Chapter 8
Damn, if he kept looking at me like that, I was going to end up spontaneously combusting.
I didn’t think about it, I just kept looking at him as I opened my mouth and let him offer me the food.
The scene was ridiculously erotic, full of lust and intent, and made me once again look at Aiden as more than my boss.
“That is delicious,” I managed to say, half scared that my mouth would engage before my brain and ‘you are delicious’ would fall out.
“Yes, it is.” His eyes fixed on me, and if he was any other man, I would be inclined to reply with flirting and sass and see where it would lead.
But this was Aiden Munroe. My boss, a hard ass, not someone I should be casually flirting with.
Hell, I still wasn’t convinced the man was even gay.
I kept convincing myself that it was just his power I was attracted to, and he wasn’t really flirting with me, it was just that he was so used to using that power to influence people.
I broke the steady gaze between us by taking a long sip of my beer and lifting my fork to get stuck in to my teriyaki chicken don buri.
* * *
The afternoon passed with idle chit chat about work.
How I was finding it, was I happy enough to stay on for another three months, would I consider becoming a permanent member of staff.
A few more beers were consumed, and after about two hours and some cheesecake, we decided to head back to the office.
The chatter continued as we strolled the short distance back through the streets of the City of London until we reached the office.
“Can you grab those contracts and the information on the four properties we have the query with and come into the office, please?”
I agreed and headed into his office a few minutes later with everything he asked for. “Take a seat.” Aiden gestured to the sofa and coffee table in the corner of his large office. He grabbed papers of his own and sat beside me, lounging back over the seat.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m already thinking that this has been a very long day.” His head was back, his eyes were closed, and his hand was over his face.
I couldn’t help but agree. It felt like it should be home time already. Four hours in the company of Jenkins and Lowell had me feeling like I had been in work for a full eight hours instead.
“Don’t worry. I’ll try not to keep us here much longer than we need to be today. But we will need to work late tomorrow and next week if that’s okay with you?”
He asked me?
“I don’t mind at all, but thanks for asking rather than assuming.”
He looked right at me. Shit . Had the few beers I had had at lunch made my lips a little too loose?
“I don’t ask often enough, do I? You might have plans.”
Is he asking? “No. No plans beyond getting home after a long day.” I don’t know why I didn’t mention Addison and Sylvie, but it just didn’t seem like the right time.
I didn’t know if he was actually interested in me.
I didn’t know if he wanted to be with someone with a child even if he was interested in me.
I looked right at him and tried to figure out if there could possibly be a reason behind it.
Suddenly, the air was charged with electricity. He kept my gaze, and I couldn’t stop myself returning the look. It had been a while, but I recognised what this felt like. Any moment now one of us was going to lean in and kiss the other. I held my breath and waited for him to make a move.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
He sighed and looked away. “Come in!”
One of the girls on the floor came in to deliver the messages that had been gathering since we were out to lunch. “Your messages, Mr Munroe.” She smiled and handed them over, completely blanking me. I didn’t even exist in the room compared to Aiden. I couldn’t help the smirk that formed on my face.
He took the pieces of paper from her, and curtly replied, “Thanks. You can go now.”
Her smile didn’t fade. She nodded and retreated back out of the office.
His eyes fell back on me. “Stop that.”
I couldn’t help it. A chuckle erupted from me. “Sorry!”
He rolled his eyes and glared. “It’s not funny. I hate that.”
“What, being handsome and admired by all?”
He glared more, but there was a slight pull in the corner of his mouth. He was biting back a smile and I knew it.
“It’s a terrible hardship, I’m sure.”
“Oh, like you wouldn’t know what it’s like to be gorgeous and admired.” He laughed, looking at me with that look I loved. I watched the expression on his face change as he realised what he’d said. He clearly regretted it. He had given a hint of himself away. He was interested in me.
“How about we call this a day?” He stood up and moved away from me. And just like that, the moment was over. He wouldn’t even look in my direction. This man was beyond infuriating.