noticed. "Yeah."
"Looks good."
"Thanks."
Faye wanted to gawk at Ray until the cows came home. But, of course, she mustn't. She tore her eyes from him, only for them to land back at the not-good-for-your-figure food that was definitely taunting her. "Could you, maybe, ask them to give you more chips?" she asked him.
"Sure."
"Thanks. I'll get my salad and find us a table."
As she walked away, she felt Ray staring at her back. Before she could stop herself, she turned her head and found him doing just that. It pleased her immensely.
"Ugh! Why do these chips have to be so irresistible?" Faye complained as she stole another one from Ray's plate and dipped it in ketchup before putting it in her mouth.
"When was the last time you had them?" Ray asked.
"I can't even remember. It was that long ago."
"Well, that's what you get from denying yourself."
"I know. That's why most diets fail, isn't it? As they say, moderation is the key. Problem is, I can't stop with a few."
"You've always looked great, Faye."
She looked down at her plate as her cheeks pinked from Ray's husky tone and appreciative gaze.
Damn it, stop blushing!
She wasn't the shy, blushing type. But for some reason, Ray's compliment triggered some unusual response in her.
That was so totally unexpected, as was her acute awareness of him. It seemed that every cell in her body was attuned to his masculine force. She noticed how soft his lips looked as he spoke and wondered what it would be like to kiss them. She watched how his male chest moved as he breathed and wished she could unbutton his shirt. She admired his long, strong fingers as he cut his food and was sure they'd feel oh-so-good stroking her skin …
She fidgeted in her seat, completely taken aback by the strength of her new reaction to him. Yes, she'd always thought Ray was attractive - very - but in the past, she was perfectly fine with ignoring that attraction. But now, his pull was much stronger and she was finding it harder to push it aside. Much, much harder.
When did that start happening?
"So," Ray said as he leaned closer to her, "do you think I'll get lucky enough to get picked up by you?"
I'd pick you up anytime, anywhere, if only my best friends didn't work for you, was what she wanted to say but her tongue was stuck at the roof of her mouth .
"Faye," Ray said quietly as he reached over the table and grasped her hand with his warm one, making her look up to his bright, blue eyes that were glinting dangerously. "I know you're someone who honestly speaks her mind. If you say you're really not interested in me - still not interested in me - then that's fine. You don't need to soften the blow. All you need to do is say it. But from what I'm currently sensing, there's a little bit of attraction there for me, too? Or is that just plain wishful thinking on my part?"
She took a deep breath and released it slowly before replying. "Yes, I'm attracted to you, Ray," she said softly. "But I don't think it's a good idea for us to act on it."
"Why not?"
"Because my three best friends in the whole world are your employees. You know how close we are and it could become messy, not just for the two of us but also for them."
"Why?"
"What if we ended up having a really terrible experience with each other and I have to download all my negativities and frustrations to my friends? They'd go to work and look at you in a different light, which would be very unfair to them as well as to you. You could still be the wonderful boss you've always been but because of me, they could start to hate you a little bit."
"Right, and I suppose they could also ask you to twist my arm and do favours for them like increasing their salary or giving them bigger bonuses if we ended up together," Ray commented.
"No! They're not like that," she said heatedly, defending her friends. "If you don't know them by now, then you don't know them at all. You know they'd never do anything like that. They'll maintain professionalism and
"Looks good."
"Thanks."
Faye wanted to gawk at Ray until the cows came home. But, of course, she mustn't. She tore her eyes from him, only for them to land back at the not-good-for-your-figure food that was definitely taunting her. "Could you, maybe, ask them to give you more chips?" she asked him.
"Sure."
"Thanks. I'll get my salad and find us a table."
As she walked away, she felt Ray staring at her back. Before she could stop herself, she turned her head and found him doing just that. It pleased her immensely.
"Ugh! Why do these chips have to be so irresistible?" Faye complained as she stole another one from Ray's plate and dipped it in ketchup before putting it in her mouth.
"When was the last time you had them?" Ray asked.
"I can't even remember. It was that long ago."
"Well, that's what you get from denying yourself."
"I know. That's why most diets fail, isn't it? As they say, moderation is the key. Problem is, I can't stop with a few."
"You've always looked great, Faye."
She looked down at her plate as her cheeks pinked from Ray's husky tone and appreciative gaze.
Damn it, stop blushing!
She wasn't the shy, blushing type. But for some reason, Ray's compliment triggered some unusual response in her.
That was so totally unexpected, as was her acute awareness of him. It seemed that every cell in her body was attuned to his masculine force. She noticed how soft his lips looked as he spoke and wondered what it would be like to kiss them. She watched how his male chest moved as he breathed and wished she could unbutton his shirt. She admired his long, strong fingers as he cut his food and was sure they'd feel oh-so-good stroking her skin …
She fidgeted in her seat, completely taken aback by the strength of her new reaction to him. Yes, she'd always thought Ray was attractive - very - but in the past, she was perfectly fine with ignoring that attraction. But now, his pull was much stronger and she was finding it harder to push it aside. Much, much harder.
When did that start happening?
"So," Ray said as he leaned closer to her, "do you think I'll get lucky enough to get picked up by you?"
I'd pick you up anytime, anywhere, if only my best friends didn't work for you, was what she wanted to say but her tongue was stuck at the roof of her mouth .
"Faye," Ray said quietly as he reached over the table and grasped her hand with his warm one, making her look up to his bright, blue eyes that were glinting dangerously. "I know you're someone who honestly speaks her mind. If you say you're really not interested in me - still not interested in me - then that's fine. You don't need to soften the blow. All you need to do is say it. But from what I'm currently sensing, there's a little bit of attraction there for me, too? Or is that just plain wishful thinking on my part?"
She took a deep breath and released it slowly before replying. "Yes, I'm attracted to you, Ray," she said softly. "But I don't think it's a good idea for us to act on it."
"Why not?"
"Because my three best friends in the whole world are your employees. You know how close we are and it could become messy, not just for the two of us but also for them."
"Why?"
"What if we ended up having a really terrible experience with each other and I have to download all my negativities and frustrations to my friends? They'd go to work and look at you in a different light, which would be very unfair to them as well as to you. You could still be the wonderful boss you've always been but because of me, they could start to hate you a little bit."
"Right, and I suppose they could also ask you to twist my arm and do favours for them like increasing their salary or giving them bigger bonuses if we ended up together," Ray commented.
"No! They're not like that," she said heatedly, defending her friends. "If you don't know them by now, then you don't know them at all. You know they'd never do anything like that. They'll maintain professionalism and
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