policy not to date clients. And if that’s not the case, why don’t you show her around Seattle?”
Ticking his points off on his fingers, Nate said, “One, I was serious. Two, there’s no company policy about dating clients, you’ve just never done it. Three, she’s not your client, she’s mine. Four, Bella’s new in town, all alone, and hasn’t had a chance to do much of anything except work. Five, I’m in the middle of a messy divorce and custody battle and can’t afford to be seen with a beautiful woman. Six, oh, hell, I have to move to a second set of fingers.”
“Okay, okay. I get your point. But since when are we an adjunct to Grey Line tours?”
“Don’t be such an ass, Taylor. You’ve been sulking ever since what’s-her-name broke it off with you. It’s time you got back in the game. And Bella’s an intelligent, beautiful woman who could use a friend. Can’t you do even one spontaneous thing and just take her around the city?”
“I do spontaneous things all the time.”
“Yeah, right.” He reached for the folder Taylor was holding. “Never mind. I give up. But it was worth a shot. What do you want me to look over?”
When they were finished reviewing the report, Taylor went back to his office and tried to focus on getting what they’d discussed onto his computer. It didn’t work. All he could see were those big brown eyes looking at him so hesitantly from the back of the elevator after she’d put herself out there and asked him to join her for a drink. He knew she’d be disappointed if he didn’t show up. But he knew she’d be even more disappointed if she ever found out the truth about him.
Finally, after almost an hour of doing absolutely nothing except going over yet again the reasons he shouldn’t pursue Isabella Rodriquez any further, he decided to get the hell out of Dodge. Once he got home, he wouldn’t have to think about what kind of temptation she posed. Or, at least, he hoped he wouldn’t.
Waiting for the elevator, he continued his little internal pep talk. All he had to do was walk out the door and get the bus. He’d get home in no time at all. He had leftover Chinese in the refrigerator and dozens and dozens of choices on his TV. Or he could browse Netflix and watch a movie. He’d simply immerse himself in mindless programming. There. Easily done.
First, of course, he had to get past the Conference Room, the bar run by a former public relations guru and frequented by most of the tenants in the building. He wouldn’t glance in. Wouldn’t look to see if Isabella was there. She was probably gone by now. She wouldn’t hang around waiting for him when it was obvious he wasn’t going to show up. He had nothing to worry about.
He got to the first floor and couldn’t seem to take more than a step or two away from the elevator, frozen in place by the sudden fear she
had
waited for him. She
would
be sitting in the bar. She’d look up with her sweet smile when she saw him, and he’d be toast.
Maybe he should take the back way out of the building so he wouldn’t have to pass the bar and be lured in.
The mumbled curses of the people trying to exit the elevator broke through his obsessive musings. He knew he was being a pain in the butt, but his feet refused to move closer to the front exit. He murmured apology after apology as the crowd surged out, more eager than he was to get to the door.
After the door to the elevator closed, he finally moved, planning to give a wide berth to the bar. But as he reached a spot opposite the bar’s glass wall looking out on the lobby, he decided it wouldn’t hurt to take a little peek inside. To make sure Isabella was okay. If she was there. Not that she would be. She’d have long since gone home.
But she hadn’t. There she was. Seated at one of the small cocktail tables, she had a half-full glass of wine in front of her as well as a sheaf of papers. Chewing on a pen in one hand, with the other, she was twisting a curl
Ticking his points off on his fingers, Nate said, “One, I was serious. Two, there’s no company policy about dating clients, you’ve just never done it. Three, she’s not your client, she’s mine. Four, Bella’s new in town, all alone, and hasn’t had a chance to do much of anything except work. Five, I’m in the middle of a messy divorce and custody battle and can’t afford to be seen with a beautiful woman. Six, oh, hell, I have to move to a second set of fingers.”
“Okay, okay. I get your point. But since when are we an adjunct to Grey Line tours?”
“Don’t be such an ass, Taylor. You’ve been sulking ever since what’s-her-name broke it off with you. It’s time you got back in the game. And Bella’s an intelligent, beautiful woman who could use a friend. Can’t you do even one spontaneous thing and just take her around the city?”
“I do spontaneous things all the time.”
“Yeah, right.” He reached for the folder Taylor was holding. “Never mind. I give up. But it was worth a shot. What do you want me to look over?”
When they were finished reviewing the report, Taylor went back to his office and tried to focus on getting what they’d discussed onto his computer. It didn’t work. All he could see were those big brown eyes looking at him so hesitantly from the back of the elevator after she’d put herself out there and asked him to join her for a drink. He knew she’d be disappointed if he didn’t show up. But he knew she’d be even more disappointed if she ever found out the truth about him.
Finally, after almost an hour of doing absolutely nothing except going over yet again the reasons he shouldn’t pursue Isabella Rodriquez any further, he decided to get the hell out of Dodge. Once he got home, he wouldn’t have to think about what kind of temptation she posed. Or, at least, he hoped he wouldn’t.
Waiting for the elevator, he continued his little internal pep talk. All he had to do was walk out the door and get the bus. He’d get home in no time at all. He had leftover Chinese in the refrigerator and dozens and dozens of choices on his TV. Or he could browse Netflix and watch a movie. He’d simply immerse himself in mindless programming. There. Easily done.
First, of course, he had to get past the Conference Room, the bar run by a former public relations guru and frequented by most of the tenants in the building. He wouldn’t glance in. Wouldn’t look to see if Isabella was there. She was probably gone by now. She wouldn’t hang around waiting for him when it was obvious he wasn’t going to show up. He had nothing to worry about.
He got to the first floor and couldn’t seem to take more than a step or two away from the elevator, frozen in place by the sudden fear she
had
waited for him. She
would
be sitting in the bar. She’d look up with her sweet smile when she saw him, and he’d be toast.
Maybe he should take the back way out of the building so he wouldn’t have to pass the bar and be lured in.
The mumbled curses of the people trying to exit the elevator broke through his obsessive musings. He knew he was being a pain in the butt, but his feet refused to move closer to the front exit. He murmured apology after apology as the crowd surged out, more eager than he was to get to the door.
After the door to the elevator closed, he finally moved, planning to give a wide berth to the bar. But as he reached a spot opposite the bar’s glass wall looking out on the lobby, he decided it wouldn’t hurt to take a little peek inside. To make sure Isabella was okay. If she was there. Not that she would be. She’d have long since gone home.
But she hadn’t. There she was. Seated at one of the small cocktail tables, she had a half-full glass of wine in front of her as well as a sheaf of papers. Chewing on a pen in one hand, with the other, she was twisting a curl
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