Page 29 of The Hang Up
“Thanks. You look amazing.”
She started to demur,This old thing?But she wore a green-and-blue Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress she knew flattered her curves and made her look both professional and sexy, so she settled for a simple, “Thank you.”
Jason tugged at his tie a little and gave her a grin that made her lady bits do a happy squeeze. “If I’m being honest, you look downright hot.”
Miriam laughed and pushed the door closed, conscious of his gaze traveling her body. “Thanks. And thank you for not being annoyed by my suggestion that we dress up a little.”
“No problem. I figured bike shorts weren’t the best dinner attire anyway.”
The visual sent Miriam’s libido surging again, but she held it together. “I think it’s important to replicate the feel of your Saturday-night dinner party as much as possible.”
“In that case, do you have two dozen scowling men in suits waiting for us in the coat closet?”
She grinned and led him through the living room and into the dining area. “Will you settle for a framed photo of my great-grandparents scowling over the dinner table with German disdain?”
“Close enough.”
She stopped in the dining room, where she’d set the table with a black linen tablecloth and a set of stylish art deco plates. “I’m going to put the flowers in water,” she said as she headed toward the kitchen.“Feel free to dive in to the charcuterie.”
“I’m trying to figure out from context if charcuterie is something you’re supposed to swim in, discuss, or do to a person you’d like to see naked.”
Miriam laughed, and her lady bits clenched again. Ignoring the heat rising up her throat, she gestured to the hors d’oeuvres laid out on her midcentury modern sideboard. “Charcuterie is an array of cured meats, usually served with breads and jam for contrast to the salt. There’s crostini right there. Can I get you some wine?”
“Sounds great.”
“Red or white?”
“I don’t know.” Jason picked up a crostini and popped it in his mouth. “What would a proper CEO with professional-caliber social skills choose at a fancy business dinner?”
“He’d probably match it to what’s being served, but that can be tricky if you don’t know wine very well,” she said. “You can never go wrong with a Pinot Noir. Or you could also try something like a Mourvédre or a Grenache or even a Carménère.”
Jason frowned. “Are you planning to give me a pronunciation guide I can pull out of my pocket at dinner?”
“Let’s stick with the pinot.”
“Sounds good. To be honest, I usually avoid ordering wine at all.”
“You don’t like wine?”
“No, I actually love it. But I don’t know much about the different kinds or how the hell to pronounce anything, so it seems safer to stick with water or beer and not sound like a dumbass.”
Miriam laughed and grabbed a bottle of her favorite Sunridge Vineyards Pinot Noir off the wine rack.“Sometimes looking like a dumbass is the best way to learn.”
“Maybe so,” he said, but didn’t sound convinced.
Miriam set the bouquet of irises on the counter and made a mental note to take a subtle approach to coaching Jason on professional dining etiquette. Clearly the guy wasn’t a fan of looking dumb, which seemed reasonable enough.
She uncorked the pinot, then turned and pulled two wineglasses out of the cabinet beside the table. After setting them on the counter, she bent to retrieve a cut crystal vase on the lower shelf. When she stood up, Jason stood staring at her backside. Desire coursed through her, but she ordered herself to keep this professional.
“Here’s your first lesson on dinner etiquette,” she said. “If you’re going to stare at women’s asses, try being a little discreet about it.”
He grinned, not looking terribly ashamed. “I wasn’t planning to stare at women’s asses,” he pointed out. “Just yours. That’s a singular ass, not plural.”
Miriam set the vase on the counter and tried to look stern, but who was she kidding? She loved having his gaze on her. She’d love having a lot of other things on her, too, starting with his hands, then moving to his mouth, then?—
“Flattering though that may be,” she said, interrupting her own dangerous train of thought,“we’re practicing proper business etiquette here. No ogling.”
“You steal all my fun.”
