Page 67 of My Favorite Boss

I glanced at the schedule and Bane’s calendar. “Tuesday is better.”

“Great. I’ll mark you down.” She smiled kindly. “Still doing well?”

“Oh yes. Everything is great.”

“Bane mentioned how invaluable you were with the resort project at the partners’ meeting. You must be doing everything right.”

I laughed. “Not everything, but some things, I suppose.”

Bane came out of his office. “She’s being modest. Best assistant ever.”

Jessica looked impressed. “High praise, coming from you.”

He smiled at me. “She deserves it.”

“So I guess we’d better get ready to apologize?”

Bane chuckled. “I consider finding Myers lucky. No apology needed, but I am going to let you take us both to lunch.”

He turned and went back into his office. Jessica looked at me, her eyebrows raised. “Whatever you’re doing, keep it up.”

For some reason, those words made me laugh. “I’ll try,” I managed to get out.

She left, and I let my amusement out.

“I heard that,” Bane called from his office. “What are you—twelve?”

I went to his door, still laughing. “Keep it up. I was trying…”

“Don’t even go there.” He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. But I saw his lips quirk.

“What apology?”

He explained what had happened and the bet they’d made. I laughed even as I shook my head. “So I’m a means to a free lunch?”

He returned my smile, his tone serious. “Maggie darling, you’re a means to many things.”

“Oh,” I breathed out. He was very good at being charming when he wanted.

“Coffee?” I asked, sounding breathless.

“Yes,” he replied. “Some of your foamy stuff. I need the sugar.”

I picked up the cup from his desk and, unable to resist, bent and kissed him. “There. Sugar for you.”

With a low growl, he captured me around the waist and pulled me close, kissing me again. Harder. Deeper. Then he pushed me away.

“Yeah,” he grunted. “I needed that. Now, get my coffee.”

But now, he couldn’t hide his smile.

I was giving myself more points.

Chapter Fifteen

MAGNOLIA

Bane’s condo was close to the waterfront. One of the popular Rabba stores was across the street—a local specialty market—and he followed me, holding the basket as I picked up some things to make a simple dinner. Then we strolled across the street and headed to his condo. The building wasn’t tall, but he had a unit that offered a nice view of the water on the top floor with a generous-sized patio. If I stretched over the railing and strained my neck, I could almost see my neighborhood across the park area that separated the two worlds. Not a huge distance in miles, but vast in the differences. The condo was spacious, the kitchen modern and sleek. And, from what I could tell, rarely used. He had an office and a large living room. His bedroom took up a good portion of the space with a private en suite, walk-in closet, and an exercise corner containing a machine I was sure I would never figure out how to turn on, never mind use.