Stella stepped down until she was only one step above him, which put her just barely at eye level with him.
“What are you doing here?” he asked her.
“I work here,” Stella said. “I’d ask what you’re doing here, but I think you just spent the last fifteen minutes explaining that.”
Max huffed out a little laugh. “Right. I take it my presentation wasn’t what you all were expecting to hear today.”
Stella shook her head. “Nope. None of this was expected.”
By the look on his face, it was clear he knew she wasn’t just talking about the AI stuff.
“You’re off now, right?” Max asked.
“Yeah. I think your brother officially dismissed everyone, so…”
“Let’s have dinner.”
Stella blinked in surprise. “Dinner?”
Max smirked. “Yeah. You know, that meal people typically have at the end of the day?”
Stella rolled her eyes, but she could feel the smile creeping on her face.
“I am aware of what dinner is, thank you,” she said. “I just…well, I don’t know if it’s a good idea since you’re apparently related to my boss’s boss.”
“That does complicate things,” Max said. “But that’s why we should talk. Figure this out.”
Stella wasn’t sure what exactly “this” was, and the more she thought about it, the more she felt it was probably best not to find out. Not when her job was now involved.
“I should go,” Stella said, moving to step around Max, but he took her hand, holding her there, now on the same step as him.
“Let me take you to dinner,” he said, pulling her in closer. “Please. I can explain AIX and Sparky and everything to you, and you can explain to me why you disappeared last night before we could finish what we started.”
At the small reminder of the night before, Stella swallowed, her eyes dropping to his lips before jumping back up again. Prior to the missing-condom debacle, it had been anincredible night, and although Max may be an evil robot creator, he also had a really good tongue.
Still, she hesitated.
“Max…”
“Please,” he said again. And then he was lowering his head, until his breath was brushing her lips. “I’d really like to finish what we started.”
He pressed a soft kiss to her lips and instinctively she leaned into him, but he pulled back, his eyes searching hers.
“Wouldn’t you?” he asked.
The question felt like the challenge it was, and Stella’s body reacted immediately, her thighs clenching at the memory of his face between them.
But this was wrong, wasn’t it? She was sure every single one of her coworkers was currently cursing Max’s name.Sheshould be cursing his name.
And yet.
“Just dinner,” she said in answer, forcing herself to take a step back. “That’s all.”
Max’s grin made it clear he didn’t believe it would be “just dinner,” but all he said was “Okay.”
Ten
Max booked a car to take them to Qi, his favorite Thai restaurant a little farther uptown.
