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But instead of frustration, defeat, or even a sense of failure, a completely different emotion surfaces. Determination. She might have stormed out of here pretending she was disgusted with me, but I’m experienced enough to read a woman. I’d noticed that faint blush creeping up her neck, the way she’d look anywhere but directly at me. The way her gaze had lingered on my lips just a second too long. She isn’t as uninterested as she’s pretending to be.
I shake my head. Lilly Richards might just be the first girl to turn me down, but I’m not giving up without a fight.
Chapter 6
Lilly
I twirl my fork aimlessly through my Caesar salad, smiling in greeting when Monica enters the breakroom, lunch in hand.
“Crazy day,” Monica mutters, setting her lunch bag on the small table and sitting down across from me. The door to the breakroom swings shut behind her with a soft click.
I nod, widening my eyes. “That pottery workshop is turning out to be a pain to organize.” I’d been so excited about it—and still am—but the kilns aren’t ready yet, we’ve been having shipping problems with the supplies, and the teacher is seemingly less available than she’d originally told us. Ugh.
“We should do something fun this weekend to get our minds off work,” Monica says, pulling out her sandwich and taking a bite. Monica and I both started here at the same time, about a year ago, and we’ve been friends ever since. We’re roughly the same age—Monica is twenty-two, and I’m twenty-four.
“There’s a cute flea market I keep hearing about on Capitol Hill,” I suggest.
“Ooooh, yes,” Monica agrees. She glances around, looking over my shoulder and presumably through the glass window on the breakroom door to make sure no one’s around. She leans toward me, a mischievous smile on her face. I already know what she’s going to say, and I’m chuckling in preparation. “So, Aiden King.” She widens her eyes at me. We haven’t had a moment alone since he arrived early this week. “Cute.” She shakes her head. “God, I didn’t expect him to be that cute.”
I roll my eyes. “I suppose.”
“You suppose?” Monica repeats. “Are you blind?”
I laugh. “Okay, okay.” There’s no use in pretending. Not with Monica anyway. Besides, I barely made it out of that bar last night without doing something I’d surely regret. I’m still in disbelief that it actually happened. Sure, I’d kind of assumed his invitation to get drinks would lead to some flirting—but blatantly suggesting we sleep together? My god. I hadn’t really expected that. Although, based on his actions so far, I wonder if that was naïve. He’s definitely made his intentions clear. And maybe if circumstances were different, I’d take him up on it. I mean, he’d practically dared me to …
“Earth to Lilly,” Monica says, laughing when I shake my head and focus my attention back on her.
“Sorry,” I say.
She smirks. “Daydreaming about Mr. King?”
I laugh then lean forward conspiratorially. There was never a chance I wasn’t going to tell Monica about what happened last night. She’d kill me if I didn’t. “Speaking of Mr. King, you’ll never guess what happened last night.”
Monica widens her eyes. “Holy shit. You didn’t.”
“No! God. No.” I laugh, glancing over my shoulder to ensure no one’s around. “But oh did he try.” I widen my eyes in emphasis.
Monica’s mouth drops open, a delighted smile spreading across her face. Giggling, I tell her about how he’d suggested we get drinks, his flirting, and his very obvious innuendos.
“Man, you have much more self-control than I do,” Monica says with a laugh. “I’d have taken him up on that offer.”
“Oh please,” I say.
She raises an eyebrow at me. “I’m sure his offer still stands.”
I open my mouth in shock. “Monica, I’m not going to sleep with Aiden King.”
“And why not?” she shoots back.
“Maybe because he’s technically our boss? The man who holds the future of the foundation in his hands?” And maybe one more reason that no one else knows about. Not even her.
“You know, I suspect that sleeping with him would only improve our chances of survival,” Monica muses with a devilish grin.
I burst into laughter. “Well, I’m not about to test that theory.”
She chuckles, pausing to take a bite of her sandwich. When she’s finished chewing, she asks, “How has dating life been, by the way?” She levels me with a curious look.
I sigh. How has my dating life been? An absolute wasteland, if I’m honest.
