From the corner of her eye, she saw his lips twitch, giving her the distinct impression he was laughing at her. But before she could muster up any outrage, he was maneuvering his vehicle off the road and into the parking lot of an incredibly tacky fifties-esque diner.
“This is where you’re taking me to dinner?”
“You asked for burgers,” he reminded her. “And it’s either this or we wait another two hours in traffic for something better.”
“Fair enough,” she conceded with amusement. Nothing about this day had gone the way she’d anticipated from the moment he’d walked into her office. Why should his choice of restaurant be any different?
“Wait there. I’ll come let you out.”
Charmed, more so than she wanted to be, she did as she was told and stayed put until he opened the door and held out a hand. Slipping her hand into his, she let him help her down from the SUV. They rounded the back of the vehicle where he popped open the trunk and dug a well-used ball from his bag, along with a sharpie.
“What’s your dad’s name?”
“Charles. Charlie, put Charlie. He’ll get a kick out of it.”
“To Charlie. Thanks for raising such a smokin’ hot daughter.”
“Austin! You can’t put that on there!”
“I didn’t. But it got you to stop calling me ‘Mr. Barrick’.” Capping the pen, he handed over the ball, which actually readTo Charlie - Baltimore sucks, root for a real team this yearfollowed by what she assumed was his signature. She shot him a glare and dropped the ball in her purse.
“Thanks. He’ll love it.”
“Any time.” Taking her hand again, he led the way across the parking lot while she silently lectured herself about getting her hopes up.
It’s just dinner. Nothing more. He didn’t actually mean any of those things he said, he was just trying to get a rise out of you.
Well, congratulations to him, if that had been his goal, though she was determined not to let him see exactly how much he affected her. Pushing aside her inner turmoil, she focused her attention on him, frowning slightly when she noticed he was favoring his right leg.
“Are you okay? You look like you’re limping.”
His easy smile morphed into a scowl. “I’m fine,” he bit out, his tone making it clear he wasn’t happy she’d asked.
There was more bite to his response than the simple question warranted, and it spiked her own temper in response. Yanking her hand from his, she stopped in the middle of the parking lot and glared at him. “There’s no need to snap at me.”
Scowl still firmly in place, he turned and leveled his own glare at her. “What are you doing, Katherine?”
Despite the obvious warning in his tone and the responding nervous flutter in her stomach, she simply raised an eyebrow. Two could play that game as far as she was concerned. “I’m not going anywhere with you until you apologize. All I did was ask if you were all right, because you are obviously in pain. Biting my head off was uncalled for.”
The hard lines of his stupidly handsome face smoothed out and he sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry I snapped at you.”
“Apology accepted.” Allowing him to take her hand again, she fell in step with him. “Are you going to tell me what that was about?” she prodded when he didn’t offer up an explanation for his overreaction.
“Just a rough practice. Knee’s been giving me a little trouble. Nothing major.”
There was an undercurrent there, one that warned her to tread carefully. As his financial advisor, she needed to know if he was looking at retirement sooner than the five years he’d so forcefully quoted in her office. But they weren’t in her office, and she wasn’t sure how to broach the topic without upsetting him.
Deciding to let it drop for the time being, she followed him into the crowded restaurant. He gave their name to the harried-looking hostess before pulling Kit into a corner and shifting so he was shielding her from the crowd with his lean, hard body.
“I really am sorry I snapped at you back there,” he murmured, taking one of her hands in his and running his thumb across her knuckles.
A not-at-all-unpleasant shiver ran down her spine. Jesus, the man was potent. “It’s fine.”
“It’s not. I had a shitty day, but that’s no excuse to be an asshole.”
“No, it’s not.” Feeling bold, she smirked up at him and lowered her voice. “Does that mean I get to spank you?”
“Hell, no.” Laughing, he lifted her hand to his lips, his ice blue eyes blazing as he grazed the back of her hand with his lips. “You’re a fascinating woman, Katherine.”