The next morning Grace decided that it was business as usual, and she put on her best black pinstripe pantsuit while telling herself that her professional appearance would help her appear competent and someone worth trusting. Next, she put on her heels, which added two inches to her height, then she pulled her hair back at the nape of her neck, before placing her glasses firmly on the bridge of her nose.

Now she stood before the mirror as she once again talked herself out of putting on one of her pretty little sundresses and letting her hair down so that she would appear more feminine, but a glance at the clock told her she had no more time left, so she grabbed her satchel and purse and raced out the door.

When she entered the restaurant, which was just around the corner from where she lived, she saw Bryce sitting at a table alone, looking at his phone. He was completely unaware of the glances he was getting from the waitresses behind the counter. He must have just arrived because they were fighting over who would get to wait on his table.

Grace couldn't help but watch the drama unfold. The two older ones gave up first so that it eventually came down to the two younger ones. There was a very hushed but heated conversation that a young redhead won, and Grace watched as she walked over to the table and smiled at Bryce.

He glanced up from his phone and gave her a polite smile, motioning to his cup before glancing around the restaurant, his eyes eventually landing on Grace. His gaze slowly traveled from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, but there was nothing other than recognition on his face.

The waitress followed his gaze and frowned when she saw Grace.

Grace gave a polite smile of her own by way of a greeting as she moved towards the booth, and she tried not to shiver as his gaze never left her.

"Bryce," she greeted as she sat.

"Grace."

When the waitress offered her coffee, she declined and asked for water instead.

"I bet that happens to you all the time." Grace nodded to the retreating waitress.

"What happens to me all the time?" He pocketed his phone, waiting for her to continue.

"Waitresses fighting over you." Grace picked up a menu studying it, suddenly embarrassed that she had even mentioned it, afraid that it made her sound jealous; which she wasn't.

Bryce only shrugged in response, he wasn't easily embarrassed nor did he try to deny it. He was a man who knew his effect on women, and for some reason, Grace found the thought upsetting.  Generally, men who knew they were attractive and thought they were God's gift turned her off, but the opposite seemed to be true with Bryce.

If she was fair, he hadn't acted like he was God's gift, and he hadn't even noticed the waitresses, a little voice in Grace's head reminded her. She pushed it aside, she needed some defense against this man and tagging him with an over-inflated ego would be the easiest thing to believe.

"You look lovely this morning." Bryce smiled his most charming smile, but once again it didn't quite reach his eyes.

Grace gave a calm little smile, glad that he had made the blanket statement with no real sincerity.

"You look nice yourself." She nodded towards his suit and tie, returning the compliment, but Grace couldn't help but be sincere.  He did look very nice.

"Oh, this old thing, I just threw it on," he said, giving her a glimpse of a sense of humor that she had no interest in acknowledging afraid that he would think she was trying to flirt with him.

"Look Bryce, can I be honest?"

He was watching her, his face passive, "Please, it will make a nice change." He thanked the waitress as she delivered their drinks.

"I'm sorry if I seem blunt or lacking a certain social grace by doing this, but I'm not good at games, and I don't like them. I'm a relatively honest and straightforward person." She took a sip of water before coming straight to the point. "The Archaeology department wants to do a dig on your land in Kent. It is believed, by a number of my colleagues, myself included, that there is an important pre-Roman historic site on your land."

He took a sip of his coffee, watching her, and she could tell she had his attention. "Where on my land, I have a lot of it you know?" The same statement given by anyone else would have sounded like bragging, but from Bryce, it sounded like fact.

"Yes, I know.  We would have to survey the property then we would make a few educated guesses and go from there." She was trying not to blush at his intense stare.

"When?"

"In late June, when the semester is finished."

He looked out of the window, considering it.

"Who would be doing the work?"

"Initially it would be me and a few others from the department, but if something is found, we will bring in more people, most likely students."

"And where will you stay while all of this is happening?"

"We would stay either in the local hotel or in tents on your property."

"You in a tent?" He seemed amused by the thought.

"I assure you I'm used to it. I've lived in a tent for a number years when you add it all together."

His phone chirped, and he pulled it out to look at it, typing a message in response as he rose from the booth.

"Fine, but you won't dig until you get approval from me on the sites, and I will have to insist that you and your team stay in the house. There is no sense in camping out when there is more than enough room in my home.  If you do find a place to dig, and you have to call in more people, we will discuss where to house them then."

Grace couldn't contain her excitement, and it showed in her smile. He was a generous man to suggest that they all stay in the comfort of his home. 

He considered her for a moment. "I'll allow for you and two others to do the initial groundwork and no more."

He held out his hand to her to seal the deal, and Grace rose quickly, taking it in hers, feeling once again the calluses on his palm. She couldn't resist as she slid her hand under his turning his palm up and looking at the rough surface.

"Are you a palm reader Grace?" He spoke very softly, his voice deep and husky.

She dropped his hand quickly as if she had been shocked, clenching hers into a fist. "Sorry." She sat back down, missing the fact that, he too, had curled his hand into a fist

"Tell Clive I am sorry I missed him.  He has my contact information." He was all business as if the moment had never happened. "Please let me know the date that you and your team plan to arrive so I can let my staff know."

His staff, Grace thought. That put her in her place.

"Thank you. I will." This time it was her voice that was husky.

He placed a handful of bills on the table, and then he put one hand on the back of her seat and leaned down towards her. Grace froze at his closeness. She could smell his warm, clean scent and feel the heat from his body. She held back a shiver, and she didn't dare turn her head.  She knew if she did his face would be right in front of her.

"It's a shame you don't like to play games, Grace Winston. I think we could have had some real fun.  Let me know if you change your mind." His breath tickled her ear, and then he was gone.

Grace felt cold after he had left like he had taken some of the heat from the room with him. She sat in the booth, numb, waiting for Clive to arrive, hoping that Bryce would have some business that would keep him away from his home this coming summer.

She mentally shook herself as Clive entered the restaurant. She doubted that Bryce Stevens would even remember her tomorrow, much less next week.

"Did we both beat Bryce?" Clive asked, sitting down looking at his watch. "He's generally on time."

"No, he was here," Grace said softly.

Clive's eyes jerked to look at her.

Grace was having serious doubts about leading the dig.  Her first response had been excitement, but now something was telling her to run as fast and as far as she could.  Grace always listened to that voice; she had since she was a small child and it had saved her skin more than once.

"What happened?" Clive motioned for the waitress.

"He agreed to allow myself and two others to search for a dig site." Grace continued filling him in as he ordered breakfast.

He was nodding his approval when she finished. "Excellent, well-done Grace."

"I think I should allow one of the others to take my place," Grace blurted out, her sense of unease had grown as she was talking to Clive.

"No, Bryce is a stickler.  You said you were leading the team right?"

Grace nodded.

"Then you have to lead the team.  If you back out now he'll back out as well.  You've made the deal; you're stuck."

Grace slumped into her seat staring morosely out of the window. What had she agreed to?  She had a feeling that she had made a deal with the devil.

Clive grinned at her. "Relax, Bryce is generally good at reading women's signals. Not that I think he has ever gotten any negative ones, but there is always a first. Your virtue should be safe."

Grace shot him a look of shock and surprise that he had read her so easily.

"I have yet to meet that lady that was not affected by Bryce Stevens.  Although, I have never met one who was afraid of him before."

"I am not afraid!" Grace sat up straight.

Clive grinned again.  "Yes you are, and it's because you're a smart lady and realize that he can do some serious damage. You're an all or nothing at all kind of lady and Bryce is a use them and leave them kind of guy. Maybe you'll get lucky, and Cybil will distract him for you."

Cybil Pafford was a fellow archaeologist who, like Grace, specialized in the pre-Roman era and would have to be included on the dig.

Grace gave a weak smile, not in the least bit comforted by that thought.

Clive sipped his coffee watching Grace; secretly his money was on Grace.  Bryce was a smart man and recognized quality when he saw it, and Grace was quality, she was a beautiful woman.  He had always thought so, and if he wasn't happily married, he might have chased her himself. She had thick black curly hair, tawny colored eyes, and the palest creamiest skin.  She had class written all over her. She was always polite, never had a mean thing to say about anyone, and most people were warmed by her presence. He had witnessed a few stodgy old professors cave to her smile.

"Well, I have another meeting." Clive looked at his watch again.

Grace nodded and stood, taking out her money.

"No worries." Clive fingered the money that Bryce had left on the table. "It looks as if breakfast was on Bryce." He slung his arm around Grace's shoulder and squeezed her. "Now, I have been ordered to invite you round for dinner this weekend..."