what Gideon signed us up for today. I’ll have dinner with you if it can be a working dinner in my office, while we set that bad boy up.” I hooked my thumb toward the backseat and held my breath.
He didn’t answer, but put the car in reverse and backed out, pointing the car back to the beach resort area. “I’ll accept that deal, on one condition.”
“Who’s doing the bargaining here?” I laughed a little and could see on his face that he still had the control, and I only had the illusion of it.
“You stop trying to avoid me at every turn. We’re going to be working together and we won’t get anything accomplished if you turn tail and run every time you see me.”
“I do no such thing!” I huffed, crossing my arms in front of me.
“Unless you’re forced to sit in a meeting with me, you barely acknowledge me. It isn’t hard to notice.” He turned toward the resort, which thankfully wasn’t far. “I can’t figure out why. Is it because I know more about technology than you do, and that sticks in your craw?”
“Not anymore than me knowing more about marketing sticks in your craw.”
He parked the old car back in its spot behind the building and turned to me. “If you think for one second I didn’t notice your new attitude about me started two months ago, after I helped you to your apartment that night, you would be wrong.”
He got out, coming to my side of the car and opening my door, holding an arm out like a chauffeur. Once I was out of the car, he reached in the back and got the computer box, tucking it under his arm the same way he did at the store. I was trying to keep my breathing even because he kept his hand on my back the whole way to the service door at the back of the building. Having an anxiety attack now would only serve to prove him right. He unlocked the service door and ushered me in.
“You have a key to the service door? Why didn’t you say something when we left?”
“Because you jabbed the elevator button like it was a defibrillator machine. I guessed you weren’t interested in doing things my way.”
He opened a second door and we were in a service hallway that echoed each footstep we took. “You’re a real comedian tonight,” I grumped, but all he did was smile. It was an infuriatingly sexy smile.
“I’ve been thinking about doing stand up,” he answered, winking one long lashed eye at me.
I shook my head a little. “Don’t quit your day job.” I looked up and down the hallway. “Does this lead to the reception desk?”
“Actually no, it will take us to the housekeeping area. From there we can take the service elevator or stairs. I use it a lot when I have to bring in a cart with AV equipment or something I don’t want to move through the hotel,” he answered as we reached a door.
“AV equipment?”
“You’re kidding, right?” he asked, holding the door to the stairwell.
“Do I look like I’m kidding? It’s been a long day and it’s not over yet. I’m tired, hungry and worried about a friend, so how about you cut the sarcasm?”
He grabbed me on the landing to keep me from taking the next set of stairs. “I’m not being sarcastic. I’m sorry today hasn’t been a great day. I know you had a rough time with work and that makes everything frustrating. To answer your question AV means audiovisual. Now, how about we get some food ordered and work on setting this up while we wait.” He moved the computer out away from his body a little and then lowered it again, letting go of my shirt so I could follow him down the stairs.
We came out of the stairwell not too far away from the restaurant and he paused, turning to look at me. “Do you want to go put our order in or are you more comfortable ordering from your office so no one sees us together.”
My shoulders slumped and I sighed, shaking my head. “I’m not ashamed to be seen with you, Maltrand. I just think we need to have a reason to be together. Tonight we have one, so let’s go
He didn’t answer, but put the car in reverse and backed out, pointing the car back to the beach resort area. “I’ll accept that deal, on one condition.”
“Who’s doing the bargaining here?” I laughed a little and could see on his face that he still had the control, and I only had the illusion of it.
“You stop trying to avoid me at every turn. We’re going to be working together and we won’t get anything accomplished if you turn tail and run every time you see me.”
“I do no such thing!” I huffed, crossing my arms in front of me.
“Unless you’re forced to sit in a meeting with me, you barely acknowledge me. It isn’t hard to notice.” He turned toward the resort, which thankfully wasn’t far. “I can’t figure out why. Is it because I know more about technology than you do, and that sticks in your craw?”
“Not anymore than me knowing more about marketing sticks in your craw.”
He parked the old car back in its spot behind the building and turned to me. “If you think for one second I didn’t notice your new attitude about me started two months ago, after I helped you to your apartment that night, you would be wrong.”
He got out, coming to my side of the car and opening my door, holding an arm out like a chauffeur. Once I was out of the car, he reached in the back and got the computer box, tucking it under his arm the same way he did at the store. I was trying to keep my breathing even because he kept his hand on my back the whole way to the service door at the back of the building. Having an anxiety attack now would only serve to prove him right. He unlocked the service door and ushered me in.
“You have a key to the service door? Why didn’t you say something when we left?”
“Because you jabbed the elevator button like it was a defibrillator machine. I guessed you weren’t interested in doing things my way.”
He opened a second door and we were in a service hallway that echoed each footstep we took. “You’re a real comedian tonight,” I grumped, but all he did was smile. It was an infuriatingly sexy smile.
“I’ve been thinking about doing stand up,” he answered, winking one long lashed eye at me.
I shook my head a little. “Don’t quit your day job.” I looked up and down the hallway. “Does this lead to the reception desk?”
“Actually no, it will take us to the housekeeping area. From there we can take the service elevator or stairs. I use it a lot when I have to bring in a cart with AV equipment or something I don’t want to move through the hotel,” he answered as we reached a door.
“AV equipment?”
“You’re kidding, right?” he asked, holding the door to the stairwell.
“Do I look like I’m kidding? It’s been a long day and it’s not over yet. I’m tired, hungry and worried about a friend, so how about you cut the sarcasm?”
He grabbed me on the landing to keep me from taking the next set of stairs. “I’m not being sarcastic. I’m sorry today hasn’t been a great day. I know you had a rough time with work and that makes everything frustrating. To answer your question AV means audiovisual. Now, how about we get some food ordered and work on setting this up while we wait.” He moved the computer out away from his body a little and then lowered it again, letting go of my shirt so I could follow him down the stairs.
We came out of the stairwell not too far away from the restaurant and he paused, turning to look at me. “Do you want to go put our order in or are you more comfortable ordering from your office so no one sees us together.”
My shoulders slumped and I sighed, shaking my head. “I’m not ashamed to be seen with you, Maltrand. I just think we need to have a reason to be together. Tonight we have one, so let’s go
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