Page 47 of Strictly Against Policy

“If it’s you, I always mind,” she quipped with a tiny smile. I scoffed with a roll of my eyes. Lina’s smile broadened, and I felt my heart flutter. “What was your question, Jonathan?”

“If you haven’t dated before, what encouraged you to go on a blind date now?” I asked.

“My best friend, Mary, convinced me. I’m not sure how she was able to do it, but she was able to get a reservation here for the date. But now she feels bad I’m sitting here alone.”

Lina stared at the thinly sliced pickled ginger she had left on her plate. She didn’t say it, but the slight curve of her lips gave her away. She wasn’t devastated. But she was disappointed, even if it was just for a moment.

“You’re not entirely alone for the night.”

“No, I’m not.” She glanced at me. Although she wasn’t smiling, her expression softened. “Thank you for being here with me.”

I smiled softly at her. “You’re welcome.”

As a server walked past by, Lina quickly flagged her down. “Excuse me, may I get the bill, please?”

Before the woman could speak up, I interjected with a chuckle. “Actually, I already paid.”

“What?” A violent, blood-red blush crept up her face.

“I paid when I spoke to the hostess before coming to the bar.” I stood up and looked at her. “You ready to go?”

She stood up as well. I grabbed the coat hanging on the back of her seat. “You didn’t have to. I was perfectly capable of paying for myself.”

I scoffed, holding her jacket wide open to put on her. “Lina, can’t you ever be on the receiving end of a kind act?”

She turned her back to me, presenting the expanse of her beautiful, gold-speckled muscles to me. My hand itched to let go of her coat, to trace the lines of her back with my fingertips up and down each sexy slope and dip of her evident strength. Up close, it mesmerized me more than I’d like to admit.

“Oh, so now you’re kind to me? I thought that you were doing your obligatory duties as my manager.” When I didn’t respond, Lina looked up at me. “Jonathan?”

I stared down at her, noticing why she looked different tonight. “You got a haircut.”

Lina tore her eyes away from mine as I wrapped her coat around her. “O-oh, no. Not really. I only got a trim.”

“It looks nice.” I motioned for her to head out first; she glided past me readily. “Did you get a rideshare here?”

She looked over her shoulder at me with brows crumpled together. “I did. Why?”

“I’ll take you home.”

Lina didn’t say anything as we walked outside. I handed the valet the ticket stub to my car keys. The guy tried his hardest not to make a face at me. He’d seen me out here with Michelle earlier, and now I’m with Lina.

When he left, Lina let out a small, amused laugh. “He thinks you’re two-timing.”

“I’m not, and you know it.”

She raised her brow at me, letting her gaze caress me in one smooth swipe from head to toe. “Do I? I’ll admit, you do look like the type to fuck around.”

“You’re not wrong. I do fuck around. However, fucking with other people’s feelings isn’t my hobby.” I handed her an irritated smile. “I like honesty, and you—of all people—should be aware of that.”

Lina nodded slowly. “Of course. How could I forget? You told me you never liked me and didn’t look forward to working with me.”

The smile that hung on my lips softened. “And now I’m taking you home.”

She shook her head gently as she crossed her arms across her chest. Tipping her head slightly, she said, “Only if I let you.”

“You’re going to want to come with me.” My tone was certain.

“Why? Because it’s also now your duty to make sure I arrive home safely?”