“I bet I could,” she retorts happily. “My enthusiasm knows no bounds!”
“Yes, I’ve noticed that about you.”Wouldn’t you be curious?The phantom of her soft words curls around my ears again. Yes. Yes, I am. Curious. Hungry. And ignoring my impulses. Clearing my throat, I reach down and adjust my cock, thankful for the cover of my desk. “Would you book somewhere for dinner that night?”
“On the twenty-eighth? For how many?” She angles her iPad.
“Well, there are seven of us,” I say with another frown.
“I cannot imagine growing up with so many siblings. It must’ve been amazing.”
“Yes, amazing, if you like to spend your childhood banging on bathroom doors,” I murmur. “Seven plus Archer,” I say, carrying on. “That’s Heather, my sister’s husband. Then Polly and also whichever fuckwit boyfriend Lavender has on the go. Miranda, our cousin, her husband, Harry, and their two boys. And you could ask Brin and El if they’ll be bringing a plus-one before you book.”
“Is El dating?” she asks.
“No, not as far as I know. Not seriously, anyway. Why do you ask?” I add, casually.
“He asked me out next weekend.” She makes a diffident gesture with the pen. I frown as I notice her foot begins to bounce again. “That’s not a problem, is it?”
“Why would it be?” I answer a little too quickly.
“I’m just being a good little employee.”
“Well, ask, all the same.” I’m surprised I’m able to form a full and coherent sentence when all I can think of is El seeing her—really seeing her. Feasting his eyes on her long legs. Maybe even getting her out of her underwear.
“Do you suffer from headaches?” At her question, my gaze sharply lifts. “All that jaw clenching can’t be good for you.”
El is taking her out, and she’s treating me like I’m in my dotage. “No. I don’t suffer from headaches.” I just have six siblings who are headache-inducing. And a thing for my PA that makes my cock ache.
I definitely need to get laid.
“Where’s he taking you?” I ask casually, I hope.
“To dinner, some Thai-Italian fusion place.”
“Sounds like a stomachache in the making,” I mutter. It’s little wonder she treats me like I’m an old git when I behave like one.
“Then we’re going to a club.”
Maybe I should have a word with him, remind him of Mimi’s position in this business. Of how close she is to Mum. Yes, that’s it. A quiet word with Polly should piss on his fireworks.
“Getting back to your sister’s birthday, we’re looking at thirteen people, possibly fifteen. Sixteen if you’re taking a plus-one.” She gives a small, polite smile.
I briefly consider lying. Then remember I’m not a teenager who plays games. “Thirteen. Potentially fifteen.”
“No date for you?”
“I feel like we’ve already talked about this.” Her cheeks pink, and I get a very visceral kick out of knowing she’s recalling our car conversation about a nameless, faceless woman. Why she likes the things she likes. Why she’s sexually submissive.
“We spoke, but it wasn’t what I’d call an edifying conversation.”
My smile slides into a tease. “You don’t think so?”
“Not where you’re concerned. You don’t date, but you have…assignations. I think that was about the strength of it.”
“How prim, Mimi. You can use your big-girl words, you know.”
“Curse, you mean?” I nod. “I don’t like to,” she adds. “It’s not my thing.”
But I’m not yet ready to give up. “My dad used to say that vulgarity is like good whisky. That it should only be shared with the right people and on the right occasion.”
