Well, hell, maybe he wouldn’t have to make up any excuses. Looks as if she’d come to her senses.
“I’ll be there in a minute.”
He turned at the sound of her voice. She waved to him from Aparna Bajwa’s desk, where the two were both pointing at something on a computer monitor. A second later, she left Aparna’s station and started for him, her smile gaining vibrancy as she approached.
God, but that smile was gorgeous.
“I was thinking—” she started.
“Samiah…I don’t—” he said at the same time.
They both stopped. Her forehead dipped into a slight V with her frown. “You don’t what?”
I don’t think we should have lunch.It was one simple sentence.Just say it.
“I don’t know if you like poke, but there’s a place that just opened around the corner that I thought we could go to.”
Dude, what the fuck?That wasnotwhat he was supposed to say.
She regarded him with a hint of uncertainty before her features relaxed into another of those breath-stealing smiles. How could he say no to that smile? He wanted to live in that smile.
“I’ve been eyeing that place,” she said. “Let me grab my purse.”
“You don’t need it. It’s my treat, remember?”
“Oh, I know it is,” she threw over her shoulder, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “But I can’t leave my access card.”
The delay gave him yet another opportunity. He could pretend he’d forgotten about a special project Morgan asked for help on. He could fake a stomachache. Anything.
But he didn’t say a damn word as he stood there waiting for her to lock up her computer and grab her purse from the desk drawer. As he held the door open for her and then followed her out of the office. As he waited for her as she stopped to speak to Jamie at the front desk. So many chances to back out, yet he didn’t. Couldn’t.
And even as he told himself they were just two coworkers grabbing a bite to eat, he knew what hewantedit to be. He wanted this to be a date.
After arriving at the restaurant, Daniel asked Samiah what she wanted from the menu, then went up to the counter and ordered two salmon and avocado poke bowls. He brought the bowls to the table Samiah had chosen and took the seat across from her. As he added an extra dash of soy sauce to his bowl, he asked, “How long have you been at Trendsetters?”
He already knew this, of course, but they’d never discussed it.
“I had my three-year anniversary this past August.”
“Only three years? And you’re already a team leader?”
His reaction wasn’t totally feigned. He’d been genuinely bowled over when he’d read it on her dossier. The speed at which she’d risen among the ranks was impressive.
“Wait.” Samiah’s brow furrowed with confusion. “Didn’t they tell you? I’m a total badass when it comes to that company. I rule that shit.”
Daniel wiped his lips to hide his smile, then sat back and crossed his arms over his chest. “Is that so? Does this mean you can demand anything you want and the powers that be at Trendsetters will provide it?”
“Damn right. Except, of course, if it’s a back rub that my team didn’t earn.”
“Hmm…” He concealed his laugh with a cough. Straightening in his chair, he said, “That seems only fair. And because Ididearn that back rub, I guess that means I’m actually the one who rules that shit, right?”
“No sir,” she said, her musical laugh wrapping itself around him. “You’ve got a few more years to put in before you even get close to ruling anything.”
Except he would only be here a few more weeks. A few more days if he was able to catch a lucky break with this case. Daniel sobered.Luckyno longer seemed like the appropriate word, not when it meant he’d never get the chance to explore what could become of the attraction that pulsed like a heartbeat between himself and Samiah.
This lunch date—whether she considered it a date or not—was likely the only one they would ever have. And if this was the extent of the personal time they would get to spend with each other, he wouldn’t waste any more of it thinking about how little time he had left with her.
“I’ve been meaning to thank you,” Samiah said after swallowing a bite of fish.
