The CEO Buys In
Page 53

A pause as though he was debating what to say. When he spoke, his voice was pitched low. “I kept imagining you. On the desk. On the conference table. On the sofa. Against the wall.”
“Oh.” She felt a warm, melting sensation between her legs as she imagined the same thing, only from her point of view. She cleared her throat. “So you went down to the R and D lab?”
“Since I was already frustrated, I decided I might as well.”
She tilted her head to discover a slight smile curling his lips. That made her brave. “And what did you find out there?”
“The team is dedicated, brilliant, and young. They have some great ideas, but they missed a few key steps.”
“So you fixed Prometheus?”
He laughed. “Your faith in me is touching. I made some suggestions.”
“How did you feel about being there?”
“Feel?” Surprise colored his voice.
“Did you enjoy being back in the lab?”
She thought he wasn’t going to answer her question. Then he shifted slightly on the seat. “Yes and no.”
“That’s definitive.”
“It felt like my brain was firing on all cylinders for the first time in years. But the technology—” She could feel him shake his head. “I might have left it too long.”
“You’re not going to let a few new gizmos chase you away, are you?”
“Virtually every tool in there was four generations newer than anything I’ve used.”
“So you just need a refresher course,” she said lightly. “Geniuses can learn anything.”
She sensed another head shake. “I won’t stop you from calling me that as long as it extends into the bedroom.”
“And your office,” she said.
The limousine made a sharp turn and thudded over what sounded like a wooden bridge. Chloe leaned across Nathan’s wide chest to peer out the darkened glass of the car. “Where are we?” She could see water beside them and a rocky shoreline dotted with bare trees and a few sprawling shingled houses.
“On the causeway leading to the restaurant.”
The limo continued onward a few minutes and then stopped. As Nathan helped her out of the car, the sounds of seagulls crying and waves slapping against rocks surrounded her. The wind was even stronger here, and Nathan wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she shuddered in the cold. They stood in front of a building constructed of classic weathered New England shingles and white wood trim, but with huge arched windows that glowed with a golden light. “The Weather Vane Inn” was painted in block letters on a small wooden sign affixed to a white post.
“So you just have to know this is here,” she said.
“It functions on word of mouth,” Nathan said, leading her to the dark-blue front door. “Nothing more is necessary when the food and setting are this good.”
Chloe inhaled, closing her eyes as the scents of ocean and haute cuisine mingled deliciously in her nostrils. “Mmm. Nothing more than smelling it is necessary.”
The door opened as they approached. A small, wizened man in a perfectly fitted dark suit said, “Welcome, Ms. Russell and Mr. Trainor. We’re so glad you could join us this evening.” His accent was pure Maine.
He turned and led them through a whitewashed foyer furnished with a round polished wooden table topped with a huge vase of fresh flowers. Arched doors led out to the dining area that held widely spaced tables covered in cream linen under large, gracefully curved pewter chandeliers. Although the effect was meant to be elegant simplicity, something about the sheen of the tablecloths and the brilliant sparkle of the glassware exuded a sense of no expense being spared. Chloe eyed a place setting as they passed a table and was relieved to see all the utensils were recognizable.
The maître d’ led them to a table by one of the arched windows. Chloe suspected it was the most desirable view in the restaurant, since she could see the lights of the charming seaside town, as well as the pink, yellow, and orange of the sunset sky reflected and fractured on the waves of the sea. “It looks like a painting,” she breathed as Nathan waved their guide aside and held the chair for her.
“I timed it so we could arrive at sunset,” he said, his palms briefly caressing her shoulders. His touch sent a ripple of delight dancing across her skin.
He sat down across from her. As she turned from the view to look at him over the low bowl of flowers between them, she could barely catch her breath. His hair shone like burnished bronze; the planes of his lean face caught light and shadow like a sculpture; and the clear, masculine lines of his lips made her want to trace them with her fingertips. But it was his eyes that knocked her sideways. Their gray depths held brilliant intelligence, banked desire, and a focus that was entirely on her.
Nathan frowned as Chloe seemed to freeze when he looked at her. “Is everything all right?”
He saw her throat move as she swallowed. “Fine. It’s all fine.” She still looked like a deer caught in headlights.
“I’m not convinced.”
Chloe grabbed her water goblet and took a gulp. “Just a little overwhelmed.”
Nathan looked around the room, seeing nothing but tables, chairs, and white-painted walls. The pewter chandeliers were shiny but not ornate. “It’s just a restored seaport inn. Nothing fancy.”
Chloe made a small choking sound and held up her water glass, turning it so the crystal glittered with tiny rainbows. “It looks simple, but it’s the kind of simple that costs a lot of money.”