Page 32 of Playing With Love

I was wrong.

So, so, so wrong Tucker now hated me and I hated myself for hurting him with my ‘it was for the better’ comment that was such a gigantic lie I’m still shocked I was able to choke out the words.

I was still gathering my papers—yes I was one of those people who liked actual paper reports. Also yes, I knew I was a planet killer and I should do what all my peers did and use a tablet or one of those ReMarkable things, but I liked the feel of pen to actual paper when I took notes. So there I was shuffling papers into a stack when Carter Lenox appeared in the doorway—that was Carter Lenox Senior. My stomach pinched tight at the look on his face. Afterall, I was using his conference room as a command center of sorts. And it was after normal business hours. The only person who was left working was Dylan and he was there because he was busy hacking into some company’s server who hired TC to find their vulnerabilities. Dylan assured me he didn’t mind me staying to work but the look on Carter’s face said something different.

“Sorry I’m here so late,” I said as I shoved the papers in my laptop bag. “I don’t mean to overstay my welcome.”

His frown deepened, reminding me of the first time I’d met him.

“Why are you here at…” He glanced at his watch. “Seven fifteen?”

Um.

Shit.

“Is Dylan done? Was he waiting on me? I thought he’d tell me⁠—”

“Dylan got into Pender’s system an hour ago.”

Shit. Shit. Shit.

“Ohmigod, Carter, I’m so sorry.”

“Lenox.”

I blinked.

“My son’s Carter. Everyone calls me Lenox.”

Right. I’d heard the men call him Lenox but I didn’t want to take liberties without being invited to call him something that possibly only the people close to him used.

“I didn’t mean⁠—”

“Liza,” he interrupted me. “You’re welcome to stay as late as you want. If Dylan’s done before you are, he can give you the code to lock up. What I’m asking is, why are you still working when you should be…” He paused, narrowed his eyes, then comically shook his head. “I was going to say, be home relaxing, but damn if I didn’t forget you’re staying in a hotel.”

I waved him off and pulled the strap of my bag over my shoulder.

“Hotel. Home. They’re one in the same. At this point, I should give up my apartment and put my things in storage so I’m not wasting money on rent.”

He continued to study me. Normally this wouldn’t bother me, I was used to people sizing me up. It came with the territory and not because I was a woman; I sized up every man and woman I came into contact with as well. It never hurt to pay attention. But the way Lenox did it made me feel like he had a front row to my thoughts and that was unnerving.

“My wife is out to dinner with her girls. Once a month they do this. All the women get together and…” He paused again, this time smiling. “Do whatever women do when they get together and order five pitchers of margaritas.”

Five pitchers?

I didn’t know how many women were in attendance for this get-together but with five pitchers I hoped there were fifteen of them. Either that or tomorrow would seriously suck for them.

“We rotate who drops them off and takes them home. I’m on tonight. I got at least two hours to kill before Lily calls. What do you say we kill that by you letting me buy you dinner?”

Dinner with Lenox?

Good Lord, he’d Jedi mind read all my deepest, darkest secrets before the night was over.

“I take it you came in to work while you waited?”

“I don’t know if you’ve heard but I don’t actually work here anymore.”

His sardonic tone gave away he was teasing.