Page 82 of Office Intrigue (Office Intrigue Duet 1)
Before I made it halfway down the hallway, I heard someone calling my name. I glanced over my shoulder to see Landon strolling toward me.
“You heading out, too?” I slowed my pace and smiled.
“I was thinkin’ I’d take you to dinner.”
That made me stop in my tracks and turn to face him. “Me?”
Landon chuckled. “Since you’re the only other person in the hallway…”
A grin broke out on my mouth. “I’m sorry. It’s just…I didn’t expect that.”
“No?”
I shook my head.
“So my brother can hang out and watch movies, but you find it strange that I want to take you to dinner?”
As a matter of fact, I found both odd.
I blushed. “When you put it that way…”
“How about I follow you to your apartment, then we’ll go in my truck. That way you don’t have to drive home too late.”
That was such a gentlemanly thing to do. I couldn’t help but smile wider. “That sounds great.”
With Landon standing much closer than he normally did, we headed toward the elevator. The entire time, I was trying to figure out if he was going to work me into a frenzy and leave me hanging, too.
I was pretty sure I might not be able to hold back my scathing words if that were to happen.
However, I could do nothing but wait and see.
•
It took about an hour for us to get back to my apartment and then to the restaurant he’d decided on. It was a nice little Italian place not far from where I lived.
“Do you come here often?” I asked in an effort to make small talk once we were seated.
Landon glanced around. “Can’t say that I’ve been here before. But it has good ratings.”
“You checked the ratings?”
He appeared somewhat shy when he said, “Of course. I check ratings for every restaurant I go to.”
I chuckled. “That doesn’t surprise me.”
“No?” His eyebrow lifted in question.
I reached for the napkin and placed it in my lap. “It’s a testament to your control. You want to know as much as you can about the situation you’re in.”
“I’ve never looked at it like that, but yeah. That’s a good way to put it.”
I grinned and glanced down at the menu. “It’s a great place, actually. Kristen and I come here from time to time to get our lasagna fix.”
“So you’re recommending the lasagna?”
“That or the ravioli. Both are fantastic.” And I had no idea why I was talking about food.
Here I was with Landon and the topic of conversation was related to the menu. But he didn’t seem to be bothered by it, so I didn’t let it bother me too much.
“May I get you something to dr—”
I peered up at the waitress at the same time her words came to an abrupt halt. There was recognition on her face as she stared at Landon.
“Master Moore?” the pretty young woman greeted Landon.
Master? What in the hell was going on? Doms and Masters? It sounded far too much like the books I’d been reading.
“Good evenin’, Mandy,” he replied coolly.
Something passed in the woman’s eyes, but I hadn’t the faintest clue what it was.
She cleared her throat.
“Can I get you something to drink?”
Landon looked at me and cocked an eyebrow.
“I’ll have white wine,” I informed her, not looking away from Landon.
“Same for me,” he answered, his gaze darting to her briefly before locking with mine.
When she disappeared, I couldn’t keep from asking, “You know her?”
“She’s a su—uh…a member of the club I go to.”
“The same club Kristen goes to?”
His eyes widened. “Actually, yes. Has she told you about it?”
I shook my head slightly and dropped my gaze. “No. Just that that was how she knew you.”
I really needed to ask her about this mysterious club. It appeared it was a real thing. I wanted to know more about it, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to ask Landon. I could very easily probe Kristen for the details later.
Which I would.
Maybe.
“What’re you havin’?” Landon questioned.
“I’m going to be predictable tonight,” I said with a smirk.
“Lasagna?”
“Yes.” I did love their pasta.
“Perfect.”
When I looked up, Landon was smiling at me as though I was the only woman in the room. Certainly not like a man who’d just seen a woman he knew, a woman who happened to be staring at him intently from across the room. I wasn’t sure if I should be jealous or merely curious. Or neither. It wasn’t like this was a date.
Or was it?
“Here’s your wine, Master Moore,” Mandy said when she returned, her smile bright, her attention focused solely on Landon.
It didn’t go unnoticed that she hadn’t brought mine.
That didn’t seem to make Landon happy at all.
“Mandy?”
“Yes, Master Moore?” she said breathlessly, her eyes wide as though it meant something that he had acknowledged her.
“Please bring another glass,” Landon said as he passed his wine over to me. “And remember your manners. It doesn’t matter where you are, it’s unbecoming not to be respectful.”
