“Save the charm Romeo. I don't want it and I certainly don't need it.”
“Lena I think you're wrong there.” he paused, “If anyone could benefit from some charm it’d be you.”
Lena watched him as he turned to the hostess, trying to decide if the smug bastard had just complimented her or insulted her. She decided it had to be a veiled insult because that’d been their weapon of choice from the very beginning. After conversing with the woman behind the stand he turned back to her and inclined his head a little.
“Well come on through Lena and I’ll show you our table.”
Lena heard one of the ladies behind her sigh and she rolled her eyes at the absurdity of their simpering. Mason caught her look and raised his eyebrows as if to ask, what? As if he didn't know what the two sighing idiots behind her were thinking. She brushed past him muttering, “Oh I bet you're loving this.” She heard him chuckle as he followed her. He led them through the main dining room, over to the frosted double doors then when she stopped he moved around her pushing one of the doors open to the kitchen. He kept it like that with his hip as she raised an eyebrow at him.
“We're eating in the kitchen?”
“No.” he stated and she walked through cautiously watching the bustling activity going on back there. Just remember she told herself, the sooner I arrive the sooner I can leave.
There were waiters running in and out a door at the far end. Three men behind a stainless steel pass, where a series of grills lined the back wall, were tossing food in fry pans and yelling at each other all the while smiling and going about their business like a well oiled machine. Over in another corner Lena spotted a short lady in a bright purple chef smock and a hot pink bandana. Just then the lady glanced right at them grinned then winked at Mason. Great. Another groupie in our midst, Lena thought looking back up at Mason.
“So if not here, where?”
He walked down the aisle directly in front of him then made a left turn. Lena followed until they finally came to a standstill in a narrow hall. He leaned against the wall facing her as she came to a standstill on the opposite side. She looked at the closed door then back at him. “So we're eating in there?”
He nodded then grinned, “Yep.”
Trying not to look at him as though he was the most idiotic man on the planet she asked. “Let me get this straight. I left my office to come down here and eat dinner in your office?”
Lena stepped back as he pushed himself off the wall and moved toward her. Two steps forward and he was close enough that his shirt brushed the front of hers. She sucked in a quick breath and was now standing with her back pushed up against the wall. Not one to be intimidated she tilted her head up to face him and watched as the left side of his mouth pulled up in a smirk. “Do you ever have anything nice to say?” he asked, his voice dipping down low enough to make Lena’s pulse pick up. She swallowed once trying not to notice the way his tone was slowly melting her resistance.
“What can I say?” she paused, licked her bottom lip, then continued, “You bring out the best in me.”
Leaning down closer to her he moved to the side at the last moment and grabbed the door handle pushing it open. Slowly taking a step back he ushered her inside. When she managed to catch her breath she moved past him and heard him say. “Now why do I doubt that?”
Mason watched as she marched into his office still stiff as a board. For a moment there he’d noticed her eyes widen and her breath catch when he’d moved in a little closer than necessary. He wondered whether it was because she couldn’t stand the thought of him touching her or if it was because she wanted him too touch her. Somehow, he thought looking at her as she stopped in front of his desk then looked back at him with an expression of, well? He concluded it was the former. Just to irritate her further he smiled wide and walked in shutting the door with a definite click as the lock sounded. He noticed her eyes narrow on his hand then she turned back around and took a seat in the chair opposite his. Walking around his desk he sat down as she took inventory of his office. Sure this wasn’t what he’d originally planned. He had only come here to grab his jacket at first. However, when she’d turned on the snotty attitude he’d changed his mind and thought, let the games begin.
“So do you conduct all your first dates in such a formal manner Mason?” she asked bringing her gaze back to rest on him. “Or in here would you prefer it if I call you Mr. Langley?”
Rocking back on his chair Mason laughed and watched her as she put her purse down on the floor. “Oh so you do have a sense of humor hiding somewhere under that suit of armor?”
“I was actually being serious but I think I’ll stick with Langley. Mr implies you’re a gentleman,” she paused, “Suit of armor?”
He looked her over from head to toe. “You know? That outfit designed to deter me from seeing you as a woman. Buttoned up from waist to neck and pants covering any skin available.” he paused then sat forward, “I hate to be the one to break it to you Lena but it does the exact opposite. It just makes me want to know what’s under there and how I can get to it.”
Lena had made a promise to herself that there was no way she would ever sleep with Mason Langley. However, as she sat there with her legs crossed and a desk between them she felt an ache start to form deep down inside. His words, spoken in that deep honeyed tone, slid right under her skin and kept playing on repeat as she stared at him, speechless. As the silence seemed to echo through the small space she realized he was waiting for her to say something. Finally pulling herself together she swallowed trying to moisten her dry throat and instead of acknowledging his seductive comment she blurted out. “I Googled you.”
He sat back bringing his left foot up to rest his ankle on his right knee. “Did you? Well I guess you have me at a disadvantage. I don't even know your last name.”
For a moment Lena stared at him in shock then she felt her face morph to disbelief that he didn't know her last name and that she’d never told him! Here she was sitting in a tiny room, make that a tiny locked room! On a date, with a man who hadn't even asked her last name. The sooner I arrive the sooner I can leave, she repeated to herself.
“Is that really a requirement for you? Obviously it wasn't that important since you still don't know it.”
Expecting some kind of apology Lena was shocked when he shrugged, “No. I don't care either way.” Before she could come back with an equally degrading reply he went on. “So what did you learn from Google, Lena?” Sitting back in the chair again he watched her with laughter in his eyes.
“I figured out that there are at least thirty-three very unintelligent women roaming the streets of Chicago.” she finally grinned at him and he stopped rocking the chair abruptly. He sat up straight and rested his long forearms on the desk. She couldn't help but glance at them, then she looked back up to meet his steady gaze. He smiled slowly and his dimples appeared.
“I don't know what you mean by that but from the unholy grin on your face, it had to be a great insult. I'm just sorry I don't understand.”
Standing up he came around the desk and stepped in front of it then leaned back resting against it.
“Maybe you should Google it?”
Suddenly he leaned down and grabbed the sides of the chair she was sitting in bringing them almost nose to nose. “Maybe you should tell me your last name.”