ready to shut it down, but resisted. Andre and I were hot for each other. How long would we be able to keep it a secret? Perhaps we could from the rest of the team, but Tristan? They worked so closely together. We worked so closely together.
No, you don’t want Tristan to know. It’s too soon.
By the time my thoughts had rolled like tumbleweeds through my brain, Tristan had returned to his office.
Oh well. If he suspected something so be it. Though chances were he wouldn’t. Tristan seemed so self-absorbed, other people’s affairs probably passed him by. Likely his own love life did too. I’d noticed that, like Andre, he didn’t wear a wedding ring.
The day passed quickly. The contracts Tristan had asked me to work on were complex and required a great deal of concentration. But I got there in the end and was happy I’d caught everything when I handed it back over to him.
He had the start of stubble shadow on his jawline and he’d loosened his tie. “Thanks,” he said, sitting at his desk and flicking over the file. “Was it okay?”
“There are a few things I’ve highlighted for you to double check. In the back, look.” I leaned closer and flipped the pages to my notes.
As he scanned over them, I inhaled his fading aftershave.
“Ah, yes.” He tapped one of my notes. “I’m pleased you picked that up, it’s happened before. Well done.”
A feeling of pride went through me. I’d done it to his exacting standards. “I’m glad you approve.”
“More than approve, I’ve got loads done today because I haven’t had to be pouring over this thing.”
I stepped back as he pushed his chair out from beneath the desk. “That’s the idea.”
“It is.” He looked out of the window then gestured at the road below. “Fancy a glass of wine? My way of saying thank you.”
I widened my eyes in surprise. “Another trip to the bar, that might be seen as a habit.”
“There are good habits and bad habits.” He twitched his eyebrows and a wicked grin tugged at his lips.
I tucked my hair behind my ears and studied his handsome face. Damn, he could easily become a bad habit when he smiled like that. All deep voice, wide shoulders and eyelashes a woman would kill for. “I don’t know.” What would Andre think of me going for drinks with Tristan?
Andre’s not your boyfriend.
No he wasn’t, but I wanted him to be.
“It’s a drink, Stella, not a marriage proposal.” He held out his hands, palms up. “Give me a chance, I’m turning over a new leaf, at your suggestion.”
“Well I don’t know if I suggested that.”
“We agreed to start over, this is the new me, being friendly and appreciating my staff’s hard work.”
“And are we going to invite Jenny, James or any of the other members of the team out for this drink?”
He leaned close, real close, until his mouth was right by my ear. “No.” His breath warmed my neck. “Just us.”
I swallowed. The urge to stroke my hand down his suit jacket was almost overwhelming. “Why not? They might want to come, too.”
“Because they’ve all gone home.” He pulled back but stayed close. “That’s why not.”
“Is it that late?”
“Yes. Just you and me here again.”
I glanced at the clock on the wall. He was right, it was half-past-seven. No wonder my stomach had started rumbling. “I should probably get home…”
He averted his eyes from mine and turned away.
I paused. For Tristan being such a fast-talking, quick-working guy, he was remarkably easy to read. And right now he was disappointed.
“But I guess a quick one for the road won’t do any harm?” I said.
He spun back to me, a slow smile spread on his face. “Excellent. Let’s call it a day, then, shall we?”
Ten minutes later we were once again seated in Ruby’s Wine Bar. Tristan claimed a small round table in the recess of the bay window, then bought us both a drink.
I sipped my wine. I really shouldn’t make a habit of visiting this place after work.
No, you don’t want Tristan to know. It’s too soon.
By the time my thoughts had rolled like tumbleweeds through my brain, Tristan had returned to his office.
Oh well. If he suspected something so be it. Though chances were he wouldn’t. Tristan seemed so self-absorbed, other people’s affairs probably passed him by. Likely his own love life did too. I’d noticed that, like Andre, he didn’t wear a wedding ring.
The day passed quickly. The contracts Tristan had asked me to work on were complex and required a great deal of concentration. But I got there in the end and was happy I’d caught everything when I handed it back over to him.
He had the start of stubble shadow on his jawline and he’d loosened his tie. “Thanks,” he said, sitting at his desk and flicking over the file. “Was it okay?”
“There are a few things I’ve highlighted for you to double check. In the back, look.” I leaned closer and flipped the pages to my notes.
As he scanned over them, I inhaled his fading aftershave.
“Ah, yes.” He tapped one of my notes. “I’m pleased you picked that up, it’s happened before. Well done.”
A feeling of pride went through me. I’d done it to his exacting standards. “I’m glad you approve.”
“More than approve, I’ve got loads done today because I haven’t had to be pouring over this thing.”
I stepped back as he pushed his chair out from beneath the desk. “That’s the idea.”
“It is.” He looked out of the window then gestured at the road below. “Fancy a glass of wine? My way of saying thank you.”
I widened my eyes in surprise. “Another trip to the bar, that might be seen as a habit.”
“There are good habits and bad habits.” He twitched his eyebrows and a wicked grin tugged at his lips.
I tucked my hair behind my ears and studied his handsome face. Damn, he could easily become a bad habit when he smiled like that. All deep voice, wide shoulders and eyelashes a woman would kill for. “I don’t know.” What would Andre think of me going for drinks with Tristan?
Andre’s not your boyfriend.
No he wasn’t, but I wanted him to be.
“It’s a drink, Stella, not a marriage proposal.” He held out his hands, palms up. “Give me a chance, I’m turning over a new leaf, at your suggestion.”
“Well I don’t know if I suggested that.”
“We agreed to start over, this is the new me, being friendly and appreciating my staff’s hard work.”
“And are we going to invite Jenny, James or any of the other members of the team out for this drink?”
He leaned close, real close, until his mouth was right by my ear. “No.” His breath warmed my neck. “Just us.”
I swallowed. The urge to stroke my hand down his suit jacket was almost overwhelming. “Why not? They might want to come, too.”
“Because they’ve all gone home.” He pulled back but stayed close. “That’s why not.”
“Is it that late?”
“Yes. Just you and me here again.”
I glanced at the clock on the wall. He was right, it was half-past-seven. No wonder my stomach had started rumbling. “I should probably get home…”
He averted his eyes from mine and turned away.
I paused. For Tristan being such a fast-talking, quick-working guy, he was remarkably easy to read. And right now he was disappointed.
“But I guess a quick one for the road won’t do any harm?” I said.
He spun back to me, a slow smile spread on his face. “Excellent. Let’s call it a day, then, shall we?”
Ten minutes later we were once again seated in Ruby’s Wine Bar. Tristan claimed a small round table in the recess of the bay window, then bought us both a drink.
I sipped my wine. I really shouldn’t make a habit of visiting this place after work.
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