Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 103428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103428 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
I shut my eyes. “Could we…just pretend I didn’t ask that?”
“Not a chance.”
At least there was amusement in his voice and not anger. I opened one eye to see if his face matched his tone, and he arched a brow. The smirk he wore now was a lot more readable than usual—this one said he was a cat who’d just caught a mouse and was about to toy with it before deciding whether to let it go or bite its head off.
I shook my head and sighed. “I can’t even come up with an excuse I’d believe, and I have a feeling I’m a lot more gullible than you. So I’m just going to admit I snooped in your apartment and take my lumps.”
Merrick’s smirk grew to a full-blown grin. “You went in my bedroom.”
I felt my face heat. “I’m sorry. I didn’t actually go in—I swear. I just… I don’t know. The whole thing lasted thirty seconds or less. Your apartment is gorgeous, and I couldn’t help myself.”
Merrick wasn’t letting me off the hotseat. He just kept looking at me, not saying a word, which caused me to ramble to fill the dead air. “What size bed is that anyway? It has to be bigger than a king. I was thinking California King, but it seems even bigger. You could have a party on that thing.” I closed my eyes again. “Please tell me I did not just insinuate that my boss has multiple people in his bed at once.”
“I believe you did.”
I shook my head. “I’m going to shut up for the rest of this song. Speaking of which, when the hell is it going to end so I can go crawl in a hole somewhere?”
Merrick smiled and pulled me closer. “It’s fine. As long as you didn’t look in the nightstand.”
My nose wrinkled. “What’s in the nightstand?”
He laughed, and I play-smacked his chest. “You’re just screwing with me, aren’t you?”
“Yes, but you really want to check out that nightstand now, don’t you?”
I grinned. “I totally do. Though I’ll tell you what… I will never again bring up that you only hired me because I was the least-competent person, if you can forget the conversation we’ve had these last few minutes.”
“Don’t we already have a deal where I can’t bring up the incident in the dressing room and you can’t bring up a certain Wendy’s founder?”
“We do. This is a second deal.”
Merrick pulled me close again. “Whatever makes you happy.”
A few seconds later, the song ended and the emcee announced it was time for dessert. Even though I’d just embarrassed myself and wanted to hide, I also felt a pang of disappointment when Merrick let me go.
Back at the table, we both got pulled into conversations with different people, and a little while later, when others started to say their goodbyes, Merrick leaned over to me.
“I’m ready to get out of here when you are,” he said.
“Oh, it’s okay. I’m all the way uptown, and you’re all the way downtown. I can call an Uber.”
“It’s not a problem. I’ll drop you.”
I decided not to argue.
Outside, Merrick’s usual black Town Car pulled up. He waved off the driver who had started to get out and opened the back door for me himself. I’d arrived in a stretch limo with Will, yet the big boss was in a regular-size sedan.
“Your employee’s car on the way here was flashier,” I teased, scooting over to make room for Merrick.
He pulled the door closed after getting in. “Is that a surprise, based on what you know about Will?”
“I guess not.”
“I think the cars most people choose match their personality. Will is definitely a stretch limo. Probably one with a sunroof and hot tub, too.”
I laughed. “Well, he does like attention, and he has a big personality.” A funny thought hit me. “Oh my God, your grandmother’s car—Kitty drives that souped-up red Dodge Charger convertible. I’ve always thought it was an odd car for an older woman, but now that I think about it, you’re right. It matches her personality to a T.”
“When she bought it, it didn’t come standard as a convertible. She had a body shop make it into one just for her. Before that, she drove a Ford Mustang. Always had a car with some muscle, and in a bright color.” Merrick shrugged. “Suits her.”
“Oh crap.” I covered my mouth with a laugh. “The car I had before I sold it to move to New York was a Prius.”
Merrick smiled. “Economical and practical. Fits the woman who barters things, I’d say. Wouldn’t you?”
“I guess… But a Prius is so ugly and unsexy.”
Merrick’s eyes flickered to my legs before lifting to linger on my mouth for a heartbeat too long. He swallowed. “It suits the personality. Not the appearance.”
I felt my skin blush and was thankful for the darkness. “Do you own a car, other than this Town Car you always seem to be driven in?”