wore. She’d applied just the right amount of makeup. Her pale pink lips screamed, “Kiss me.”
Damn. He knew he needed to control himself. The night hadn’t even started.
“These are for you, my dear.” He gave her the rose bunch. She quickly drew them in and took a deep breath.
“Beautiful, Max. You shouldn’t have. Please come in.”
She turned with the grace of a prima ballerina on high heels and he followed like a puppy dog to her kitchen. She busied herself with finding a vase and putting the flowers in fresh water. Then she set them on the breakfast bar.
“Let me at least give you a drink.” She poured a glass of white wine for each of them. “Jenny’s out with Ben and the dogs at the beach. I’d like to show you my new digs.” She led him to the balcony, screened-in, overlooking a pond with a multi-colored lit fountain. “This is my favorite place. I love the Spanish tile floors and ceiling fan. No too bad, huh?”
“Beautiful.”
Felicity sipped her wine and sighed. “Thanks. I thought we weren’t going to be able to move in until the start of the New Year, but the previous tenant vacated. Still, I need to get cracking on finding the right living room furniture.”
Max nodded. “All in due time, I suppose.” He glanced at his watch.
“Are we okay for time?”
“We’re fine. I do have the driver waiting though.”
“Your driver? What a switch-up.” She dazzled him with her bright smile and motioned for him to follow. “I guess I didn’t really show you everything. Follow me. I’ll give you a quick tour.” She led him away from the patio. “This is the living room.”
He noticed the comfortable but worn appearance of a soft, brown sectional and a large flat-screen TV. He wondered if she even took the time to watch it.
Felicity led him to the hallway and showed him the guest bath, bedroom, Jenny’s room and hers. She gave him a peek-a-boo glance at her bedroom, with a quick door opening and shutting. “I keep my collies in there. They sleep with me most of the time.”
“You’ve done well with the new apartment, kid.” Now why the hell had he said that? He attempted to correct his accidental tongue slip. The last time he called her that, he’d pissed her off. “I’m impressed with the layout . ” Okay save. Maybe.
She eyed him, brow in the air. “Cut the shit, Max. You’re not going to get very far with me if you keep calling me ‘kid.’”
“I’m sorry. I promise I’ll never utter the word again. Okay?” Max squeezed her arm and winked at her.
Her perturbed appearance disappeared as she smiled.
“Shall we?” he took her arm.
“Yes. Let me get my purse.” She walked ahead, grabbed her bag, and headed for the door.
Max resumed holding her arm. The warmth of her skin comforted him beyond measure.
They made it to the restaurant with nary a flashing bulb. Good. The plan seemed to work. Max rang the bell for the side entrance. Janice, their private host and waiter greeted them with exuberance and apparent happiness at seeing them.
They settled in the cozy booth with long-stemmed white candles already lit and soft music playing from the speakers overhead. Janice asked what they liked to drink and Max ordered his staple, dry martini straight up. Felicity asked for sparkling Saratoga water, with lime.
A moment of silence passed and then Max said, “Tell me what’s new at Sharpen.” Crap! Why did he open things up for shoptalk?
“It’s exciting. I think we’ve done a great job with recruitment and advertising. I’m happy our first season line-up is complete, with five women in various industries spanning from finance to beauty . . . all CEO’s of their own organizations.”
“Nice.”
Janice delivered their beverages, announced the evening’s specials, and told them she’d be back in a few minutes to take their orders.
“We’ve got the back-stories complete. Oh, and I need you to look at Margo’s interview. Next up are on location shots.
Damn. He knew he needed to control himself. The night hadn’t even started.
“These are for you, my dear.” He gave her the rose bunch. She quickly drew them in and took a deep breath.
“Beautiful, Max. You shouldn’t have. Please come in.”
She turned with the grace of a prima ballerina on high heels and he followed like a puppy dog to her kitchen. She busied herself with finding a vase and putting the flowers in fresh water. Then she set them on the breakfast bar.
“Let me at least give you a drink.” She poured a glass of white wine for each of them. “Jenny’s out with Ben and the dogs at the beach. I’d like to show you my new digs.” She led him to the balcony, screened-in, overlooking a pond with a multi-colored lit fountain. “This is my favorite place. I love the Spanish tile floors and ceiling fan. No too bad, huh?”
“Beautiful.”
Felicity sipped her wine and sighed. “Thanks. I thought we weren’t going to be able to move in until the start of the New Year, but the previous tenant vacated. Still, I need to get cracking on finding the right living room furniture.”
Max nodded. “All in due time, I suppose.” He glanced at his watch.
“Are we okay for time?”
“We’re fine. I do have the driver waiting though.”
“Your driver? What a switch-up.” She dazzled him with her bright smile and motioned for him to follow. “I guess I didn’t really show you everything. Follow me. I’ll give you a quick tour.” She led him away from the patio. “This is the living room.”
He noticed the comfortable but worn appearance of a soft, brown sectional and a large flat-screen TV. He wondered if she even took the time to watch it.
Felicity led him to the hallway and showed him the guest bath, bedroom, Jenny’s room and hers. She gave him a peek-a-boo glance at her bedroom, with a quick door opening and shutting. “I keep my collies in there. They sleep with me most of the time.”
“You’ve done well with the new apartment, kid.” Now why the hell had he said that? He attempted to correct his accidental tongue slip. The last time he called her that, he’d pissed her off. “I’m impressed with the layout . ” Okay save. Maybe.
She eyed him, brow in the air. “Cut the shit, Max. You’re not going to get very far with me if you keep calling me ‘kid.’”
“I’m sorry. I promise I’ll never utter the word again. Okay?” Max squeezed her arm and winked at her.
Her perturbed appearance disappeared as she smiled.
“Shall we?” he took her arm.
“Yes. Let me get my purse.” She walked ahead, grabbed her bag, and headed for the door.
Max resumed holding her arm. The warmth of her skin comforted him beyond measure.
They made it to the restaurant with nary a flashing bulb. Good. The plan seemed to work. Max rang the bell for the side entrance. Janice, their private host and waiter greeted them with exuberance and apparent happiness at seeing them.
They settled in the cozy booth with long-stemmed white candles already lit and soft music playing from the speakers overhead. Janice asked what they liked to drink and Max ordered his staple, dry martini straight up. Felicity asked for sparkling Saratoga water, with lime.
A moment of silence passed and then Max said, “Tell me what’s new at Sharpen.” Crap! Why did he open things up for shoptalk?
“It’s exciting. I think we’ve done a great job with recruitment and advertising. I’m happy our first season line-up is complete, with five women in various industries spanning from finance to beauty . . . all CEO’s of their own organizations.”
“Nice.”
Janice delivered their beverages, announced the evening’s specials, and told them she’d be back in a few minutes to take their orders.
“We’ve got the back-stories complete. Oh, and I need you to look at Margo’s interview. Next up are on location shots.
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