“I’m taking you to your hotel.”
“You’re sure?” Charlotte buttoned her jacket, starting at the bottom. She knew the hotel was close to his townhouse, she just didn’t want to inconvenience him.
“Positive.”
“Okay,” she replied. “Then I’ll go with you.” She wrapped her scarf around her neck and the two of them said good-bye to the mayor and his wife, the builder and his, and they walked outside the restaurant to find the SUV. Charlotte spotted it a few cars down and directed his eyes with her finger. “I think that’s us over there.”
Emery moved a little closer to her as he looked to where she was pointing. With only inches between them, she could feel the heat from his body. She could smell his cologne. She now knew what it was like to be within kissing distance of him.
It all made her … hold her breath.
She wasn’t sure how to process what this meant and why she’d been thinking about Emery more and more over the last few days. The only thing she did know was that she wasn’t gazing at him the way an executive assistant should be looking at her boss.
“Yes, you’re right,” he said, and then he was several feet away again and he was holding his arm out, signaling for her to go first.
Air returned to her lungs as she pushed those thoughts far from her mind and moved toward the car. Emery stayed one step behind, just to the side of her, the same placement he always took whenever they walked together. Charlotte had learned that on the first day when they’d gone into the kitchen at the same time. She’d never had a man take that position before. It felt protective, which was something else she’d never experienced.
She liked it.
“Did you have a good time tonight?” he asked as they weaved down the busy sidewalk.
She wanted to turn to him but didn’t. “Yes, most definitely, it was the best meal I’ve ever had.” She finally looked at him. “The company was really wonderful, too. I loved getting the chance to meet the mayor.”
“He seemed quite taken with you.”
Charlotte laughed, partly because she was filled with wine and actually found that funny and partly because she had no idea how to comment and this was much easier. “He’s an interesting character.”
“He’s quite the bubbly pulse behind this city.”
She laughed at Emery’s description but didn’t have the chance to say anything more as they had reached the SUV.
The driver had seen them approach and got out, opening the backseat door. Charlotte slid in and Emery climbed in after.
“We’ll need to stop at the hotel first,” Charlotte said to the driver. She leaned back in her seat and glanced at Emery. She waited at least a block before she broke the silence. “Thank you for bringing me tonight.”
“You’re welcome.” He rubbed his palm over his knee, glancing across the seat at her. “It’s important for you to know him. We’re going to be dealing with him during the whole project.”
“I had a feeling.”
“City politics can make things hard on a builder.” His voice changed. “Boston has some heavy scar tissue we’re going to have to get through before any ribbon cutting ceremony takes place.”
“I wondered that, too,” she admitted. “Sounds like I have a lot to learn.”
Emery shook his head. “You don’t give yourself enough credit. I counted on you for an answer tonight and you delivered, knowing it’s going to be a hell of a deadline to meet.” His hand stilled. “There will always be small things to learn. That never goes away. But, Charlotte, you’re already doing this job and you’re already excellent at it.”
She was grateful for how dark it was in the car as it hid the redness in her cheeks.
Each of Emery’s words repeated in Charlotte’s head and she basked in his compliments, appreciative for the recognition. It might have been a short amount of time, but she had worked hard.
And he had noticed.
That made her feel even more of his heat even though he wasn’t touching her.
Since she didn’t know how to reply, she softened her voice and gave him the truth. “It’s been the most amazing experience learning from you.”