In the short time since she’d given her notice, too many of his thoughts had been regrets. He’d hidden his feelings for her for so long, he’d almost convinced himself that she didn’t fill him with want. He’d cursed the fact that she worked for his firm, which made her off-limits. Now, when his opportunity was finally here, when there would be no negative repercussions if he asked her out, he couldn’t. Not if he wanted to save a lot of jobs.
He didn’t even know if it mattered. She might have no interest in him. He was boring, serious, a drill sergeant. He’d heard the nicknames too often when his employees had thought they were alone. David had no reason to think Mia would want to see him now.
But he needed to know. Once and for all. If she laughed in his face, it would be a good thing. He’d be able to stop thinking about her, fantasizing about that beautiful body. That quick wit. What might have been. Sure it would hurt, but not forever.
He needed to know before he asked her to come back to the firm. Before it became a moot point. Again.
He checked his watch. If she didn’t show up within the next three minutes, it meant she was still hanging out at the bar with her new friend, and David would be wise to think about taking the next flight back to New York.
AS SOON AS JEFF LEFT, Mia drained her drink, and headed through the lobby toward the elevators. The first thing she was going to do was find out if David was registered at the hotel. If not, she’d call Suzie, an admin assistant who’d started with Pearson and Stern about the same time as Mia, and find out what the woman knew about why David was here. She was older and married with two children, and unlike most of the associates and admin staff at the firm, she had a life. Mia could trust Suzie to be discreet.
She didn’t make it to the elevators.
“Mia.” Suddenly David was right in front of her, a couple of feet away. If she’d turned left instead of right…
“David.” Her breath caught at the wedge of exposed chest hair where his tennis shirt came to a V. She’d never seen him without a tie. Not once. He was always impeccably dressed in his tailored suits, with his black hair perfect, his eyes so serious. “What are you doing here?”
“Vacation.”
“You never take vacations.”
“Not true.”
“Four-day weekends occasionally.”
He shrugged. “I needed some time off.”
“You’re right. This is good.” She cleared her throat as she looked away. Of course she felt discombobulated. That didn’t mean she had to show it. “Are you here with someone?”
“No, alone.” He smiled, faint lines fanning out at the corners of his brown eyes. “Not counting you.”
She tried to hide her unsteady hands in her pockets, fumbling with the folds of material until she remembered she had no pockets, not in the short halter dress she wore. So instead of disguising her nervousness, she’d drawn his attention to her legs. Her very pale legs.
“How about you?” he asked, lifting his gaze to hers. “Are you here with that guy in the bar?”
“Him? No.” She laughed dismissively. “With Lindsey and Shelby. I don’t think you know them.”
His mouth curved into another smile, and it stunned her how much it changed his face. The man had incredible dimples. His eyebrows lifted along with his grin, and he looked ten years younger.
“No, I don’t think you ever mentioned them,” he said.
She didn’t roll her eyes, although she wanted to. Of course he didn’t know them. Had they ever once discussed anything personal? Not for one hot second.
“Have you ever been here before?” he asked.
“A long time ago. For spring break.”
“Ah.” His slight frown confused her. “So you’d know some of the good restaurants? Hot spots?”
Mia pressed her lips together, wondering what strait-laced David Pearson considered a hot spot.
He was still smiling, and she was still trying to get used to it. “Assuming you were in any condition to remember.”
At that, she laughed. “Me?”
“Come on. Anyone who took off on spring break wasn’t there to crack the books.”
“Not even you?”
“Let’s say I have a few stories I won’t be telling my grandchildren.”
“Well, well, Mr. Pearson, I see you in a whole new light.”
He paused. “Good.” The slow sensual curve of his lips made her heart trip. And his eyes, good God, the way he looked at her, as if she were the only person in the lobby. She couldn’t speak. Could barely think. He was here alone…could that mean…this wasn’t real…she was making stuff up…
“Hey! I thought I’d find you in the bar.”
Coming from behind, Mia barely registered Shelby’s voice.
“Mia? Oh, I’m interrupting. Sorry.”
Mia blinked, glanced blearily at her friend. “Shelby. Hi.”
Shelby smiled. “Hi.” She swung a look at David, her eyes full of amused curiosity as she sized him up. “I’m Shelby.”
“David.” He politely offered his hand as if he were meeting a new client for the first time.
The moment was gone. What was left was the same David she had known for three years.
“You’re not interrupting. I was on my way up to the room,” Mia said with a small shrug.
“Yeah, um…” Her gaze skittered briefly toward David then back to Mia. “Someone left you a message.”
“Who?”
“It’s about dinner.”
“Already?” The word slipped out as she was unable to contain her surprise. Refusing to look at David, Mia’s eyes met Shelby’s. “This couldn’t have waited?”
“Lindsey’s out shopping and just texted.” Shelby’s mouth lifted in a sly smile. “She may be having company.”
“Oh.” Mia frowned, paused. “Oh,” she repeated with enthusiasm. Lindsey had been certain her guy wouldn’t show up. “Good.” She sent an apologetic glance at David, and then a more probing one at Shelby, who gave a small sad shake of her head.
“Look, I’m the one who’s interrupting,” David said, taking a step back. “Maybe I’ll see you around.”
“No, wait.” Great. Now what? They both faced Mia, waiting expectantly. “Let’s all have dinner,” she said, shocked at what had just come out of her mouth. Yet she’d feel awful deserting Shelby on their first night here. “David, Shelby, join Jeff and me. I’m sure he won’t mind.”
3
“ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THIS?” Shelby asked when she and Mia approached the designated restaurant two minutes early and saw that David was waiting outside. “He’s absolutely gorgeous.”
“If you ask me one more time, I swear I’ll…” Mia finished with an exasperated grunt. The closer they got, the yummier he looked in crisp khakis and a white button-down shirt open at the neck. She hoped tonight wasn’t a mistake, but she couldn’t stand to think of Shelby