like Jefferson Killen was a demanding taskmaster, but also like he treated his people well.
Dane and I were in a small bar at the hotel. While I hated to admit it, it would’ve been impossible to deny that a part of me was intrigued by the job offer because I knew taking it would mean spending more time with him.
Earlier in the day, he’d introduced Rick to some of his co-workers and my brother seemed to have hit it off with these people as well as I had. He’d told us he’d catch up with us later, leaving Dane and me to drink alone in a darkened corner of the trendy bar.
“You’re still Jefferson’s first choice,” Dane said, sitting next to me on a bench behind a table looking out over the bar. He was turned toward me, his dark blond hair slightly messier than it had been earlier and his tie hanging loosely around his neck. “If you want the gig, it’s yours. All you have to do is say the word.”
My cocktail straw fell out of my mouth as I gaped at him. “Are you serious? There were so many girls here today. How did he even get through them all, never mind make a decision so fast?”
He shrugged one of his broad shoulders, those electrifying eyes smiling at me as he set his tumbler down on our table. “I think you stuck in his mind after yesterday. He met you before he met any of the others, and he wants you.”
“What about you?” I asked, holding his gaze. “Do you want me?”
Even though my question had come out a lot flirtier than I’d intended, Dane didn’t so much as flinch. “Sure. I mean, you’re beautiful now. Don’t tell Rick I said so, but it’s true. You’ve really grown up. I think you’d be great for this project.”
An honest to God giggle escaped me. Before I could stop myself, I was even tucking a lock of hair behind my ear as I peered up at him. “You’ve grown up too, but I suppose that shouldn’t be a surprise. It has been years since we last saw each other.”
“True.” His hand closed around the tumbler filled with amber scotch again, and from the corner of my eye, I noticed how the muscles in his forearm rippled with the movement of raising the glass to his lips.
He’d long since lost his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, and I swore that just watching the guy drink was as effective as watching porn. His lips touched the rim of the glass, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly as he took a sip.
For the love of all things sexy, get a damn grip, Leah. Sticking my straw back into my mouth, I took a long drink of the cocktail with a lot less finesse than he’d just managed.
The cool, tart liquid slid down my throat, but it didn’t do a single thing to calm the heat rising in my core. Dane, who’d always been one of those cool, unaffected people, sat back but didn’t move his gaze away from mine once our eyes met again.
“I think it’s probably safe to say that we’re both very different people now than what we were,” he said smoothly. “We were just kids back then. How have you been? Rick mentioned something about your writing when we were talking earlier?”
“Oh. Yes. That.” I giggled again, mentally rolling my eyes at myself before clearing my throat. “What I meant to say is that I want to be a writer. I’ve got several manuscripts almost ready to go, but I’ve never actually published anything. In the meantime, I’m working at Rick’s to keep the lights on and to help him out.”
“Writing, huh?” A faraway look came into his eyes and he smiled. “I think I remember you were always carrying a notebook around with you. What do you write?”
“Romance,” I said, waiting for the inevitable negative reaction that came from telling people my genre of choice. Some scoffed, others frowned and shook their heads, while still others would just burst out laughing and ridicule it.
Dane did none of those things. His brows swept up in surprise, but then he nodded, and unless I was very much mistaken, he even looked a little bit impressed. “I wasn’t expecting you to say that. It’s a highly competitive market, as far as I know. It’s real ballsy to try to break into it.”