m totally okay with because it gives me a reason to see you.” Before she could clam up and crawl back into her shell I threw an unexpected question at her. “Why do you call me Mr. I.T. at work and Maltrand in social situations?”
She didn’t answer right away, just nibbled away at the shrimp in her hand until she worked out whatever her answer was going to be. “I call you Mr. I.T. because I know it bugs you and while it probably makes me a child, I like ruffling your feathers. I call you Maltrand in social situations because Mally is a stupid nickname for a guy.”
“How’s that for honesty?” I joked and she shrugged.
“You asked, I answered. Why do you hate it when I call you Mr. I.T.?”
“Because there’s more to me than being able to fix computers.”
“I don’t doubt that,” she agreed, “which is why I only call you that at work.”
I chewed on that for a bit while I ate a few fries off my plate. They were cold and covered in steak juice, but still edible. I noticed a pink tinge to her cheeks as she finished her food, which told me she was bothered having to explain her reasons to me.
“I guess that’s fair enough, but I think you would be irritated if I called you Ms. Marketing.”
“It would irritate me because it makes no sense and it’s not catchy or cute. Come on, you gotta admit Mr. I.T. is catchy and cute.”
I had to hand it to the woman. I was trying to earn points on my side of the board, but she had all of them in her hand to start with.
“So you’re saying I’m cute.”
“No, I’m saying the nickname is cute,” she clarified.
I
“You’re staring,” she said and I blinked, realizing I had been.
“Sorry, but you’re so damn gorgeous I lost track of my thoughts.” I smiled to tell her it was a genuine compliment and pretended not to notice the small eye roll she did. I motioned at her plate with my steak knife. “See, aren’t you glad I ordered you the steak?”
She tipped her head in acknowledgement. “It’s very good, even if you are bossy.”
I tossed my head back and laughed freely. “I’m bossy! Have you met yourself?”
She chewed slowly with one brow raised nearly to her hairline. “I prefer to think of it as authoritative.”
I shook my head, still chuckling. “However you prefer to think of it is fine, but you’re bossy. It’s not a bad thing. I find it one of the most intriguing parts about you.”
“Because?”
“Because that’s the emotion you use as a defense mechanism and I want to find out why.”
“I’m not defensive,” she insisted and I fought against letting my eyes roll to the top of my head.
“Are you kidding me? I think the only time you’re not defensive is when you’re sleeping.”
She snorted with laughter and almost choked on her steak. She washed it down with a drink of soda that Hani had included with the meal.
“Thank you for helping me with the computer, Maltrand. I appreciate that you don’t look down on me for being computer illiterate.”
I set my fork down on my plate and leaned back in my chair. “It’s no problem. It’s my job to keep all employees up and running. You’re the most important person in this whole business, so you can’t be without equipment that works.”
She waved her hand at me. “I’m far from the most important.”
“Think about it. If it weren’t for you marketing the business successfully, there wouldn’t be a business. Gideon would have a lot of money sunk into an empty hotel. Never underestimate the important part you play on this team. And you’re not computer illiterate. You know your programs, and how they run, but you don’t understand the hardware. That’s something that can be learned, but in the end if you can turn it on, run your programs and call me when other problems arise, the job will still get done.”
“You might not want to say that. Problems always arise for me.”
I grinned. “Which I’m totally okay with because it gives me a reason to see you.” Before she could clam up and crawl back into her shell I threw an unexpected question at her. “Why do you call me Mr. I.T. at work and Maltrand in social situations?”
She didn’t answer right away, just nibbled away at the shrimp in her hand until she worked out whatever her answer was going to be. “I call you Mr. I.T. because I know it bugs you and while it probably makes me a child, I like ruffling your feathers. I call you Maltrand in social situations because Mally is a stupid nickname for a guy.”
“How’s that for honesty?” I joked and she shrugged.
“You asked, I answered. Why do you hate it when I call you Mr. I.T.?”
“Because there’s more to me than being able to fix computers.”
“I don’t doubt that,” she agreed, “which is why I only call you that at work.”
I chewed on that for a bit while I ate a few fries off my plate. They were cold and covered in steak juice, but still edible. I noticed a pink tinge to her cheeks as she finished her food, which told me she was bothered having to explain her reasons to me.
“I guess that’s fair enough, but I think you would be irritated if I called you Ms. Marketing.”
“It would irritate me because it makes no sense and it’s not catchy or cute. Come on, you gotta admit Mr. I.T. is catchy and cute.”
I had to hand it to the woman. I was trying to earn points on my side of the board, but she had all of them in her hand to start with.
“So you’re saying I’m cute.”
“No, I’m saying the nickname is cute,” she clarified.
I
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