“As an apology for last night.”
She purses her lips.
“I am sorry, Juls.” I reach across the table and take her hand gently. “I am. I never should have brought up your mother.”
“Why did you? There were so many other arguing points. You did well with the mugging train of thought.” She pauses to order an iced tea. Once the waiter agrees to get that and my water, he runs off, leaving us alone. “Why bring that up?”
“Death is fresh on my mind,” I admit.
Juliana leans her head to the side. She has to know my father passed. I made it clear last night, even if she didn’t hear about it any other way. Her father did tell me to get closer to her. Maybe this is the ticket. But I have to play it right.
“I want to keep you from that, Juliana. We have to be able to come to an agreement,” I say softly, “As friends.”
She nibbles her bottom lip. “Gio, I want to have fun and I won’t compromise on that.”
“Does that eliminate arson?”
She laughs lightly and leans back in her chair. “It’s a figure of speech, mostly.”
We eat lunch while talking about work. Insurance isn’t the most exciting world, but it’s a good market and it does well overall, especially in D.C. Not to mention the work gossip that Juliana doesn’t get to hear while being at home.
“I’m not kidding. I’m surprised you didn’t hear about it. Hannah swore she was going to talk to H.R. about sexual harassment.”
“She didn’t!”
“She did smile as she said it,” I remember.
“I’m ready when she wants to talk,” Juliana says anyway, looking at her plate and stroking her finger over the sauce before sucking it.
Her plump lips are tempting as hell. She sucks more of her finger into her mouth, then draws back. When I manage to look away, I find her eyes on mine. A slow smile spreads over her lips before she laughs.
She snorts a little and her eyes crease. Her real laugh, I’ve missed it. I smile and shake my head. “You’re too good at faking things, Juliana. Where’s the girl I went to college with? The one who was going to take on the world?”
“Where’s the position she was supposed to gain when she graduated?”
I nod. “Fair point.”
“I think someone at this table has it.” I hear her foot bouncing on the floor. She’s annoyed. Thoroughly.
I hold my hands up. “I didn’t ask for it, Juliana. I know you’re more qualified than half the people on the board of directors who make the big decisions.”
“Andyouknow that my father doesn’t trust a woman in the business world. There’s not a single woman up there.”
I have to choose my words carefully with her. Otherwise, I’ll give something away. She looks a lethal brand of sexy when she’s angry. The kind of woman that would make men believe in witches all over again and be happy to have her look their way.
“You are gorgeous.”
“Gio.”
I lean forward. “I know the rules, but it’s impossible not to say it. I thought you were all grown up in college, but you’ve somehow gotten to be even ... even more.”
“More what?”
There might not be a word for what she is. Powerful, appealing in every way, beautiful. That country song that one of my friends loves pops into my head. There’s nothing about her that doesn’t do something for me. She makes me angry, humbles me, and drives me insane in so many ways, but every damn thing about her strikes a different cord in my body.
“More you, Juliana. Elegant, powerful, mesmerizing.”
She arches an eyebrow. “Is this lunch with my bodyguard or a date?”