Flavor of the Month

“I’ll tally everything up at the end of the night and send an invoice along with the delivery.”

“Good.” He squinted at her left hand. But of course the bareness wouldn’t mean a whole helluva lot. He didn’t know a chef or a baker to wear rings while they were working. “What time do you get off?”

Her brows nearly disappeared into her hairline. “Excuse me?”

“Tonight. What time will you be free?”

Her head tilted slightly as if she still didn’t understand his question. “And you want to know this information because…”

He grinned at her. “Because I’d like to thank you properly.”

And because I’d like to find out if your mouth tastes as sweet as it looks.

“The words are enough.”

“You’re going to make me spell it out for you, aren’t you?”

“I know how to spell ‘thank-you.”’

Not the way he had in mind. “I’d like to see you again.”

“At midnight?” she said slowly.

“If that’s the time you finish up.”

“Oh.” She stared at him for a long moment, then what he was saying appeared to dawn on her. “Oh! You mean…”

“Yes, I mean.”

Her gaze, which had been plastered to his face, moved everywhere but to his face. “I, um, don’t think that’s such a good idea.” She used the corner of her apron that didn’t have dough on it to wipe down the counter around the boxes.

“Why not?”

“Why, because—” she furtively looked at him, then back at the counter “—because I finish up late tonight because of the order you gave me and another order I need to have ready by tomorrow morning, and…and…”

“And.”

“Well, I don’t have time.”

“Mmm. Okay, tomorrow night then.”

She stared at him as if he’d lost his marbles. “Tomorrow’s Saturday.”

“Yes, it is.”

“You don’t have plans?”

He chuckled. “Nothing that can’t be changed or cancelled.”

“So you can go out with me…”

He shrugged. “Or we could stay in…”

“Stay in where?” She quickly lifted her hand. “Don’t answer that.”

“Tell you what,” he said, sliding a business card out of his front pocket. “Do you have a pen?” She looked around the counter then slid one out of her apron pocket. “I’m going to give you my private cell phone number, my home phone number, and, of course, the card has the two numbers to the restaurant on it along with the fax.” He handed her the card. “Call me when you’ve made a decision.”

“Even if it’s no?”

“Especially if it’s no.”

She made a face that made her look all the more attractive.

“You know, so I have a chance to change your mind.”

She pursed her lips slightly as she stared down at the front of the card, then turned it over to look at the back.

The man who had been typing away on a laptop in the corner neared him. “Excuse me,” he mumbled under his breath.

Ben’s attention fully on Reilly, he moved to let the guy pass, but apparently picked the wrong direction because the guy plowed into him, spilling coffee all over the front of his shirt.

“Oh, sorry, man,” the guy said.

Ben looked at him, wondering why he didn’t look very sorry.

“No problem.”

Reilly couldn’t hide her smile as she handed him a handful of napkins. Ben began wiping at the mess, making sure his assailant had moved out of striking distance before continuing his conversation.

“Actually, if you don’t mind, I’d like to bring you dinner tonight,” he said to Reilly.

“Tonight?”

“Yes, you know, by way of that proper thank-you I mentioned.”

“That’s not necessary.”

“I think it is.” He squinted at her. “Did you say midnight?”

“Yes. I mean, no!” Her cheeks turned the most delicious shade of pink. “I mean, that’s really not necessary. Really, it isn’t.”

He hiked a brow. “Are you passing on a free dinner from one of the most popular restaurants in town?”

“Yes. I mean, no!” She ran her fingers through her bangs, then rested the heel of her hand against her forehead. “What I’m trying to say is that I don’t think it would be a very good idea. I’ll be exhausted and I probably won’t be very good company….”

“I meant I’d have one of my staff drop something off on their way home from work.”

“Oh.”