“You’re not what?”
“Married. Tyler’s father and I’ve been divorced for two years. My ex decided he wanted out when Tyler was a year old. I guess that’s what I get for wanting the whole marriage thing at twenty-one.”
“How long were you married?”
“Three years.” Ryann couldn’t help noticing as she told Dirk about her ex that he appeared less pale. If anything, he seemed to be more comfortable being around her and Tyler.
“Sorry to hear that.”
She chuckled. “Don’t be. It’s worked out for the best, believe me. We have shared custody of Tyler, with Mack getting him for the entire weekend every other one, but my ex is good for getting out of it when he has other plans.”
“It must be hard on you, raising your son basically alone.”
She shrugged. “I’m not going to lie and say it’s all a cake walk.” Ryann quickly snagged the bottle of soya sauce Tyler had managed to grab off the table before he dumped it everywhere. “Having a three-year-old to chase after can be tiring. That’s why I’m really happy to work for you. I can spend more time with Tyler and not feel as though half my wages are going for a sitter.”
“Good save on the bottle,” Dirk said with a smile. “You were the best candidate for the position.” He glanced at Tyler. “Will he like anything here? We could have rescheduled for a better day. ”
“Thanks, and he’ll eat fried rice and noodles. No, it’s fine. You have no idea how much I’ve looked forward to this. I don’t get out to do a lot of adult things, so I don’t let the opportunity slip through my fingers when it comes along. I know, pretty pathetic, huh?”
Dirk chuckled. “Actually, no. I’ve been looking forward to this meeting as well. I feel as if I’ve known you for a long time through our phone conversations. And now that we’ve met, I also look forward to getting to know you even better.”
Ryann forgot to breathe as Dirk stared at her as if she were a piece of sushi on the menu. Her body instantly went up in flames, her pussy clenching, aching to be filled. It had been so long since she’d been intimate with a man. The last one she’d slept with had been her ex-husband. And having a guy like Dirk actually showing interest in her was waking her sex-starved body from its extended hibernation.
Her lungs protesting the lack of oxygen, Ryann let out her breath and yanked her gaze from Dirk’s. She focused on the menu in front of her. “So, do you see something that’s turning your crank more than others?” She realized what she’d just asked could be taken in another context, and quickly added, “I mean the food.”
“I know what you’re asking. Yes, there is.” Dirk paused. “And I don’t mean the food.”
Ryann jerked her head up to find Dirk giving her a sexy grin. Oh, shit. Was he hitting on her? Because if he were, she was so out of practice it wasn’t even funny. She racked her brain to think of something to say in return when Tyler reminded her she didn’t just have herself to think about.
“Mommy,” he whined. “I’m hungry.”
“I know, buddy,” she said. “I’ll order something for you in a minute.”
Dirk shifted his gaze to her son and held out his hand, palm up to him. “I never did say a proper hello to you, Tyler. I’m Dirk.”
Tyler smiled and slapped Dirk’s hand. “You’re a lot bigger than my daddy.”
Ryann groaned to herself. Tyler didn’t have a lot of interaction with the male gender, except for his father and grandfather, her father. So he tended to compare other men to his dad. If Dirk were interested in her, he didn’t need the constant reminder that she’d been married before. Some guys didn’t like the baggage an ex-husband entailed, especially one she’d had a child with. Not that she’d even dated a man since divorcing Mack. Raising Tyler had become her number one priority.
Dirk grinned at her son. “I am, am I?”
Tyler nodded. “Uh-huh. You’re super tall. I want to be really tall like you when I grow up.”
“Well, then you’d better make sure you eat lots of lunch to help make you grow.”
Tyler turned to Ryann. “Mommy, order me lots, so I’ll get bigger like Dirk.”
She laughed. “All right.”
Dirk filled out the slip of paper as she told him what she and Tyler wanted. Once a waitress grabbed it, silence reigned, except for the sound of Tyler playing with his toy car on top of the table, after she’d fished it out of her purse to keep him entertained.
“So—” she started.
“What—” Dirk said at the same time.
They both laughed. “You can go first,” she said.
“I just wanted to know what you would be up to tomorrow afternoon.”
“Nothing much. Why?” Ryann’s heart beat a little faster. Was this Dirk’s way of asking her out on a date? The idea that he might be sent a little thrill rushing through her. But then, he answered her and she felt a bit letdown, not that she let it show.
“I’ve decided you need to have a better computer. The one you said you have really isn’t up-to-date enough for the type of work you’ll be doing for me. At least, it won’t be fast enough. So I’ve decided that a new desktop comes with your job, at my expense. If you’ll be around tomorrow, I’ll buy one and bring it over. I’ll even set it up for you.”
“Really? You want to buy me a new computer?”
“Yes. I was thinking of an all-in-one with a twenty-three inch touch screen. I recently bought myself one and I love it. It’s nice not having a tower and a ton of cables to deal with.”
“I guess I can’t turn down one of those. And if for some unforeseeable reason I have to leave my position, I’ll be sure to give it back.”
Dirk shook his head. “No, it’s yours to keep.” His gaze met hers again, and Ryann felt as if she were falling into it. “Though I really can’t ever see letting you go.”
She stared back at Dirk, feeling as if his gaze were eating her up again. An ache throbbed deep inside her pussy. God, he turned her on with just one look. If they weren’t in the middle of a restaurant, and she didn’t have Tyler with her, Ryann would be so tempted to throw herself at him. Professionalism be damned. She wanted him. Wanted to have some hot, dirty sex with him, something she’d been sorely missing in her life. Sometimes she wanted to feel like a sexy woman, instead of a mommy. And she had a feeling Dirk would be more than willing to give her exactly what she longed for.
The first plates of their food arrived, and the spell that had taken her over, broke. While they ate, the conversation centered more on Dirk’s online dating service, which the whole lunch meeting had been originally planned for. Ryann kept an eye on Tyler, thankful the mess he made with his food wasn’t hers to clean up. And she had to hand it to Dirk—he didn’t bat an eye when some of Tyler’s rice ended up flung to his side of the table.
Even though Ryann considered herself a big eater, Dirk put her to shame. She had reached her limit long before he did. The last two rolls he’d ordered had just been placed on the table. He picked one piece up with his chopsticks and popped it into his mouth, sighing with pleasure. It sent of shiver of desire down her back. She wondered if he’d make the same sound in bed. She quickly pulled her thoughts from that topic before they got out of hand.
Dirk swallowed before he asked, “Are you sure you’ve had enough?”
She shook her head. “Definitely. I eat another bite and I’ll blow up, but you go ahead.”
He plucked up another piece. “Oh, I will. I’m addicted to this stuff. When I come here, I make sure I get more than my money’s worth.”
She laughed. “I bet you do. And I bet they’re happy to see you go.”
“Well, being so big,” Dirk winked at Tyler, “I have a healthy appetite.”