Page 12 of Bought by the Boss

The waiter smiles; obviously he takes pride in his work. “How about some coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice for this morning?”

“Perfect,” she says.

I nod agreement.

The waiter sends his bright smile my way now and hands me a circular electronic device with a black button in the center. “When you are finished with your meal or if you need anything, press this button and I will return to assist you.”

“Thank you.” I accept the pager.

When the waiter hurries off back through the door, Aria frowns at the pager in my hand. “What was that all about?” she asks.

“I requested a quiet breakfast for us this morning,” I tell her, anticipating what I say next is going to affect her. “No interruptions. Total privacy.”

And it does. Heat rises to her eyes. Nothing pleases me more. I want her pussy to be soaking wet by the time I touch her again.

Her lips part to answer me, I’m sure, but then there’s a flurry of waiters filling our glasses with water and orange juice, placing our napkins in our laps, and setting our meal out before us.

Once they vanish leaving us alone, Aria reaches for her fork, and asks, “How did you even know about this place?”

“I discovered it mainly through word of mouth.” I sip my orange juice. “But I like it here.” While the beach house is stunning, it’s also not private. “It’s peaceful.”

She glances out at the water, smiles softly. “It is wonderful,” she finally says, scooping up a small bite of her eggs.

I follow her move, eating for a moment, savoring the spicy hints of nutmeg in the thick creamy sauce before addressing her again. “I’m sorry about taking the phone call. Believe me when I say, for the most part, I do not have work calls on the weekends. Sadly, I’m in the middle of a deal that needed my attention.”

“It happens.” She shrugs, clearly understanding the trials and tribulations of business. “Was the call important? Do you need to—”

“It’s fine.” I stop that line of thought before it can even develop. There’s no chance in hell I’m leaving her. “I anticipate that by the time we’re back home, the Bakker deal will be in Bakker’s hands and we can forge ahead.”

“The Bakker deal?” She sips her orange juice.

“It’s a pharmaceutical merger.” Of course, she’s interested. When it comes to corporate law, we speak the same language.

“Sounds lucrative.” She waggles her eyebrows.

I nod and smile. “It is.” I hesitate, eating another few bites, hating that I must even worry about being honest with her. Aria is Jackson’s assistant, and I know right now her loyalty lies with him. It’s rare I talk business outside of my team but I want Aria to be in my personal circle, not out of it. Besides, Jackson doesn’t represent any of the clients fighting for the merger. “Bakker is a good man. Solid.”

“How so?”

I wipe my mouth with my napkin. “He’s not after money.”

“How did you find that out?”

“I went to see what his company was all about myself. After a few minutes of being there, it became obvious that his employees are family to him. So, that’s what we’re planning on using as a bargaining chip.”

“What are you offering?”

“Giving employees Christmas bonus from the parent company, and the company will continue to support cancer research in honor of Bakker’s wife.”

Aria smiles. “I see now why Jackson calls you a real threat.”

My back wants to stiffen that Jackson would even dare talk to Aria about me but all I care about is her being mine by Monday. “A threat to Jackson, possibly,” I clarify. “To others, I lead with a powerful, wise hand, not a forceful one.”

Her smile widens. “In all aspects of your life, I’ve come to discover.”

“Indeed.” I chuckle.

We finish our meal in silence. And as I place my napkin onto my plate, I shift the conversation where it belongs. “Tell me more about Aria.”

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