Tempting the Billionaire (Love in the Balance 1)

He offered his elbow and she rested one hand on his forearm, pulling the shawl around her shoulders in a series of jerky movements.

“I was considering going home to change,” she said, her voice wobbling.

“Why? You’re stunning.”

Stunning? She blinked up at him as if he’d just spoken a word outside of her native tongue. Had Ronald ever accused her of being “stunning”? Had anyone?

Forcing her train of thought back on the tracks, she rambled rather than thanked him for the compliment. “I was worried I might be overdressed, but from what I remember, the restaurant is upscale.”

“I think you picked perfectly.” He sent her a warm smile, one that made her mouth go dry, and led them inside. Crickitt’s heart hammered her rib cage in time with their steps.

Relax, it’s just an interview.

She angled her head to glance up at him. His jaw was slightly shadowed with stubble, his eyes shrouded by thick lashes. He looked dark and dangerous, and it was all too easy to imagine the scrape of that five o’clock shadow against her neck.

She licked parched lips, forcing her thoughts down a more professional road. She’d hear him out over dinner, but if the position still wasn’t a good fit, she’d have to turn him down, regardless of how rich and attractive he was.

He glanced down at her, his mouth kicking up on one side.

Or maybe because of that.

* * *

This isn’t a date.

Shane dragged his eyes away from Crickitt’s creamy, bare shoulders. Ever since she’d uncovered them, he’d found it hard to concentrate.

Filling his wineglass to busy his hands, he dredged up another interview question for her to answer. After all, he was here to convince Crickitt to accept the personal assistant position.

That, and nothing more. He didn’t believe in dipping his pen in the company ink, especially not with a woman he’d be working with on a daily basis. It was disconcerting that he needed the constant reminder.

The moment Crickitt stepped into his office this afternoon he had known he wanted to hire her. And his instincts rarely steered him wrong. She was sharp and opinionated, charming and approachable at the same time. And attractive, he added, his eyes returning to her naked collarbone.

Not. A. Date.

The waiter arrived and delivered oval-shaped ramekins of sugar-encrusted crème brulée. Shane welcomed the distraction.

Crickitt eyed her dessert, then narrowed her eyes at him. “Bribery?”

“After you have a bite of that, you’ll fold like a paper airplane.”

She spared him a smile, then cracked the topping and dug out a spoonful. With a final, wary glance in his direction, she lifted the spoon to her mouth. Her eyes drifted shut and an mmm sound emitted from her throat. Shane watched her neck, particularly the tiny freckle on the right side, and wondered what it might taste like if he sampled it with his tongue…

“What’s wrong?” Crickitt asked.

He jerked at the sound of her voice, guilty of being caught ogling his almost-new-hire. He released the stranglehold on his spoon. “Nothing,” he said, brushing his thumb along his bottom lip in case his tongue was lolling out of his mouth. “There’s one thing I haven’t mentioned yet.”

Crickitt put down the spoon and patted her lips with her napkin. Sitting up straight, she trained her eyes on his. “Okay. I’m ready.”

“Some travel is required.”

She lifted her eyebrows. “Some?”

“About once a quarter. Most of our marketing and art department is in Tennessee.”

“Tennessee. Art Mecca.”

They shared a smile. He’d heard that before. “Angel Downey, my cousin and Aiden’s older sister, is an amazing graphic designer. I hired her remotely, and as August Industries grew, so did her department. In Tennessee.”

“Okay. Tennessee three to four times a year. Is that it?”

“There are occasional out-of-state trips since I’m looking to expand. Of course, you wouldn’t be required to go on all of them,” he added at the last second in case she was thinking of turning him down again.

She reclaimed her spoon. “Sounds great to me.” With a coy smile, she added, “I think I just accepted the position.”

Shane pulled his shoulders back, indescribably relieved.

Crickitt swallowed another bite and gestured with her spoon. “You’re right, this tipped me. Without the crème brulée, I don’t know if I would have said yes.”

He’d always been good at negotiation. Nice to know he still had it. “Thank goodness I didn’t order the tiramisu.”