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I knocked on Darren’s bedroom door again.
“What is it? It better be important.”
“I’m going to order room service. Do you want anything?”
“No, I’m working.”
“You’re allowed to stop for meals. Don’t you own the company?” I smiled when I heard him sigh. “It’s my job to take care of you. Making sure you eat is included in that. If we have to go on the run, I need to know you have the energy to keep up.”
“You sound like my goddamn assistant.”
“Didn’t you say your assistant was brilliant?”
“Not that part.”
I ignored him. “So what do you want to eat?” I felt ridiculous continuing to have the conversation through the door, but maybe that was for the best considering my reaction every time I saw him.
“I’ll place the order.”
Controlling bastard. “I haven’t decided what I want yet.”
“I’ll order for both of us.”
“You don’t know what I like.”
“Are you a picky eater?”
“No, but—”
“Then I’ll order.” His crisp tone said he didn’t expect any more arguing.
“You have to feed me well. I’m sure that’s in the contract.”
“I just told you I was going to order food.”
“Well, if I hate it, I’m ordering something else.”
“Go away.” He made an exaggerated sound that had me smiling. I’d gotten to him again.
When the food arrived, I tried not to stare as the room service attendant wheeled in a tray, covered our table with a tablecloth, and set down several domed plates. When he whisked the domes away, my mouth dropped open. I figured Darren would order something absurd for me like a salad just to punish me, but the plates held two of the largest steaks I’d ever seen in my life along with mashed potatoes, green beans, and rolls. The meal looked amazing.
“Will this suit you, sir?” the attendant asked.
Darren glanced at me. “Does it meet your approval?”
“Yes. Of course.” I didn’t even have a sassy come back.
“It meets mine as well. Thank you.” After Darren placed a tip in the man’s hand, he turned and left the room.
“Thank you.” The words were out before I could stop them. Our eyes met, and Darren held my gaze. Heat rushed through me.
“You’re welcome.” His voice was low and soft as he said the words. I was thankful when he pulled out a chair and sat down. I joined him and focused on the food in front of me.
We ate mostly in silence except for a few questions back and forth that related to the mission. Somehow, sitting at a table eating an incredible dinner seemed too domestic, too civilized, and I was uncomfortable in that position with Darren. I didn’t exactly feel shy, but I definitely wasn’t my usual sarcastic self.
When we’d finished the meal, we left our dishes on the cart outside. Darren headed toward his room, and I glanced at my watch. It was only nine o’clock. “You’re not going to bed this early, are you?”
“I’m going to finish the work you interrupted, then I’ll be going to bed.”
“I should check your room once more.”
“We haven’t left the suite.”
“Just to be thorough.”
Darren huffed. “Fine. Come do another inspection. Then maybe you should go to bed yourself.”
“No way. I can’t fall asleep this early. Are you sure you want to work?”
“Want to? No. Have to? Yes.”
“We could play cards or something.”
“You’re such a child. Can you really not amuse yourself?”
I smiled at him. “I have plenty of ways to amuse myself, but it’s more enjoyable when I’m with others.”
He pointed toward his door. “Check the room.”
I laughed as I started a serious inspection. I wanted to be sure there was nothing I’d missed. “All clear,” I said when I’d finished. “Although, you would be a lot safer if I stayed in here instead of in the other room.”
Darren gave me a look that said not in a million years. “As I’ve already told you, I can take care of myself. I’m not a helpless princess.”
I gave him a slow up-and-down glance. “No, you’re definitely not.”
“There’s a reason I booked a two-bedroom suite. I want my privacy.”
“I might feel better about that if your room didn’t have this balcony.”
“Figure out a way to secure it that doesn’t involve you sleeping in here.”
“Are you always this frosty?”
His smile was pure evil. “You’d really like to know, wouldn’t you?”
I would. And I didn’t know why. He wasn’t my type at all. Not that I really had a type. I was pretty much open to any experience, but he seemed like work, and I didn’t like to work for things that could come to me easy as pie. “Wouldn’t it be so much easier? Wouldn’t you feel so much more secure knowing I was right here?”
“Do you flirt like this with all your clients?”
I laughed. “Nope, only the ones I know it will piss off?”
“Don’t want to have to follow through?”
