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Obviously pleased, he raised her hand to kiss it with his warm, soft lips. Then his expression shifted, filling with resignation as he released her hand. “Well,” he finally said, “it appears we should reschedule our dinner, Hardy. Given the thick binder Skylar brought, it looks like you two have important business to attend to.”
Don’t leave. Not now.
Hardy seemed to be of a like mind, although not for the same reasons. “Nonsense. Absolute nonsense. You must dine with us. Business can wait; you were just saying you needed to make time for one another.” He leered at Skylar, making her stomach curl. “Been a while since you both had somequalitytime together, I take it?”
“Let’s just say I’ve missed Skylar the past three days,” Julian said, his tone heartfelt and his eyes on her. “Our schedules haven’t synced. So I’ll stay after all.”
Skylar gifted him with a shy smile, relishing her relief that he wasn’t leaving. She didn’t care that her asshole of a boss was with them; she was going to spend more time with Julian, and that was more than she could have hoped for this morning.
“Wonderful,” Hardy gushed. He raised his hand to signal a waiter to come over. “Then it’s settled.” He turned to Skylar. “Clear your schedule for tomorrow morning. We’ll go over the projections then.”
“I have back-to-back meetings in the morning,” Skylar said.
“Then, of course, Hardy will find a more suitable time that works for you, won’t you, Hardy?” Julian said, his tone brooking no opposition.
“Of course,” Hardy grumbled. He shook his head at Julian. “She’s always so stern and serious at work. Women should smile more, but I’m sure you can handle her, right, Julian?”
It took her pinching the skin behind her leg to keep herself from snarling at her boss.
“I don’t handle Skylar, Hardy. If anything, she handles me. And that’s how I like it, whether she has a smile on her face or not.”
Hardy choked on his drink, and Skylar bit her lip to hide her grin. She failed when Julian winked at her.
Hardy looked quizzical as if he was trying to figure out if Julian was on his side or not. Luckily, the waiter slipped up to the table, distracting Hardy as he ordered a bottle of pinot grigio and a calamari appetizer from the waiter.
Both of which Skylar hated.
“And a bottle of the 2012 Shiraz from Livingston & Co and the baked brie with figs,” Julian added. He turned to her and leaned in close. “Smile if you want, Skylar, dear,” he whispered in her ear. “Because tonight is going to be oh so much fun. Just wait.”
Under the table, she placed one hand on Julian’s inner thigh, smiling when his muscles tensed. “So much fun, Julian,” she agreed.
She removed her hand from Julian’s thigh, and they made small talk with Hardy. Skylar enjoyed her wine and figs and was waiting for her entrée to arrive when Julian cut Hardy off mid-sentence and leaned in to speak in Skylar’s ear. “Do you still remember the name of the Greek Goddess you’re so fond of?”
Skylar’s hand jerked, and she almost dropped her glass of wine. She took a shallow breath and then nodded even as Hardy looked at her with suspicion.
“Good,” Julian said. “I’m sure you can work it into the conversation if you need to, don’t you?”
He returned his attention to his meal, both hands above the table. He ate and spoke with Hardy as if nothing momentous was happening when in fact, somethingverymomentous was happening.
Julian was giving them another chance.
Whether it was for round two of her counter-proposal or something else, she didn’t know.
All she knew was that she wanted it.
After taking a bite or two of her entree, Skylar took a fortifying sip of wine. Then, when there was a break in the conversation, she leaned into Julian and whispered, “What are you waiting for? Do your worst.”
He grinned at her. “Don’t you know by now, princess? I only give my best. Especially to you.” Then he turned back to his food. Only this time, he only kept one hand above the table.
Skylar sucked in a shallow breath as Julian’s fingers quested up her thigh. Her knee banged into the table, the action almost sending the wine glasses tumbling.
“What is wrong with you, Ms. McKenzie?” Hardy steadied the table and shot dark, unhappy eyes at her.
“Oh, I’m fine.Perfectly fine,” she said as she looked straight at Julian.
He inclined his head in acknowledgment.
“So, Julian,” Hardy said, shifting in his chair. “How did you get into reporting?”
