Chapter 7
Aubrey
Icheck the time and gasp; I’m going to be late.
I’ve been spending so much time networking after the roundtable that I’ve completely lost track of time and didn’t even notice Jamie leaving.
Not that we could leave together, but I just hope he doesn’t think I’m standing him up.
I’m not a total asshole. If I was truly not going to show, I’d tell him.
Opening my texting app, I shoot off a quick message to Jamie.
Running late. Should be there in five.
After tucking my phone back in my purse, I powerwalk toward the exit.
It’s freezing, the snowfall getting worse by the minute, and I’m underdressed.
My blazer isn’t enough to keep me warm, so I’m glad I won’t have far to walk.
Livy insists we won’t get snowed-in, but this looks a hell of a lot like we will if it keeps up.
Wrapping my arms around my middle, I hustle to the restaurant, shaking off the flurries dusting my shoulders and hair as I step inside.
It’s a cute Irish-themed pub, and a lot louder than I’d expect for a weekday lunch.
My guess is other attendees are here too, and I’ll need to make sure Jamie and I keep things as professional as possible in case someone is within earshot.
The second I spot Jamie, I freeze. This should be an official meeting on the books, not a date, but fucking hell, he looks good enough to eat.
Not flirting with him is going to be torture.
He’s on his phone by the host stand, and as if he can sense my presence, his eyes find mine, making my belly swoop like it has all morning when he looks at me.
Jamie pockets his phone and stalks toward me with intent.
I forget how to breathe until he reaches me.
He’s entirely too handsome, even with his hair a little more mussed than it was yesterday at the bar, and his damn mustache has me in a chokehold.
It isn’t bushy, like he trimmed it sometime in the past week.
I instinctively reach for his cheek, swiping at his five-o’clock shadow, and my entire core tightens remembering how it felt against my thighs.
He grips my wrist, pressing a soft kiss to my palm, and setting my whole body on fire.
Quickly pulling my hand back, I clear my throat. “This is probably a bad idea.”
“I promise I’ll behave.” With a wide smile, he winks, then guides me by the small of my back toward the host. “We’re ready. The reservation is under Wilson.”
The woman nods and retrieves two menus. “Right this way.”
She leads us to a small booth for two near the back. It’s much quieter here than by the bar, and I’m glad he’ll be seated across from me instead of beside me where I’d be tempted to do wicked things under the table. The sooner I can cut back on my hormone therapy, the better.
And here I was worried about him being the one keeping his hands to himself.
After we slide into the booth, our host passes us the menus and asks, “Can I get you two started with drinks before your server comes by?”
Jamie gestures for me to order first, and as I glance down at the drink menu, I’m bummed I can’t order a dirty martini or even a beer. I could really use something to take the edge off. “I’ll have an iced tea, unsweetened, and a water, please.”
“Same, but I’ll take a few sugar packets and lemon on the side.”
“Of course.” She nods and scurries away.
Once out of earshot, I admit, “You can order a beer or something if you want. Unless Daddy Isaac doesn’t let you drink on the job.”
He barks out a laugh. “No, he wouldn’t mind. I’m more of a whiskey guy myself, but since you can’t drink, I figure why not join in on the temporary sobriety out of solidarity. But can we unpack how you just called him Daddy Isaac?”
“I, uh…”
Fuck. Does he know that’s what Olivia calls Isaac? We keep our circle tight, and to my knowledge, the only one on Isaac’s team who is privy to their little hook-up at the inauguration is his head of security, Tim. Since January, Livy and Isaac have been insufferable.
All right, I’ll admit, they’re adorable and in love, no matter how much they deny there’s something going on.
I’m just worried I may end up outing them if I’m not careful.
To be safe, I stretch the truth, omitting key details.
“Isaac, Olivia, and I went to school together. They dated for a term during our undergrad, and he was a bit of a protector when it came to her.”
“Ah, yes, ‘barris,’” he muses, using air quotes.
“Yeah,” I sigh. “I’m just hoping that trend doesn’t resurface.” Needing to avoid further questions, I quickly change the subject. “Anyway, what’s good here?”
“There’s actually something I’ve been craving today.” Jamie opens the menu, flipping a few pages, then without glancing up adds, “You spread wide for me on this table.”
“Jamie,” I warn, keeping my voice low.
“What? You asked. Maybe it’s on their secret menu.”
I struggle to keep a straight face. “I’m serious. Should I go for a burger or a salad?”
“Something tells me you’re more of a steak girl.”
I peruse the menu for a moment and concede, “I do love a perfectly cooked medium wagyu, but mama is on a budget these days.” When he doesn’t clap back with the witty banter I’ve grown to adore since meeting him, I look up to find his brows furrowed. “What?”
“Did you think you were going to pay your way?”
“I don’t know. I figured one of us would be expensing this, and I don’t exactly want that to show up on a receipt. It’ll paint Livy as some sort of bougie politician when she’s anything but.”
His jaw tics. “Why would I expense a date?”
“A date?” I whisper-shout, leaning in to add, “We can’t date.”
He shrugs, humor dancing in his stare. “Why not? It’s just for a week, right? What’s the harm in dating until you have to leave?”
“Because then I might… Never mind.”
“Well, I doubt they serve wagyu here, but pick whatever you want, because date or not, you’re sure as hell aren’t paying on my watch.”
“And what if I slide my card into the little bill folder first. Then what?”
“Do you really want to find out?” He leans in closer to whisper, “I never got to be your chair last night, but maybe you need a reminder that I can make you come without even being inside you. I don’t mind doing it over and over until you’re begging me to stop.”
I open and close my mouth a few times, searching for my rebuttal I can’t seem to come up with.
This is feeling eerily similar to how Isaac wooed Olivia, and he’s probably picked up a few moves from the Prime Minister.
If that’s the case, I’m doomed to fall madly in love with this dirty talking Canadian.
“Fine,” I concede. “You can pay, but there will be no mustache rides today.”
“If you say so.”
The hostess returns with our drinks, and a moment later our server appears. “Hi, I’m Zara. Do you need a few more minutes?”
“Maybe,” he replies for us, a devilish smirk tilting his lips. “What are your specials?”
“We have a top sirloin, cooked medium in our housemade garlic butter, served with your choice of a twice baked potato or seasonal vegetables. It also includes a side salad or soup.”
A staredown ensues between Jamie and me, and when neither of us budge, our server is about to offer to come back, but I break. “I’ll take that, with the potato.” This may be the last time I can eat a medium steak for the rest of the year, after all.
“I’ll have the same,” Jamie adds without breaking eye contact. “Extra butter on the side, please.”
“Soup or salad?”
“Salad,” we reply at the same time.
“Dressing? We have—”
“Caesar.” Again our reply comes in unison, and it takes everything in me to not smile.
Jamie lifts his menu for her and I do the same. It isn’t until she takes them that he finally looks her way. “Thank you.” Once she’s gone, he quietly tells me, “Good girl. I told you last night that you’ll need your energy for later.”
I ignore the praise that has my thighs clenching and ask, “What’s later? There’s only a panel and a small roundtable discussion for Livy.”
“There are a few hours before the dinner, and I have it on good authority that your room won’t be occupied.”
I do a quick sweep of our surroundings to ensure no one is nearby.
“Will you keep your voice down? We aren’t going back to my room for a quickie before dinner.
” On second thought, if I keep this as a purely sexual arrangement, I won’t be at risk of falling for a man I’ll never see again after this week.
Tracy mentioned she was going to get ready with a new friend from England, so my room will indeed be empty.
How he knows that is beyond me, but there’s no harm in indulging him.
“Actually… you never gave me back my room key, so come by after the last roundtable.”
“I didn’t?” He reaches for his wallet and pulls out two. “Fuck, you’re right. Which one is yours?”
I take a sip of my iced tea and speak into the glass to hide my smile, “Guess we’ll find out later. How do you know my room will be free?”
“There’s a marketing meeting before dinner with the team from the U.K..”
“Shouldn’t you be attending that?”
He lightly bites his bottom lip as he smirks. “I’m sending someone in my place.”
“You orchestrated all of it, didn’t you?”
“I’ll never tell,” he replies with a light chuckle, adding two sugar packets into his tea.
“Very sneaky. So, what’s your story? How is someone like you single? Are you sure there isn’t a secret girlfriend or wife I should know about? Is she going to storm over and toss a water into your face?”
Jamie lets out a full laugh. “No, but that’s a lot of questions to answer at once. Between my two jobs and my plants, I’m a little busy. I rarely date.”
As I’m about to take a sip of my iced tea, I freeze. Marijuana is legal in California, but I’m not up-to-date on Canadian politics. Did I sleep with a weed farmer? “Did you say plants?”