Chapter 15
Mac
“Mr. Carrington, there’s a woman named Eliza here to see you,” my PA says through the phone system.
My brows shoot up in surprise, but I’m pushing out of my chair and making my way to my office door right away. When I pull it open, Eliza is standing in front of Penelope’s desk with a hesitant smile.
“Eliza,” I say as I walk to her, dropping a chaste kiss on her lips before taking her hand and telling Penelope to hold my calls. The look on her face tells me she was not expecting any of this, but she nods and clears her throat, saying, “Of course.”
Eliza follows me into my office, and I lead her to the chairs in front of my desk.
She lays her jacket over the back of the chair and places her purse and a canvas bag on the floor as she sits.
Today she’s in one of her sexy-as-sin pencil skirts with a blouse tucked in at the waist and a pair of heels that make her legs look amazing.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?” I ask as I take the seat beside her.
She runs her fingers along the hem of her skirt before meeting my gaze.
“I figured if we’re doing this right, your girlfriend would potentially pop by your office with food.
” She reaches into the canvas bag and produces a container with baked chicken and vegetables and places it on my desk.
“Plus I wanted to thank you for Saturday.”
“I’m not sure what you’re thanking me for.”
“Um...” She adjusts in her seat. “For taking it slow. I know it was the right call, and I’m not sure I could have made it myself.”
I grab her hand and run my thumb over the back of it. “I’m going to do what I can to make sure we do this the right way. I need you to be sure about everything we do.”
She smiles and nods. “Well, I should be going. I just wanted to drop this off for you.”
Her response is like whiplash. I’m not ready for her to leave yet. She just got here.
“Stay.”
“I can’t. I’m supposed to meet some coworkers for lunch. I’m already late because I wanted to drop this off.”
I can’t in good conscience ask her not to go, but maybe she’ll let me join her and I can eat this for dinner.
“Why don’t I join you?” The question comes out sounding more like a statement, though, as I stand. “I can eat this for dinner, I’m sure I’ll be stuck in the office until late, so it will be nice to have.”
“You want to come to lunch with my coworkers?” she asks.
“Why not?”
She rolls her lips together. “I guess. If you want.”
I grab her jacket and hold it up for her. She slips into it, tying it around her waist and watches as I slip into mine. I open the door, and she slowly leaves, watching me over her shoulder.
“Penelope, we’re going to lunch. I’ll be back.”
My hand finds the small of Eliza’s back as we walk to the elevators. When we step inside, I face her and run my thumb across her cheek. “Thank you for the food.”
She smiles softly. “Of course.”
I kiss her again, not seeming to be able to stop myself, loving the way her smile grows every time I do.
I’m also realizing that I’m blurring the lines between what is real and what is part of this deal.
No one is here to see us kiss right now, so it’s not something I need to do, but rather something I want to do.
As we pull apart, the doors to the elevator open and people slowly get in. I know Eliza feels the eyes on us as she ducks her head. I slip my hand into hers and entwine our fingers. We walk hand in hand to the restaurant, which isn’t far from my office.
As we make our way to the table, she looks at me hesitantly before stopping in front of table with six people. Their eyes immediately turn to us, and Eliza’s cheeks pinken.
“Everyone, this is Mac, my boyfriend. Mac, this is everyone.”
I watch the guy beside the empty chair deflate at her statement. He obviously had a thing for Eliza, and she probably never even knew it. I pull out the other empty chair for her and take the one beside her admirer.
“Boyfriend?” one of the girls at the other end asks.
“It’s new,” Eliza says as she lays her napkin on her lap.
“How’d you meet?” her secret admirer asks.
“Mac plays hockey with some friends. We met when I started going to watch.”
“You watch hockey?” another girl asks.
“I think she more catches up with her friends rather than watches,” I say, and Eliza looks at me.
“I wouldn’t say that.”
“Love, you’re not even facing the ice most of the game. I think the only one who actually watches is Liv.”
“The whole reason we go is because of Liv. She’s a hockey nut.”
“Don’t tell me you regret going,” I say, a teasing tone taking over my voice.
She shakes her head and takes a sip of water, looking at me through her lashes. “I’d never say that.”
All eyes are on us, and Eliza clears her throat and faces everyone else, changing the subject to something that happened at the office.
I don’t know what they’re talking about, but I use the time to watch Eliza.
She’s different with her coworkers versus her friends.
There’s a reservedness to her as she talks with them.
She sits straighter and is less casual in the way she talks.
I’m reminded of the way she described her parents and her upbringing.
I have a feeling there are very few people that she feels she can fully relax around.
When we finish eating, we stand outside the restaurant and I pull Eliza in close. Her heels still have her nine inches shorter than me. She looks over at her coworkers, but my fingers find her chin and turn her to face me.
“Thank you for coming by.”
“You’re welcome.”
She licks her lips, and I smile. I find her secret admirer over her shoulder as I lean down. My eyes find Eliza’s again as our lips touch. She leans into me, and a possessive feeling over takes me as my arm wraps around her back and holds her close.
“When will I see you next?” I ask.
She smiles and shrugs. “You have a game in a couple of days, don’t you?”
I nod. I don’t want to only see her at the game.
Her hand trails from my shoulder down my arm as she steps back. “I’ll see you later.”
She joins her coworkers, and I walk back to my office.
I have a ton of files I should be reviewing when I sit back at my desk, but instead I’m browsing staff pages of every accounting firm within walking distance of both my office and the restaurant, trying to find the one that Eliza works at.
She never mentioned the name of the firm, so I’m stuck looking at them all trying to figure out where she works.
When I finally find the one, I write the address down and pull up a floral shop website.
I find an arrangement and order them to be delivered tomorrow morning, smirking to myself as I imagine the look on her admirer's face when they’re delivered.
I do end up staying in the office late, and I’m grateful for the food that Eliza brought by.
It’s just as good as the pasta she made for us.
The lights for most of the office are out and it’s dark outside, the lights in the windows of the nearby towers the only thing lighting my view.
I stare out the window, spinning my pen between my fingers, tapping it against the desk as I think about my time spent with Eliza.
I thought six months with her would satiate my curiosity, but now I’m not sure.
I’m only scraping the surface, and she only has me more intrigued than when we started this.