Inappropriate - Vi Keeland Page 0,28
of confidence he exuded—a quiet dominance mixed with natural grace.
“So why no date tonight, Ireland?” He looked down at me as we glided around the dance floor.
“No suitable candidates, I guess.”
“Surely in the entire city of Los Angeles there’s at least one eligible bachelor.”
“I must keep missing him.”
Grant smiled.
We had good banter, that’s for sure. Even that first nutty email exchange.
“Why no date for you tonight?” I asked.
“I guess I keep missing her, too.”
We both laughed.
“So how are things going without Bickman?”
“Honestly, it’s going fine. He’s not really missed.”
Grant nodded. “Good to hear. Though I expected nothing less.”
A minute later, the song ended, and the emcee asked everyone to please find their seats in the main dining room. As soon as we stepped back from each other, a man approached Grant and asked to have a word with him.
He looked like he didn’t want to leave my side. “Where are you seated?” he asked.
“Table nine. You?”
“Table one. I’ll catch up with you later,” he said. “Thank you for the dance.”
I smirked. “It wasn’t like you gave me any choice. Enjoy your evening, Mr. Lexington.”
For the rest of the night, Grant and I didn’t cross paths. But that didn’t mean my eyes lost track of him at any point. He was busy; everyone in the room wanted a piece of him. Which was probably for the best, since the piece I seemed to want of him wouldn’t be the wisest business decision. Still, our gazes caught a few times, and we exchanged what I thought were flirty, private smiles.
When the coffee came out, I knew it was time for me to make my exit. Three thirty would roll around soon enough. I scanned the room for Grant, figuring I’d wave goodbye, but he was engrossed in a conversation with a group of men who all looked old enough to be his dad. I weighed the right business etiquette—did I go over and interrupt him to say goodnight, or simply leave? Undecided, I picked up my purse and said my goodbyes at my own table. When I was done, I looked back at where Grant had been talking, but he was no longer there.
I figured fate had decided how to handle things for me.
Though when I turned from my table, I crashed directly into a hard body.
I backed up. “Sorry. Oh…it’s you.”
“You sound disappointed. Would you have preferred to walk into someone else?”
I laughed. “No. I was going to come over and say goodnight, but then you disappeared.”
“I guess I beat you to it. I’ll walk with you. I was just heading out myself.”
He hadn’t looked like he was getting ready to leave a few minutes ago. Nevertheless, Grant put his hand on the small of my back and escorted me out of the ballroom.
Outside, I took out my phone.
“Did you drive?” he asked.
“No. I Ubered so I could have a glass of wine.”
“I have a car. I’ll drop you.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“I insist.”
A minute later, a stretch limo pulled around. Apparently, him having a car meant a chauffeured one. The uniformed driver got out and went to open the back door, but Grant waved him off and opened it for me instead.
“Thank you.”
I slid across the backseat to make room for Grant. The rear of the limo was spacious enough to hold ten people. Yet when he climbed in and joined me, it suddenly felt very small. I was hyperaware of his thigh brushing against mine.
As we started to move, I looked forward, but sensed Grant’s eyes on me.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing.”
“You were staring at me.”
He looked back and forth between my eyes. “What’s your address?”
For some crazy reason, I debated giving it to him.
Grant must have seen the conflict written on my face and chuckled. “The driver needs it to take you home, Ireland. I wasn’t inviting myself over.”
“Oh, right. Of course.”
Feeling like an idiot, I spouted off my address. Grant leaned forward and relayed it to the driver. When he settled back into his seat, his leg now firmly pressed against mine.
“Tell me something about you, Ireland Saint James.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Anything.”
“Okay…” I thought about it. “I’ve had four promotions within Lexington Industries over the last nine years.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
I arched a brow. “You’ve looked me up.”
“How else would I have decided to give you your job back?”
I shifted in my seat to face him. “I’ll tell you what. I’ll tell you something about me you don’t know, if you promise to answer a question for