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Which, for me, is really saying something.
“Did we have plans?” I ask, pulling back. “Or are you out of Ruby Woo lipstick, again?”
Dash grins. “I thought I’d come whisk you off to lunch.”
I sigh sadly. “Wish I could, but I’m covering lunch. For like, the next hundred years,” I add. “Remember, I just got back from a whirlwind trip with a handsome playboy bachelor.”
“Oh yeah, how was he?” Dash asks with a smirk.
“You know,” I reply airily. “You date one handsome playboy bachelor, you’ve dated them all.”
“Hush you. I’m one of a kind, and don’t you forget it.” Dash kisses me again, longer this time, and although I know it’s a bad look while I’m on duty, I can’t resist sinking into the moment. After all, who’s going to see—?
“Ahem.”
Crap.
I pull back to find Gregory has returned—and he doesn’t look impressed.
“Sorry—” I start to blurt, but Dash steps up, smoothly introducing himself.
“Phineas Dashford the fourth, you must be Callie’s boss.” He reaches to shake Gregory’s hand, then pauses. “Is that suit Armani? A classic for a reason, right? Although, the stitching took a bit of a dive after Pierre left in twenty-seventeen.”
“It did!” Gregory agrees. “These days, I have to go with Hugo Boss—”
“—for the narrower inseam!” Dash finishes. And just when this designer-bro-lovefest is making me want to roll my eyes, he adds, “You don’t mind if I take Callie off for a quick lunch break, do you?”
What?
“Dash—” I try to interrupt, but he continues,
“Then it’s right back here to do some serious damage up in Men’s. You have a great selection here, really timeless.”
Gregory preens. “Well… I suppose I can allow it, just this once.” He gives me a sharp look. “But remember what I said, Miss Delgado. Your opinions aren’t required here. Your helpful attitude is.”
I’ll give him attitude….
As if sensing my mood, Dash reaches behind the counter and grabs my purse. “Let’s go.”
We head to the same sushi place where Dash propositioned me the first time around and order a ton of food. As soon as the waiter leaves with my very long order, I point my chopsticks at him. “As happy as I am right now, you can’t just waltz into the store and whisk me away from my job whenever you want. Yes, my boss is super obnoxious, but I can’t afford to piss him off.”
Dash shrugs. “Why not?”
“Uh, hello, because he’s my boss and holds the power to fire me at a moment’s notice within his freakishly soft and smooth hands?”
He laughs. “Yeah, I get that part. What I meant was, won’t you be quitting anyway?”
I stare back blankly “Quitting? Why would I do that?”
“Because you’re the boss now—of your own company. It’s your side of the deal, remember? The part where I invest in your makeup line and help turn it into the next big thing.”
Right. That part.
“We should probably start figuring out the framework of the contract,” Dash continues, digging into his sashimi. “Do you have a lawyer? I’m happy to recommend some names. I have a standard investment agreement my team uses, but you’ll want to look the whole thing over and be comfortable with all the details. Same with banking, incorporation, all that stuff,” he pauses and whips out his phone. “Let me send you some info now, you can check it out.”
I gulp, feeling seriously intimidated. “Thanks.”
He looks over. “Are you OK?”
