Chapter 22 #4
“Depends on the day,” he replies. “Today I was finalizing details with my secretary. She’s also trying to pick out a puppy. She’s only been talking about it for the last three years, so that was top priority today.”
I blink. A puppy? That was not what I expected. Secretary? I have so many more questions.
“Three years?” My curiosity is fully engaged now. “What, was she waiting for, a sign from the universe? Wait. Were you the reason she didn’t get one? And, more importantly, what kind of puppy is she getting?”
His laugh is deep and unguarded. “Alright, Princess, one question at a time,” he shoots me a look. “We’ve got a bit of a drive, so no rush.”
I press my lips together to keep myself from grinning as he continues to tell me about it.
“And aye, three years,” he confirms, shaking his head like it still baffles him.
“First, it was all the reasons why she should get a dog. Then, it was all the reasons she shouldn't. Then came the endless debates about which breed was smartest.” He chuckles again. “So no, it wasn’t my fault. Though, I did threaten to buy her one a few times just to put her out of her misery.”
I laugh, imagining the whole thing play out. Of course he would resort to brute force.
“You sound like a fun boss,” I smile.
The fact that he keeps laughing does something to me. It’s not just his humor; it’s the way he talks about the people in his life. I can tell that his loyalty runs deep.
“Well, I think that’s adorable,” I tease, but the warmth that's spreading in my chest is real. The idea of him being involved in something so normal, so… soft, tugs at something in me I don’t want to name.
And that’s when I make my next mistake.
I let my gaze linger on him a little too long.
I feel his voice more than hear it, each word curls around me like smoke, sinking in like a slow pull I can’t escape. The space between us feels smaller, and every breath feels charged with something unsaid.
And then my eyes drop to his mouth.
I desperately want to cross my legs, but I know if I move, he’ll notice. And the last thing I need to give Kane is the satisfaction of knowing he’s having any effect on me at all.
I try a few discreet Kegels, praying it’ll ease the ache growing between my legs. But it doesn’t.
In fact, it makes everything worse.
I keep my face neutral, but my pulse is wrecked. I need a distraction, now. Anything to ground me before I leave a mess on his seat. Can you imagine the embarrassment?
Then, like some cruel joke from the universe, he looks over. His mouth tugs into a slow smile, and I swear he knows. He’s so full of himself. I roll my eyes and decide to redirect this conversation immediately. I’m not about to let him get under my skin, or my clothes.
“What do you actually do for work?”
He chuckles, shaking his head like we’re sharing some private joke I’m not in on. “Quick version? I work in security.”
That’s it? That’s all I get? I narrow my eyes. “That’s suspiciously vague.”
His smirk doesn’t falter. If anything, he looks entertained. “It means I handle things.”
He’s being deliberately secretive, which only makes me want to keep pushing. But focusing on his words is proving very difficult when my eyes keep tracking the way his lips move, and the easy way his jaw flexes as he talks.
Get a grip, Raven.
I shake off the distraction, forcing my focus back where it belongs. “Oh so you’re pretty important?”
He tilts his head, considering me. Then, with another smirk that feels a little too dangerous, he says, “You tell me.”
And just like that, my stomach plummets. How does he even do that?
He raises an eyebrow, looking over to me, and I can see his grip tighten on the wheel. “But what I'd really like to know is what you do. And I’m dying to know how Magic Mike managed to redeem himself.”
He’s totally jealous. The flicker in his eyes says it all, and I can't help but laugh.
“I promise you don’t want me to get into that,” I wave it off with a grin. “What I do isn’t really that exciting to most people.” I give a small shrug, hoping to steer the conversation somewhere else.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my job. But outside of work, it always feels like a slippery slope into a never-ending Q&A with people who just want to network or pick my brain like there’s some secret formula.
“As for Mike,” I continue. “He came off as a bit of a dick in our emails, but it turns out he’s just… really formal and straight to the point. I guess that didn’t translate well over email.”
I laugh at myself, thinking back on how off-base I was. Kane, however, doesn't find it funny. His knuckles whiten on the wheel, like he'd rather not hear about Mike being anything other than useless.
“Well,” his voice is laced with something that definitely isn’t neutral. “Let’s hope his formal and to the point style doesn’t extend to his tour guide skills. I’d hate for you to get bored halfway through.”
I laugh again, catching the shift in his tone. The realization sends a little thrill through me. One I do my best to ignore.
“So, where’s your office?”
He spares me a glance before turning back to the road. “Nice try, I wouldn't ask if I didn't want to know. I'm sure your job is plenty exciting for you.”
“Quick version, I'm in marketing,” I shrug. “I actually love what I do, and I’d say I’m pretty good at it.” I pause, trying to sum it up without diving into the boring details.
“The gist of today’s meeting was that we’re interviewing Mike for a partnership of sorts. He works in public relations and came under the impression he was interviewing me, which is exactly what my boss wanted him to believe.”
Kane raises an eyebrow. “So you’re playing it cool while he thinks he’s calling the shots. Smart move, Princess.”
For a second, I don’t know what to say.
Most people, hell, most guys, don’t get it. They either assume my job is easy, dismissing it like it’s a hobby, or give me that patronizing nod and say something like oh, marketing. That sounds fun! Kane seems like he actually understands, and he’s actually interested.
He doesn’t seem to notice my momentary brain malfunction and keeps asking questions, ones that actually make me want to talk about it. It’s rare for someone to have genuine interest.
And, of course, that’s doing things to my heart. Unexpected, inconvenient things.