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Okay. New resolution. I would not think about this morning. I was still mortified and hoped that Winston had already forgotten the incident. On the other hand, I was fairly certain that my semisexy shimmy around the room had been what had convinced Winston to let me keep the decorations in the first place.
And speaking of Winston, where was he? I was five minutes early, but it wasn’t like him to be late.
As if on cue, the door to the meeting room opened and he stepped inside, carrying two take-out bags. A delicious and familiar aroma filled the air.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Dinner.” My stomach growled at the smell. “I’m keeping you hostage here. The least I can do is feed you dinner.”
I was suspicious. He’d waved the white flag this afternoon, but I’d assumed it would be a fleeting thing.
Was this our newfound chemistry? I could get used to this.
“Thank you,” I said.
When he placed the bags on the table, his arm very nearly touched mine. He smiled at me, taking my breath away.
Oh, yes. I was already getting used to this.
“What did you buy?”
“Chicken masala.”
“That’s my favorite.” I perked up. This evening was looking better and better. He hadn’t even commented on the explosion of lights around us. We were definitely making progress.
“I know.”
I stopped in the act of unwrapping the lid of my bowl. That caught me off guard.
“How?”
“Asked Mara where you usually buy lunch, then asked the cook what your favorite is.”
I lowered my eyes to the bag. Okay, so this wasn’t just waving a white flag. It was thoughtful.
“Great choice. It’s the best masala in the city as far as I’m concerned. I don’t know why he’s not more well-known. But I’ve talked to my family about maybe bringing him in as a visiting chef at the Blue Moon.”
“Blue Moon? The one owned by Blake and Alice Bennett? You’re related to the Bennett family?”
“Yes. My older sister married Christopher Bennett,” I said as we sat next to each other, digging into our dinner.
“So what are you doing here putting up with me? Half the family works at Bennett Enterprises, and the other half own successful businesses.”
“I know. They keep tempting me into joining them, especially Pippa. The designer. I’ll work at Bennett Enterprises someday too, but I want to have as much experience as possible so I can be an asset when I join them.”
He scrutinized me, as if he was seeing me in a different light. Having all that focus on me, all that simmering heat, was overpowering my senses. I lowered my eyes to my bowl, drawing in a deep breath.
I felt at his mercy—his gaze was inescapable.
We ate in silence, and I was proud that we’d managed to put the awkwardness from this morning behind us.
Almost unwittingly, I looked at the corner where I’d been shimmying while I’d hung twinkling lights. I realized one second too late that had been a mistake, because Winston followed my gaze. When he snapped his attention back to me, I knew he was thinking about that morning again.
I squirmed in my seat, suddenly feeling hot. Winston’s gaze fell to my lips. I inhaled sharply, pushing the empty container to one side, opening my laptop.
I glanced stubbornly at the screen, even though it was still loading. I chanced a quick glance upward. Winston was watching me with a half smile. My senses were on high alert, on the b
rink of being overpowered by him—again.
