Gorgeous: Book One (Gorgeous #1) - Lisa Shelby Page 0,40

in silence. When the doors open, he uses his hand to hold them ajar, and as I pass, his eyes find mine and he says, "You look beautiful."

“Thank you,” is all I can say as the heat of my blush covers me from head to toe, and my stomach continues its happy little parade of somersaults.

Not another word is spoken on the drive to a little restaurant called Madison Square & Garden Cafe. It's a quaint little place where you walk up to order inside what feels more like a home decor shop than a cafe. Once you've ordered, you step out into a backyard oasis filled with fountains, sculptures, and art filling every bit of space available. The sound of the busy highway disappears, and it's as if we're in our own little world when we take a seat at a quiet table under an umbrella and sip our morning caffeine.

Other than to place his order, he still isn't speaking. He seems angry or on edge somehow, and I can't take it anymore.

"Mr. McKinley, have I done something wrong? I know it's your only day off, and I don't want you to feel obligated to spend it with me. If that's what's wrong, please know you don't need to entertain me."

His anger seems to be building, but he still hasn’t spoken. Images of last night keep flashing through my mind, and I know I need to be brave and bring up the elephant in the room...or patio as it were.

"Sir, about last night..."

Ronan

"Olivia, don't start!"

She startles when I pound my fist on the table and lean in toward her. I didn't mean to react so fiercely but this sir and mister bullshit has to stop.

"I am not going to ask you again. Please, for the love of God, call me Ronan.

"But, Mr. McKinley..."

What the fuck?

I do my best to remember I am in public, and I sit back in my chair and try to show some sense of decorum, but inside I am seething.

"Are you serious right now? Are you telling me you don't feel anything?"

What she doesn't know is that from the moment I saw her standing with her tablet in her hand in the low light of that ballroom weeks ago, I practically imprinted on her. Whether she knows it or not... She. Is. Mine. I am not going to let her pride or the fact that she works for me get in the way of what might be possible for us. It's time to stop beating around the bush and just be straight with her.

"Olivia, I know what you're going to say. I know how hard you've worked to get to where you are. I know you don't want to be that cliché woman who sleeps her way to the top, and I know you just broke up with that boring little scientist you wasted three years of your life with. Well, I don't want to waste another minute not getting to know you. We can take it slow, if that's what you want. All I know is that it feels good to be near you, and it felt amazing to touch you last night. I know it breaks every rule, but I've lived my life following rules, and I think I deserve to break at least one. Time with you seems like a worthy reason to break a rule or two if you ask me."

Her mouth is still open from when I interrupted her, and her beautiful doe eyes are wide. She finally closes her mouth when the server delivers our breakfast. I've shocked her, and she seems as confused as I am. But screw it! I tried to keep it professional. Okay, I didn't try that hard, but I did bail after hearing about her break-up, and that was a herculean effort.

But fuck it! I've lived a cold, gray life, and this woman brings me color and warmth. I didn't know I was living such a miserable, dreary life until she arrived. She’s the one I didn’t know I was waiting for. We'll figure the rest out later.

The only sound I hear, for what seems like an eternity, is the bubbling of the water on the rock fountain next to our table, when she finally speaks.

"Mr. McKinley..."

Is she fucking kidding me right now?

My fork drops to my plate in a loud clank. I start to open my mouth to scold her yet again, but she lifts her hand, asking me to let her speak.