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“Like I’m trying to set something up. You know, to...seduce you,” she finally choked out.
He threw back his head and laughed. “If that’s what you were trying to do, telling me ruins the effect somewhat.”
She bit down on her lower lip, but he saw the corners of her mouth twitch up as she looked away.
“Then fortunately that wasn’t my plan. I figured you might be hungry since you barely stopped to take a breath today. I hope you don’t mind, but I ordered for you.”
He ignored the slight reproach in her voice and inhaled as she pulled the lid off a large bowl.
“What is that?”
Unease furrowed her brow. “Poulet aux noix.It’s spicy marinated chicken with bell peppers and cashews.”
“It smells incredible.”
Her face smoothed out into a relieved smile. “It tastes even better. I also orderedmakawoni au gratenandpikliz. Haitian macaroni and cheese and a pickled vegetable relish.”
“I’ve never had any of this.”
“Then you’re in for a treat. Sometime I’ll have to get you their hot chocolate. You’ve never had hot chocolate until you’ve had Haitian hot chocolate.”
She set the food out on his desk and pulled up a chair on the other side.
“Did Julie get you your company card?” he asked as he forked up a bite of noodles dripping with cheese.
“My card? For what?”
“Purchases like this.”
She frowned. “No, she’s just ordered whatever I needed. I took care of dinner.”
He paused with the fork in midair. “You bought dinner?”
“Yes.”
“I can have Julie—”
She held up a hand. “If you sayrepay me, I will dump this chicken in your lap.”
He arched a brow. “That could be considered assault.”
“Pummeled by poultry?” Her smile carried a hint of steel. “The bonus you’re giving me is more than enough to buy dinner. I know you’ve been working late, and I admire that you don’t ask anything of your employees that you’re not willing to do yourself. I was hungry. It was a reasonable assumption you were hungry. So I bought us dinner. My treat.”
That same warmth that had appeared when she’d told him she wanted the company to succeed intensified and spread throughout his body.
“I can’t remember the last time someone bought me dinner. Thank you.”
Another genuine smile flashed across her face. God, he wanted to see that smile in the mornings when he came into the office, not the tiny little twerk of her lips before her mouth settled into a straight, unexpressive line.
“You’re welcome. You’ve been nothing but respectful while I’ve been here, despite our...history. I’m grateful you encouraged me to keep working here.”
Grateful. The word erased the warmth and nearly destroyed his appetite. He didn’t want her to be grateful. He didn’t want her to make him feel like even more of a cad for entertaining thoughts of her naked and spread across the bed in his penthouse, arching against him the way she had in the park but this time with her breasts bared to his lips, his tongue...
He steeled himself against his lust. They had at least an hour ahead of them, if not more. He could keep himself under control for that long. Tonight, he’d cool off in a long, icy shower.
And tomorrow...tomorrow he would set up a date with someone, anyone this weekend to help get his mind off the entrancing woman currently sitting barefoot in his office eating macaroni and cheese.
“You’re welcome, Evolet.”
