Page 19 of Business Casual

“I hope your decision doesn’t have anything to do with me. I realize we kind of barged in on your celebration. I’m sorry about that. I don’t want you to feel like you can’t enjoy yourself while I’m around.”

“I love having you around,” I blurted out in a rush.

Shit.

“I mean I’ve really enjoyed your company tonight. Getting to know you better has been the highlight of this celebratory evening,” I elaborated, covering my earlier admission. “I switched to water because I’m feeling good right now. I think one more drink might push me over into tipsy territory.”

“We don’t want that.” He ordered two waters and as he sat down, his knee brushed against mine.

A chill ran down my spine.

I shook it off. “No, we really don’t. When I get tipsy, I start singing. When I get drunk, I start performing.” I shook my head. “You just met me. You don’t want to see me in that light.”

He opened his mouth like he was about to say something, but he stopped himself. Instead, he smirked.

“What?” I asked.

“Just a thought that crossed my mind.” He thanked the bartender and then turned his attention back to me.

“And what crossed your mind?” I pressed.

“I was just thinking that I’d want to see you in any light.”

Holding his gaze, I felt the butterflies swirl in my gut. “Be careful saying stuff like that to me because it feels like you’re flirting.”

“Is it flirting if it’s the truth?”

“It’s flirting if you’re looking at me like that while you’re saying it.”

“And how am I looking at you?”

I gave him my sexiest, most smoldering look. “Like this.”

He cracked up. “Is that how you think I look?”

I nodded. “Like that, but better.”

“Do it again?”

I repeated my imitation of him to his amusement.

“You wild for that! That don’t look or sound anything like me.”

I did it a third time. “You wild for that,” I mimicked. “It’s hard being this sexy.”

“Yooooooooo!” He laughed so hard he started coughing. He took a long sip of his water and then he shook his head. “You’re funny. I like that.”

I smirked. “I like that you like that.”

His eyes pinged over my face. “I’m starting to think that maybe you’re the one flirting with me.”

“You flirted first.”

“Ah!” He held up a finger. “So, you admit that you were flirting?”

“I admit nothing,” I said with a giggle. “You flirted first.”

“So, you’re as stubborn as you are beautiful.”

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