“The thought crossed my mind,” said Steven, as he added cream to his mixture. “But I didn’t think she wanted that kind of relationship with me. I couldn’t ask her out on a date and risk losing her as my PA.”
Gary thought she might’ve jumped at the chance, but he couldn’t bring himself to tell Steven. After all, he may’ve taken her earlier comment about Steven the wrong way. Gary chopped up all the veggies for the salad and set the table, his stomach growling at the delicious smells wafting from Steven’s sauté pan.
A rap at the door announced Katie’s arrival. When she floated inside, draped in a strappy floral dress that showed off her toned arms and legs, he decided there was no hurry in talking to Steven about the possibility that Katie had feelings for him.
Steven came out of the kitchen, still sporting his apron, emblazoned with Indigo Bay Resort. “Katie, you look lovely.”
Much to Gary’s displeasure, her cheeks took on a rosy hue. “Thanks,” she said, in a shy voice.
“I have to say, your business attire hid some nice muscles,” Steven said, flexing his own bicep in demonstration. “Do you exercise at your apartment? Because I’ve never seen you at the company gym.”
“Fortunately, there’s a swimming pool at the gym in the apartment building.” She bit her lip, and Gary wondered if it was her way of flirting. She continued, “I guess you would know, since you own the building.”
Steven nodded. “I’m glad you like it. It’s not Olympic length, of course, but it’s better than nothing. I have one in my complex, too.”
“I’m not much on machines and weights.” At long last, her eyes cut to Gary, bestowing a few seconds of her attention. “Sorry about that, Gary. You’re a personal trainer, so I guess you like those things.”
“Actually, I prefer natural exercise and sports over machines and weights, any day. It’s just not always possible.”
“You seem to prefer dangerous sports.” Her hazel eyes sparked a challenge.
“Not any more than Steven does.”
“I think you may be a bad influence on my boss.” Her gaze softened as she watched Steven set their plates on the table, the tempting food already served on each one. “He wouldn’t be doing all these risky things if it weren’t for you.”
It irked Gary to realize she was more concerned for Steven than she was for him, even if her fears were inflated.
“That’s bull! Steven was into all these sports long before we met. In fact, he’s the one who talked me into doing a bungee jump for the first time.”
She pressed her lips together, in an I-don’t-believe-you expression.
“Go ahead,” Gary said. “Ask me if it’s the truth.”
“Okay.” She took her place at the table and crossed her arms. “Is that the truth?”
“Yes, it is. And if you don’t believe me, you can ask Steven.”
She unfolded her napkin in her lap, a sweet smile spreading on her face. “That’s not necessary. I’m trusting you to keep your word.”
“What’s this?” asked Steven, as he passed the salad bowl to Katie. “You have some kind of truth pact?”
“Only for Gary,” she said, with an accusatory glare. “I don’t need one, because I don’t lie.”
“For Pete’s sake, Katie. I never lied to you. I was only teasing.”
When she passed him the salad, he snatched it from her hands with so much force a pile of lettuce spilled out on his lap.
She sucked in a loud breath, covering her mouth with her hand. “Such violence! First you dump water on me. Now you jerk the salad bowl away…” A smile prowled at the corners of her lips.
“Touché,” he said, with a sheepish grin. “I see you’re a quick learner. You’ve already perfected the art of teasing with a straight face.”
She forked a bite of salad into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully before swallowing. “I’d say I learned from the master.”
He watched as she cut a scallop into four perfectly-equal pieces before taking a bite. The resulting ecstasy on her face was so intense Gary couldn’t help but imagine producing the same expression with a kiss. His mouth went dry, and he grabbed for an emergency swallow of water. Thankfully, Steven appeared to have missed her reaction, or Gary was certain his friend would’ve fallen in love with her on the spot.
“This is amazing!” she exclaimed.
“It is!” Gary hurried to claim Steven’s attention, though he hadn’t tasted anything but his salad. “These scallops are crazy awesome. I need this recipe.”