Page 16 of Envy
Until he barges in.
“Don’t you ever eat lunch?”
“No.”
“I’m starving. Let’s grab a bite to eat. I know a great place.”
Such a typical line. I roll my eyes and go back to what I was working on.
“All right. If you don’t want to have lunch with me to discuss a major business deal that’s still under negotiation, maybe Chelle would like to join me.” He turns and looks at my assistant sitting just outside my office, and from his profile I see an appreciative smile cross his face.
I hate the envy that fills me from just thinking about him seeing someone I know.
“I’m sure she’d love to go to lunch with you. Go ask her. I have work to do.”
He leans against the doorframe, looks at the floor, and shakes his head. “You really need to work on your poker face. But that’s okay—she’s not the one I want to have lunch with, anyway. You have to eat sometime, Megan. I know you didn’t have breakfast, and you’ve been at it for hours.”
“Believe it or not, I’ve been taking care of myself for years. You’re here one day and think you know what’s best for me? I’m busy.”
“Okay. If you insist.”
He closes my door behind him, and I breathe a sigh of relief. For a minute there, I thought I’d have to go to lunch with him just to make him stop asking. A quick glance up assures me Chelle is still at her post outside my office, so I know he didn’t ask her. Why am I slightly relieved by that fact? Maybe because if they began dating, I’d either be forced to fire her or see him every day.
I’d miss Chelle.
Thirty-five minutes later, just when I’d pushed him out of my mind again, he strolls through my office door like he owns the place and begins doling out to-go containers of food. He moves my laptop out of the way and ignores my death glare. The aroma fills the room, and my traitorous stomach growls loudly. He has the nerve to smile at me—a genuine smile of triumph.
“Aha. So youarehungry.”
Thank you, Captain Obvious.
He opens the container he placed in front of me, gives me a plastic fork, and puts the straw in my drink. He moves around to the other side of my desk, pulls the chair closer, and prepares his own meal. All I can do is stare at him, confused by his audacity and astounded by his stupidity. Just when I think he’s finally reached the limit of his insanity, he pulls a small candle out of the bag, sets it between us, and lights it.
“Now we can enjoy a candlelight meal. Dig in before it gets cold.” He proceeds to stuff his mouth with food…and my stomach has the nerve to growl again. He looks up at me, then down at my untouched food, and points at it with his fork. He can’t speak because his mouth is full of food.
So that’s how to get him to shut up.
I decide to take a few bites just to say I ate and force him to leave, but I can’t seem to stop once I start. Every taste is better than the last, and I keep shoveling it in until every bit of it is gone. I lean back in my comfortable executive chair and pat my full stomach. “That was delicious and much more than I needed. But thank you for the meal. I’ll reimburse you for the expense. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m very busy today.”
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. When you were younger, your hair was so blonde. Even in elementary school, I wanted to touch it because it made me think of Rapunzel. The darker streaks you have in it now make you look so refined and professional. But it’s also sexy as hell.”
“Wyatt, seriously…”
“Have you missed me at all?”
“Only because I needed to work on my aim.”
