Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 103819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
"Not soon enough. Do you have their number?" Avery asked, opening the drawers to his desk, trying to find the hidden phone book.
"I can get it, but Avery, what are you thinking? You know they said to be discreet. That look in your eye and the way you've been acting is anything but discreet," Janice lectured. She wasn't old enough to be his mother, but she held that motherly tone.
"And how have I been acting?" he asked, not really caring how she answered.
"Preoccupied. Not focusing on work, and if I didn't know better, I'd say perhaps even a man in love," she said, and gave a little chuckle as she tried to get the last thought out.
He ignored her completely.
"Screw discreet! Have you been to this place?" Avery asked, plopping the giant, oversized phone book on the desk, thumbing through the pages.
"No, but a better use of your time might be to go through these case files. You're sitting in on the meetings—" Janice started, but Avery cut her off.
"Stay on task, Janice. We're discussing La Bella Luna. The place has shockingly, unbelievably delicious authentic Italian cuisine. You need to go," Avery said, looking down the long list of restaurants in the city.
"But you've never been a big fan of Italian," Janice shot back.
"It's the atmosphere," Avery said, flipping a page before resuming his search.
"It's a guy," she said flatly.
"He's in the atmosphere." Avery did look up at her, giving her a cheeky grin as he tried to sway her with his charm, but she didn't bend. Besides, he decided a long time ago, it couldn't be easy to sit so straight in that formal business suit, legs crossed so properly, and not be in a bad mood most of the time.
"I knew it! Avery, just be careful. You have a serious chance to follow in your grandfather's footsteps…" Janice started with the lecture again.
"That's debatable." Avery stopped her by picking up the phone and dialing the number he'd located in the book.
"So the flowers weren't an apology?" Janice asked in defeat.
"No, they were," Avery said, clearly confusing her. As he waited for someone to answer the phone, he gave Janice his most cocky grin, a very clear watch-me-get-what-I-want expression.
"La Bella Luna, can I help you?" The deep rich timbre turned him on instantly, and his gaze strayed to the corner of his desk, Janice completely forgotten.
"Good Morning, this is Avery Adams. Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?" He already knew the answer, he just wanted to hear Kane's voice again. Avery thought about Kane's hands and how competently he'd handled that bottle of wine. He imagined them using the same care as he picked up the phone from the cradle. The air in the room sizzled, his heartbeat picked up, and his body grew hard with need. He had never in his life been so immediately taken with another. Avery prayed Kane might be at least bi-sexual. Straight men were much harder to work into his bed—not impossible, but harder—and he definitely wanted Kane Dalton in his bed.
"Hello, Mr. Adams. This Kane Dalton, would you prefer I transfer this call to someone else?" The soothing voice on the other end of the phone became tense.
"No, you're who I was hoping to speak with. It seems you and I may have gotten off on the wrong foot, and I'd like to set things right between us," Avery said, adjusting his gaze to stare out the open window.
"I have no issue with you, sir," Kane responded back immediately.
"There's a large bouquet of rather expensive lilies sitting in my office that might say otherwise." He cut his eyes back to the flowers on the small conference table. Kane didn't respond this time, there was just silence. Good. Kane got a taste of his own medicine. "Listen, I'd like to book a regular table in your restaurant a couple of days a week. It doesn't have to be the same days each week, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself a few nights ago and got reacquainted with several families from my youth." He was met with more silence, then he heard the rustle of pages being turned.
"Sir, I'm sorry, but I just don't have—"
"I'll make it worth your while." Avery cut him off, his eyes still on the flowers, but seeing the man who sent them instead of the lovely blooms.
"It's not that, sir. We're just incredibly booked." Kane started with the excuses again, but Avery wasn't taking no for an answer.
"Please lose the sir. My name's Avery. I'd like you to use it." Avery's voice turned lower and huskier as he spoke from his deepest desires.
"Avery," Kane said as if testing the word. "We don't have the space available. We're booked solidly for several months."
"No one's that booked," Avery called him on the lie, and left it right there between them.
After a long extended pause, Kane finally answered, "You're right, let's get you in Monday and Wednesday evenings. Does that suit you?"
"You sure do," Avery said. Now that he'd managed a firm reservation, it was time to draw Kane in. Not surprisingly, he was met with silence. "I'll take whatever days you offer." In fact, I'll take whatever you are willing to give. As the thought faded, Avery realized those were actually terrible days to be seen out and about.
"Seven o'clock?" Kane asked, ignoring everything he said.
"Whatever works," Avery replied.
"All right, would you like to come in tomorrow night?" Kane asked. His tone was back to all business.
"Absolutely!"
"Great. Thank you for choosing La Bella Luna." Avery could hear the pages turning again on whatever Kane was working from.
"Thank you, Kane," Avery said. There was silence again. The breathing he heard through the phone was the only indication that the other man lingered on the line.
"I'll see you tomorrow night." With that Avery hung up. It took a full minute for him to remember his secretary remained in the office as he rested there with the small smile plastered on his face, still looking at the bouquet. God, it was amazing how badly he wanted this to work out with a man who gave zero indication he was even gay, much less interested. He finally cut his eyes back to Janice, who sat there in her stiff way, a smug look on her pinched face. Maybe her face wasn't pinched, but for this moment, he decided it was the best way to describe her.