with one about me.” He pinned her with a look. “Why is that? Do you have something to hide?”
Folding her hands on the table, Ashley pressed her lips together, then said, “My mom, brother, sister, and dad all live in Denver. Satisfied?”
“Calamari with hot peppers.” The server placed the platter in the middle of the table. “Would you like to order your entrée?”
Ashley nodded and opened her menu. “I’ll have the filet mignon—medium—and grilled asparagus.”
“And for you, sir?”
“New York strip—medium rare—loaded baked potato, and roasted wild mushrooms.” Smokey handed his menu to the waiter.
“I may have to steal some of the mushrooms from you,” Ashley said as the waiter left the table.
“I was planning on you helping me with them,” Smokey said as he placed a portion of calamari on a small plate and handed it to her.
“Thanks.” Ashley picked up her fork. “Maybe we should talk about the marketing campaign.”
“We got time,” he said before popping a pepper into his mouth. “I like to eat first, then discuss business.”
“I’m just saying that there’s a lot to go over, and I didn’t want to stay out too long.”
“Why the hell not? I’m not gonna fire you if you come in a little late in the morning.” He laughed.
Smokey expected Ashley to smile and say something smart-assed, but instead, she became flustered—more than flustered. The enhanced color in her cheeks and the way she played with the hoop dangling from her left ear gave her away. Her skin had taken on an almost iridescent sheen, and he wanted to reach out a hand and run his fingertips over it.
Ashley’s body’s betraying her.
She could act like this was a business meeting all she liked. She could pretend Blue’s Belly never happened or that she had no interest in him, but what Ashley couldn’t do was hide her response to him.
Then a scowl embedded deep into her face.
“I don’t want any special favors from you, and I don’t want to be treated any differently than anyone else at work,” she said.
“Everyone who’s worked for me has come in late at one time or another. Tomorrow can be your turn”—Smokey cocked his head to one side—“but you’ve already come in late, haven’t you? Your first day, right?” Satisfaction coursed through him when he saw the red on her cheeks deepen.
Ashley lifted her chin in defiance. “I was late because I couldn’t get the garage door open, and it took forever to get a Lyft in this town.”
“You don’t have to get so bent out of shape.”
“And this is not a date, so stop acting like it is.” She leaned against the back of the chair and folded her arms across her chest.
Smokey speared a couple of calamari with his fork, put them in his mouth, and chewed slowly. He could feel the anger radiating off her as he met her gaze. “All I said was that you could come in later in the morning, and I get this?” One corner of his mouth hitched up in a smirk.
“You’re impossible. We should’ve met at the office like normal people do.”
A deep laugh rumbled in his chest. “Fuck that—I’ve never been normal.”
She gave him a pointed look as he finished up the appetizer, then she shook her head. “I just want to make it very clear that we work together and nothing more.”
Propping his elbows on the table, he leaned forward. “That’s good with me. I don’t mess with the help anyway.” A vein in her temple throbbed. “How’d you like the calamari?”
“It was good,” she said curtly.
“So what do you have in mind for taking my business to the next level?” He picked up his beer and drained the last bit in the glass.
“I’ve come up with several ideas,” she answered and leaned over as if to pick something up. Ashley’s eyes widened, and it looked like she’d lost the color in her face.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Straightening up, she rubbed the side of her neck. “I could’ve sworn I brought in my briefcase.”
“I didn’t see it when you came into the restaurant,” he said.
“I must’ve left it in the car. How could I have done that?” She pursed her lips.
“Relax—it’s no big deal. I forget shit all the time.” Smokey pushed his chair back, then rose to his feet. He stretched out his hand. “Gimme your car keys, and I’ll get it for you.”
Ashley’s head flinched back slightly. “I can get it—you don’t know my car.”
“Yeah, I do. I walked you to it last Saturday