“I know. Enjoying each other’s company. Save it for someone who believes it.”
“If you’re done wasting my time, I’ve got things to do.”
“As do I. I’m going to have dinner with my family.” Charles said, getting up from his desk. “Enjoy your night Seth.”
Seth followed suit. “I plan on it.” He didn’t even bother stopping in his office on the way out. Instead, he rang Charlene’s cell. “Meet me in five.”
“You got it,” she replied.
He knew this was going to add to the rumors, but he didn’t care. Let them talk. He knew there wasn’t anything going on between them. They were just two adults who were going to cook dinner together. People had to eat.
Charlene was in the lobby waiting for him. It wasn’t like she had much else to do. He was going to need to rectify that. Of course there still was the matter of what was going on with the calls. Before joining her, he stopped and sent Sal a quick message.
NEED UPDATE REGARDING LINE.
Sal responded. WANT TO MEET NOW?
Although he was anxious to hear what Sal had learned, it would need to wait. FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. MY OFFICE.
Whatever it was, it couldn’t be critical. Seth walked up to Charlene and asked, “Hungry?”
“Starving. But since we’re cooking, I hope you have some of your truffles in the car.”
“I don’t leave home without them,” he said as they walked outside. His car had been brought to the front of the building and was already covered with a light dusting of snow. “Looks like we’re in for a storm.”
“Maybe I should go home instead,” she suggested.
“And miss out on a great hot meal?” he asked. “You don’t even know what we’re cooking.
Charlene smiled. “Since it’s we, then it would hopefully be fast and simple.”
Nothing he wanted to do with Charlene was fast. What he’d planned for tonight would require some prep, but after that, it’d be baking in the oven. She was right; the timing for such things was a bad idea. Yet he had a feeling the cooking was the only thing she wasn’t looking forward to. As they got into the car he confirmed, “You don’t seem enthusiastic about tonight.”
“Oh I am. Well at least part of it. The cooking might be better on the weekend. You know so when it all goes to crap, we still have time to go out and eat,” she laughed.
“You think I’d let it burn?” he asked as he pulled onto the roadway.
“I think you have more faith in my cooking ability than you should. Besides, look at it. The snow is really coming down. We can do this any time.”
He didn’t want her bailing on him. A little snow sure as hell wasn’t going to stand in his way either. But she definitely wasn’t in the mood for cooking with him. Was there more to it than that? One way to find out. “How about Friday night?”
“That sounds better.”
“But we both still need to eat tonight. How do you feel about dinner?” he asked.
Charlene said, “I am craving Chinese.”
It wasn’t food that he was craving. It was her company, and more. The moment he saw her waiting for him in the lobby, he wanted to pick up where they had left off last night. It wasn’t helping any watching her as she popped another one of his truffles in her mouth, and listening to her moan with each bite. All it did was make him want her even more.
He reached over and turned down the heater. Things were already getting too hot in here for him. He wanted to be alone with her. Tonight, he didn’t want any interruptions, or thoughts of work. I just want to enjoy holding her. That thought should have him dropping her off at her apartment, alone. Instead he asked, “Crab Rangoon?”
“They’re okay, but so you know, I like it spicy,” Charlene said.
I bet you do.
“Then how about Thai?”
“Now that sounds perfect. Where should we go?”