“Yes?” She turned around and walked back to his table.
One of the businessmen blatantly ran his gaze down and then back up Jamie’s body. “Ms. Connors, is it? Come join us for a drink!”
Jamie smiled politely.
“She can’t.” Alex stopped Jamie before she could reply herself. He tossed her a set of keys. “My computer is in the kitchen. I’ll send you the outline of the contract via email shortly.”
She caught the keys as he finished speaking and nodded. “No problem.” When she turned to go, she heard the one businessman who had spoken to her earlier complain to Alex and then Alex’s response.
“You could have let her join us for a drink!”
“She’s not that kind of personal assistant.”
What the hell did he mean by that?
Chapter 2
“Sorry you had to leave your family before you got dessert.” Alex stood in his kitchen, his eyes slightly red as Jamie sat at the counter finishing the report he’d asked her to type up.
She shrugged. “I knew there was no way in hell I would get cake with my family watching my thighs. They’re on this get-Jamie-skinny mission.”
“I’d gladly watch your—” Alex suddenly cleared his throat and shook his head, as if physically trying to stop himself from saying the words. “Well, you guessed wrong on that.” Alex tossed her a plastic takeout box. “I got some to go.”
She shifted, warming at the sentence he didn’t finish. She eyed him as she slowly opened the box. Inside were several slices of chocolate cake. Had he been drinking? He seemed off. It threw her. She’d finally grown accustomed to being back to business only. She needed something to divert her attention from the handsome half-drunk hunk leaning against the counter beside her.
She stared at the layers of rich, delicious chocolate. “I owe you big time.” Jamie opened the box and took the fork Alex offered. She slipped it into a heavenly piece of cake. She paused before taking a bite. Guilt filled her. “No, I can’t. They’re right. I’ll just get fat again.”
“You can have some damn cake. I watch how hard you work out. A few extra calories won’t make you suddenly change that habit. Just eat some cake.” He motioned her to take a bite. When she didn’t, he leaned close and grabbed the fork from her hand, stealing the bite. “Wow! That is so good!” He closed his eyes as he savored the bite. He grinned as he handed the fork back to her.
Jamie dipped the fork again and slipped it into her mouth. The sweetness melted like butter inside her mouth, filling her tongue with sugary deliciousness. She almost moaned out loud.
“How’s the contract?”
She swallowed and licked her lips. “Almost finished.”
“I’ll make you some tea,” he offered. “Peppermint, right?”
“Sure,” she replied, stealing another bite. “Thank you.” She typed a few more sentences of the report while watching him take container after container of tea out of his cupboard.
A can of tea fell, clattering on the ground. Alex swore and reached to pick it up but it rolled towards Jamie’s feet.
She picked it up herself and raised an eyebrow at the label. “What’s Bitch Tea?”
Alex cleared his throat. “It’s, uh, just the name they give for this particular combination of herbs. It was given to me as a gag gift last Christmas.”
Jamie turned over the can to read the information on the back. She smirked. “It helps mood sw
ings during PMS?”
Alex took the can out of her hands and put it back in the cupboard. “I know it’s an offensive name.” He had the decency to blush. “And misleading. Apparently, you don’t turn into a bitch during your time of the month.” He smiled at her. “Actually, you’re never a bitch.”
“You should see my sister. She turns into the Hulk the second week of every month. Stay away.”
“Funny,” he said, grinning. “I thought she was always the Hulk.” He poured the hot water into a mug and set the tea smelling of peppermint down next to Jamie.
She took a sip and smiled. “Thanks.” Getting back to work, she worked silently as she finished up the contract. Took one more bit of the cake and mentally planned to put an extra half hour on the treadmill tomorrow morning before work. Ten minutes later, she saved her work. “It’s all done.” She closed the laptop and stood. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Please stay.” Alex stared at his glass now only holding ice, the whisky he’d poured himself long gone. “It’s nice to have a conversation that’s not a business meeting for ten minutes.”