I’d been repeatedly asking myself what the hell I was doing in the last ten minutes since I got into Luke Hedenby’s town car.

I still wasn’t sure. 

I had stopped by my desk to grab my purse the same time Jillian messaged me, prompting me about our usual lunch routine.

Jillian Dane: What do you mean you’re going out for lunch with Mr. H?

Maxine Moss: Informal engagement interview. I just happen to be available for lunch when he needed to do it.

Jillian Dane: Hmm.. Wasn’t born yesterday. Anything I should know?

Maxine Moss: If there is, I don’t know it myself. I’m sure it’s nothing.

Jillian Dane: You’re obviously not getting fired if he’s taking you out for lunch. Is he into you? He’s kind of a player, you know?

Maxine Moss: His rep shouldn’t be relevant to me. And we shouldn’t discuss him like this. What if IT tracks this chat?

Jillian Dane: I am IT. Duh. OK, go. We’ll talk later. Order the priciest dish. =P

Jillian’s probing made me change my mind right then and there and I started telling myself I was only going out to meet him at his car to tell him that this wasn’t a good idea. The moment he smiled at me though when I slipped into the backseat next to him, I faltered.

Yes.

Maxine-Made-Of-Stone-Moss faltered in the very attractive face of a decidedly heart-stopping grin from an unrepentant ladies’ man.

This should’ve really warned me.

The fact that I was stepping over my usual boundaries—the same ones that saved me every time in my entire twenty-three years of my life—should’ve clued me in. 

“So we can go to Pepe’s for lunch,” he said as his driver, whom he introduced as Terrence, took a sharp right turn that had me bumping against Luke. He instinctively put a hand on the small of my back to steady me, his hand’s imprint burning a patch straight down to my skin. Luke didn’t seem to notice as he lifted his hands away as soon as I was upright. 

“They make the best fresh pizza in town and then we can grab some eclairs for Peggy,” he added.

I could only nod. “That sounds good.”

“Terrence loves their sausage and mushroom calzone, don’t you, Terr?” he asked his driver who nodded vigorously before glancing over his shoulder at us. 

“The. Best. Ever. Hands down,” the young man said before turning back to the road. 

I smiled and glanced at Luke who was grinning as well. “I’ll make sure to order that now.”

“I always order two so you can split the second with me if you like, Ms. Moss,” the driver continued. “You might want to try the puttanesca, too. That’s Luke’s favorite.”

“Don’t worry, I already ordered a bunch of different things for us,” Luke said as we pulled up in front of a sophisticated restaurant with red and gold-striped awnings, a front patio already packed with lunches and the name Pepe’s embossed in black and gold script above the door. 

He stepped out of the car and walked over to my side to open the door for me even though I was already about to let myself out on my own. 

“Here’s so you don’t feel so self-conscious about your outfit,” Luke said as he slipped off his suit’s dark gray jacket and draped it over my shoulders. 

I opened my mouth to say I couldn’t possibly let him but my fingers automatically curled on the lapels as I pulled the jacket tighter around me. It was warm and smelled of his light, clean scent.

“Now, come on, you two,” he said, his hand resting on what seemed to be its favorite spot on the small of my back. Terrence locked the car and followed right behind us.

I was surprised when one of the servers seated us into a booth somewhere in the back and Terrence settled in easily to my left, carrying a small pile of spring-bound handbooks.

“I’ll be right back with your drinks and the bruschetta,” the server wearing a tag that said Janine told us with a broad smile before walking away.

“So, Terr, what’s this week’s report on?” Luke said as Terrence took out a notepad and a pen from his jacket. 

“1984 by George Orwell,” Terrence replied. “We’re experimenting with the dystopian future theme. It’s all about imagination because there’s no real experience to base it on. I need to write a short story of a purely imagined dystopian society and the goal is to still be able to bridge that future with the current reality. How do we make it such a different world but also relatable and possible from the perspective of someone who lives in a time thirty-fifty years before this future?”

Eyes wide and immensely curious, I watched the exchange between Luke and his driver.

The two were discussing a contemporary lit classic like they were college buddies.

When Luke caught my eye, he smiled. “What do you think of Big Brother, Max?”

I wrinkled my nose as he and Terrence both looked at me. “I think he’s a nosy son of a bitch but that’s just my opinion.”

The two men laughed and Terrence scribbled something down on his notepad. 

“Terrrence is taking creating writing classes in the evening and on weekends,” Luke explained just as Janine came back with our drinks and appetizers. “He wants to become a novelist. I’ve read some of his stuff. It’s pretty good. His writing career looks bright.”

I grinned and looked up at Terrence who was smiling proudly while also trying to keep his expression modest. “Really, Terrence? Wow, that’s awesome. Have you finished a book? Can I read it?”

He blushed. “I have a manuscript or two. I’ll give you a copy to read if you don’t mind wasting your time on it. It’s still a bit amateurish.”

“He’s his biggest critic,” Luke said as he popped a piece of bread into his mouth. “It’s good. He started a series about an assassin priest. He’s on book four now and I’ve read all of them but he doesn’t want me to help him publish it. He said he’ll only do it when a lit agency offers him solely for it solely on its merit.”

The half hour we spent on lunch was filled with a huge array of Pepe’s famed dishes where Luke and Terrence both campaigned for their own personal favorites with me. We talked about Terrence’s novels and our own all-time favorite books. The entire time we were sitting there talking like old friends, I secretly marvelled at the boss and driver treating each other like brothers, making jabs at each other but also getting along quite well. It was as unexpected as finding out Peggy was Luke’s secretary.

I reminded him of his promise to tell me about her and Terrence just looked at him and chortled which Luke responded to with a roll of his eyes.

“Peggy’s mom was our housekeeper,” he explained. “They lived with us and to save up some money for college, Peggy worked as my nanny when she was only fifteen. Apparently, she was the only one who could keep me from throwing a tantrum. Ask her and she’ll tell you all about it. Anyway, she stayed as my nanny until I was about seven. My Dad got her a job in the company and she still saw me every weekend, especially after my Mom died when I was ten. I stole her from my Dad’s admin team when I started working for the company. He’s still pissed off about it but he either had to let her do it or she would’ve resigned. Neither of us can live without her so he let me keep her.”

“Peggy is the sweetest woman you’ll ever meet,” Terrence added with an energetic nod of agreement. “I delivered pizza to Luke’s house one day and Peggy answered. She spent over half an hour talking to me about my book and I got delayed doing all my other deliveries so I got fired. She showed up a week later at my apartment and told me that I was hired as Luke’s personal driver and I have the evenings and weekends free to go to school and pursue my writing.”

Since Peggy had everyone’s vote, we ordered her a big box of eclairs before leaving.

I had attempted to pay my share of lunch but Luke looked really offended when I pulled my wallet out that Terrence just laughed and patted me on the shoulder with a gentle advice to put my money away before Luke got really grumpy.

Instead of getting into the car, Luke led me along a row of high-end boutiques that lined the block next to Pepe’s while Terrence made his way back to the car with a reminder to call him when we were ready.

I had never personally shopped at any of the exclusive brand boutiques on this side of downtown because I was still as cautious as I’d been in college, only buying from discount stores to stretch my last penny as far as it could go, even with a seductively steady pay check. Luke had to drag me through the door so we could buy me some replacement clothes.

There wasn’t much time left to our lunch break so I quickly picked through the rack and selected the cheapest item on a hanger which was still easily ten times the cost of my entire ruined outfit.

Luke gave me a dubious look when I handed the blouse and skirt to the sales clerk who brought them to the fitting room.

“The collar looks like your dog shredded it,” he said as he gently caught my elbow as I was about to follow the clerk. “Are you sure about it? There are tons of other better-looking tops on display.”

As much as I wanted to agree with him on the shredded status of the top, I was determined to get the least expensive item I could find if only to relieve me of my conscience.

I shrugged. “It’s good enough. She said it’s the latest trend. You heard her.”

He raised a brow at me. “To hell with the latest trend. It’s awful. Pick something else.”

“It’s fine,” I insisted. “I shouldn’t even be letting you do this, you know? I told you I’m fine.”

“Do it for my own peace of mind, okay?” he asked gently, smiling at me. “It would help me sleep tonight knowing that I have compensated for my despicable behavior this morning—although I don’t regret it.”

I barely held back a scoff. “Really?”

“Well, only the part about meeting up with Tracy,” he said with a wince before glancing at me again, his gaze brightening. “But I’m definitely not complaining about running into you. You looked like an adorable mess.”

I shot him a glare. “A soggy dinner roll isn’t adorable and pointing it out to a crowd doesn’t help either.”

“I kind of forgot myself when I said hi to you,” he admitted, biting his lower lip and playfully flicking a button on his suit jacket that he insisted I wear again as we stepped out after lunch. “And no, you didn’t look like a soggy dinner roll—more like a drowned cat—glowering, snarling and looking scraggly.”

My cheeks heated and awkwardly tucked my hair behind my ear. “Yes, well, I get scraggly when I let my hair air-dry. I could put it up in a ponytail if it’s that much of an eye sore.”

He caught my hand just as I started grabbing a thick section of my hair to gather it together. “No, don’t. I like it this way.”

“What way?” I retorted even though I did let my hand drop. I wasn’t comfortable with this urge to care about what he thought. “The drowned cat way?”

He released my hand and caught a springy lock of my hair. “The sexy-just-woke-up kind of way especially with your face scrubbed clean of make up and your cheeks all rosy.”

I decided that if Luke really intended to flatter a girl, he would use a more polished, more sophisticated compliment so I gave him the benefit of the doubt that he wasn’t really hitting on me. But the effect, I think, would’ve been about the same. My stomach fluttered and my breath caught, dammit.

Instead of feeling all floaty in his flattery, I grew more self-conscious. Sure, my cheeks were all pink right now from the slight chill in the air but they were probably about the only pretty thing on my face right now. With only the slightest dusting of pressed powder, the shadows of my eyes would show, my pores would look like mini-craters and the few little pink dots of blemishes on my face would not earn me a beauty campaign. I was usually happy with how I looked because I was luckier than some but bare-faced in front of a guy who wasn’t just my boss but also happened to be supremely charming  was a huge drain on my never-overflowing well of confidence. I wasn’t used to this attention and God help me because despite feeling a bit inadequate, I actually kind of liked it.

“I’m calling you pretty, Max, just in case all of that description didn’t sink in,” Luke said after a moment, his eyes sparkling and his lips turned up in a knowing smile. 

Our eyes met and for a long moment, I groped mentally for something to say to break the spell—before I did something completely insane like grab his face and plant my clumsy kiss on his smiling mouth.

“Miss, do you still want to try the clothes on?” the clerk’s voice prompted from behind me and I tore my gaze away from Luke to find the woman looking at us almost impatiently. 

She had started out real friendly when we came in, batting her eyelashes at Luke so much I wanted to ask her if she were alright, but now her mouth was set in a thin line.

If Luke noticed, he didn’t show. 

“Uh, yes, please,” I said as I levelled him a warning look when he seemed amused at my temporary daze. 

I plucked a silky, cranberry red blouse with small, delicate ruffles that ran downy he line of the buttons in front and Luke nodded in approval.

“Follow me, please,” the clerk said, leading me to the fitting room.

I quickly changed out of my clothes and tried on the set. The sleek, black pencil skirt balanced the sweet, romantic look of the blouse and matched the black leather kitten-heel pumps I wore.

I was about to slip out of the clothes when Luke’s voice sounded behind the door. “Come on out,” he said. “I want to see you.”

“It’s all good. I’m happy with it.”

“Max, I want to see you,” he insisted, almost sounding like a little boy. “Please?”

I blew out a breath and pulled the door open.

His face lit up with a grin as he backed up a step to take a good look at me.

“You really are quite lovely,” he said with a nod.

I rolled my eyes because I didn’t quite know how to handle that additional praise. “Minus the hair and everything else, this outfit looks great.”

He wrinkled his nose in exaggerated deliberation although his eyes were bright with humor. “Nah. You’re perfect.”

Before I could recover from that simple statement, he turned to the retail clerk. “We’ll take it. We also need a coat. Maybe you can show us some of the best options you have available.”

We made it out of there after nearly half an hour.

Luke insisted I wear my new outfit, which he completed with a light, salmon-pink spring coat and a black folding umbrella. I really didn’t want to wear it because it all looked so pretty and new but I still had half a day to get through and I wanted to feel a little more composed than I did this morning. It bothered me a little that I was wearing clothes my boss purchased for me but I justified it with the simple fact that I had put up any resistance, we wouldn’t have made it back to the office in time. Besides, it seemed to make him really happy seeing me wear it that I decided it was worth the trouble. If it were me making up for a reckless mistake, I’d feel that much better, too, so I let that be the bigger picture and let it go.

“You look great, Max,” Terrence said when he greeted us outside at the car.

I smiled. “Thank you.”

“Shut your mouth close, Terr,” Luke said with a snort. “You’re drooling.”

“As if you don’t agree,” Terrence shot back, rolling his eyes at Luke who held the door open for me. “Come on. Play time’s over. Let’s get both of you back to work.”

We spent the short ten-minute drive back talking easily.

When Terrence drove us into Luke’s private spot in the building parked, I tensed as I thought of how exactly to explain my extra-long lunch and new outfit to peoples who were sure to ask.

“I’ll email Theodora to tell her I grabbed you right after your lunch for that informal engagement interview,” Luke said as if he sensed my thoughts. “Then I’ll do one with her and a fe other people between the industry updates. I should have a fifteen-minute gap between each of them. I’m just going to grab some random people on their way back from the meetings.”

“Sounds good,” I answered hollowly, swallowing against my anxiety.

His brows furrowed as he looked at me intently. “Hey. You alright?”

I nodded even though I tightened my grip on my purse. “Yup. I’m very engaged. I love my job. It has its challenges but I’m really happy with it.”

Luke smiled and raised a brow. “And why are you telling me that?”

“So you actually get something out of what could just be a mere alibi,” I reasoned. “I don’t like lying. Or making stuff up. But this is an unusual situation so I kind of get it. But if you truly care, I do want you to know that you have a great company and I think it’s going in the right direction and I’m happy to be along for the ride.”

This time, Luke beamed. “Thank you, Max.”

Uncomfortable at his overly pleased reaction, I added in haste, “But maybe you should consider better options for the cafeteria because the food quality there sucks right now. And better transparency on corporate communication. We can make it sound nice and fluffy all we like but nothing resonates better than honesty.”

I bit down on my lip and groaned a little, realizing I probably didn’t really have to tell Luke all that but I smiled lamely when he just laughed out loud and put his hand over the first I had curled on my knee. 

“Hey, it’s all good, Max,” he said, giving my hand a light squeeze. “And you’re right. This no-bullshit approach is so much more effective because now you have my attention.”

I wrinkled my nose. “I have too much of it now, I think.”

He grinned. “It’s a healthy dose, don’t worry.”

“I’ll reserve opinion on that,” I said, doing my best to look away so I didn’t get that floaty feeling whenever he gazed at me with such devastating charm. “Again, thank you for the clothes. You didn’t have to but thank you.”

He didn’t look like he took my word for it but he smiled graciously. “No, thank you for letting me assuage my guilt. I’ll sleep better tonight.”

“Not if you keep hopping into bed with women capable of murderous rage.”

He winced even though his smile didn’t fade. “I’ll do my best to avoid that.”

I laughed and just shook my head as the car came to a stop. “Come on, boss. Time to go back to work.”

“I’ll see you in the industry update later?” he asked just as Terrence turned off the engine. 

“Yeah. I’m on the third group, I think.” I handed him the box of eclairs I’d been safe-keeping. “Here, please give this to Peggy. I’m sure she’ll enjoy them so much. They were pretty decadent.”

“I’ll tell her they’re from you.”

They were from me—they were the only thing Luke allowed me to pay for—but there was no need for her to know. “Please, don’t tell her. I don’t want her to think I’m bribing her.”

He scrunched up his forehead in confusion. “Why would she think you’re bribing her?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Don’t your stalkers do that? Bribe your secretary so she’d put in a good word for them or so they can score some lone time with you or something?”

Luke threw his head back laughing. “You think I have stalkers? And that they’d bribe Peggy to be with me?”

I suddenly felt embarrassed at my supposition. “I don’t know what I’m talking about, okay? Just give them to her and tell her to enjoy them. That’s all.”

“Aw, Max,” Luke said after he slowed down his chuckles. “It’s cute that you think people would try to do that. To be honest, I never thought about it but if they ever did, I probably wouldn’t know because Peggy wouldn’t put up with that kind of crap and she would never tell me if she’d sent someone away. She’s as protective as a mother dog. She’ll bare her fangs at anyone who tries to take advantage of me.”

“While I’m sure she wouldn’t appreciate being compared to a canine, I’m sure you’re you’re right,” I said with a mild snort. “Anyway, just don’t tell her, okay? I’ve got to go now.”

“I’ll bring you the manuscripts tomorrow, Max,” Terrence said with a grin after he walked around to my door to open it. “I hope you like them.”

“I’m sure I will, Terrence,” I told him as I stepped out of the car at the same time Luke did. “Thanks again for lunch. I had a lot of fun.”

He winked. “Anytime, Max.”

Luke stepped in front of me just as Terrence went to get his stuff out of the car. He was pouting. 

“Wasn’t I the one who paid for lunch?” he complained. “I won’t settle for anything less than a thank-you hug and kiss.”

I laughed at his audacity. “Dream on, Mr. Hedenby. Thank you for lunch and the clothes and everything but you haven’t quite earned enough points for a hug and kiss.”

HIs expression brightened. “Oh, I think you just issued me a challenge I won’t dare back down from, Ms. Moss. I’ll get that hug and kiss, don’t you doubt it.”

The suggestive undertone in that totally cheesy, over-used statement still prompted a shiver down my spine, because I was ridiculous like that, and I did my best to ignore it no matter who sexy he looked right now with that lopsided, teasing smile.

I rolled my eyes and started for the door with an elevator sign on it. “Hugging and kissing one’s boss is considered bad form, you know, from both sides. I’ll behave if I were you.”

“Never,” was all he said with a wink before he stepped out of my way. “I’ll see you later, Max”

“See you later, Luke,” I said with a reluctant smile before waving at Terrence. “Bye, Terr!”

I really didn’t know where I was going as I stepped through the door and found a hall that housed an elevator.

I punched in my floor and while waiting inside the metal box, I replayed the last hour or so in my mind.

I couldn’t wipe the silly smile off my face to save my life.