A Voice Without Reason, page 20
I tear my eyes away from the stranger, searching for Susan or Katie. They're both entertaining other attendees, so I head toward Katie, hoping she’ll introduce me to her new contact. I would never steal a client from her, but I can still feel the mystery man’s eyes on me. It’s making my heart race and stomach flip.
I try to sneak a quick glance to see if he’s still looking my way. He absolutely is. My cheeks are warm. I try to convince myself it's from the wine but I’m almost certain it’s from the attention of the most attractive man I’ve ever seen. His ability to make my heart stop from just looking at me is too much to handle at a professional event.
Get it together, Emma!
Once I reach Katie, hoping for a distraction, I interrupt as professionally as I can, “So sorry, can I steal Katie away for a few moments?” She looks at me with intrigue, and as we walk away after excusing ourselves, I lean in and whisper, “Hey, who's that man over there?”
She looks to our left. “The younger guy with glasses?” I nod. “I don’t know, I haven’t seen him before, but damn, he can’t take his eyes off you! Shoot, I wish I had a guy who looked at me like that.”
In the corner of my eye, I double check, and his intense gaze is still focused our way. He’s hardly bothering to pay attention to the men he’s standing with. My eyes widen as I look at Katie again.
“Go introduce yourself! You’re single and he’s checking you out like he’s moments away from finding a dark corner and having his way with you.”
“I could never! That’s way too forward. Plus, we're here for business,” I say, matter-of-factly. Just as I'm about to walk over to the bar to escape this whole thing, I notice he's excusing himself from the two men he’s talking to and heading in the same direction. I remain rooted in place.
So much for escaping.
“Oh my God, Emma! Yes, you can. Oh wait, looks like he might beat you to it. Quick, tell me something funny.” Katie’s eyes are twinkling with delight, which only makes me nervous. I’m pretty sure I’ve become her entertainment for the night and no good can come from this.
“Katie, what the heck? I am not funny, and what do you mean he might beat me to—” I swear I feel his presence before I hear him.
“Hi there, hope I'm not interrupting?” His voice is low, practically a purr. A shiver runs up my spine and I turn around.
“Oh, hi. Um, of course not! We were just, uh... talking shop.”
Who the hell says ‘talking shop’? Come on, Emma, do better! Focus...
How can I, though? He’s one of the most beautiful men I've ever met. He has the most incredible dimpled smile, dark blue eyes that are piercing my soul, and I'm wrapped in his scent of leather and embers. Or maybe that’s just the name of the candle that I bought on my last Target run? I blow out a deep breath. It's criminal how attractive this man is.
Oh no, how long have I been staring? Shit.
He pulls me from my thoughts as he hands us each a fresh glass of wine. “I noticed you both were running low.”
Katie declines, “Oh, I don’t accept drinks from anyone other than a bartender, but I am Emma’s ride, so she can have mine. I'll make sure she gets home safe.”
I smack her arm and turn back to him. “I, yeah, sure... thanks.” I can’t seem to get the words out, as he pours one glass into the other and hands it to me. As I take it, our fingers brush. Does he feel that too? I sure as hell did. An innocent touch, but it causes goosebumps to erupt all over my body.
“I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced,” I say with as much confidence as I can muster. “I’m Emma, and this is Katie. We work for a local magazine.”
He holds out his hand and I take it. There’s that zing again. “Dylan. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Emma. I haven’t seen you here before, is this your first time here?” His lack of acknowledgement of Katie is not lost on me—all his focus is on me.
“Yes, but Katie has been once or twice.” His eyes never leave mine, even at the second mention of my coworker. The energy in the room is heavy; I don’t know what it is about this guy, but I feel a pull toward him. I can’t look away.
Katie clears her throat, probably uncomfortable with whatever this is. “Ok, right, so I need to check on a few people. It was great to meet you, Dusty.”
“Dylan,” he corrects.
“Right, Dylan. Emma, I’ll find you later.” She winks at me. My hand flies to my face, covering my eyes in embarrassment. Hopefully he didn’t catch that. Who the hell winks at people?
“I’m sorry, she’s... well, that’s Katie,” I say sheepishly. I’m not sure what to do now, but I need to fill the silence. “So, Dylan, what brings you here tonight? What do you do?”
He brings his drink to his lips. His gaze hasn’t wavered once, remaining on me like we’re the only two people in the room. “Investments.”
That could mean literally anything, could he be any more vague?
Dylan takes out a card from his wallet and hands it to me. “My personal number is on the bottom. It was great to meet you, Emma.” He walks away, glancing over his shoulder with a dimpled grin. I place the card in my purse, set down my too-full glass of wine, and find Katie to get the hell out of here before my cheeks get any redder.
"So, how did it go? Did he ask you out?"
"I don't want to talk about it." He's easily the most handsome man I have ever met, but it's more than that. I feel a gravitational pull toward him that I can't explain.
The next day, before I even sit at my desk, Katie greets me at the door with two cups of coffee. Bouncing with excitement, she hands me one and asks, “Did you call him? Did he call you?”
I set the coffee on my desk, shrug off my coat, and sit to power up my computer. “No, I didn’t call him. I just met him last night.”
She eyes me suspiciously, sipping her own drink. “Call him now! What are you waiting for?”
What am I waiting for? I can easily call his work number under the guise of a business call. No, that’s dishonest. I have no intention of calling him. What would I even say? ‘Hi, it’s Emma, we spoke for like 2.5 seconds and I think you’re incredibly attractive. Want to hang out sometime?’
Instead, I tell her, “Maybe tomorrow, I need to catch up on emails.” Looking at my computer to avoid her gaze and persistent matchmaking, I check my schedule for the day. “I have a luncheon and another mixer today?”
Katie doesn’t even blink. “Yep, and Susan wants you to go to both.”
I sigh and bring my coffee to my lips for the first time, forgetting that Katie takes her coffee black. I wince at the bitterness and set it down. “Fine, I’ll go tonight, but only because there’s a full bar at this one.”
Katie laughs and leaves my office while I dive into work for a few hours.
Tonight, there’s a much younger crowd at this mixer. Susan sent Katie and I alone this time. Why this woman trusts me is beyond me; I really have no business being here.
We grab a few glasses of white wine right after we arrive. Unfortunately, the full bar is all well liquor. I don’t need to be praying to the porcelain gods because of a bottom shelf gin and tonic.
“He’s here.”
“Who?” I ask, scanning the room. Just as I’m about to turn back to her, I spot Dylan. He’s laughing with a few older gentlemen and a woman. Thankfully, I don't think he’s seen me yet, meaning I can hide in the sea of people between us. “I mean, it makes sense. He is here to network, just like us.”
“Oh, come on! This is such a cliché meet cute.” Katie is way too invested in this.
“You’ve read too many romance novels. This is not a meet cute. This is not destiny, or happenstance... or whatever the hell you want to label it.” I roll my eyes at her and sip my wine, which is, surprisingly, better than last night. “Who are our prospects tonight? Who does Susan want us to meet?”
“You can start with Mr. McHottie over there,” she jokes, gesturing to Dylan. Just as I’m about to open my mouth to protest, he looks our way. “Looks like we’ve been spotted, Em. Ok, so I’m going to find Matt and see if I can upsell him for the next issue. Good luck!” Katie walks away smirking, leaving me alone. Great. I think about going after her, but I can't help but notice Dylan's also alone. Well, there’s no time like the present. I blow out a deep breath, square my shoulders, and walk over to him.
As I approach, he has the biggest smile I’ve ever seen—like a kid on Christmas morning. His boyish grin takes my breath away. What is wrong with me? You're here for work. I've never been so nervous to talk to someone before, but I muster up every ounce of courage I have, and draw from everything I learned in my public speaking and communications classes in college. Deep breath, Emma. “Fancy meeting you here,” I say with a flirty smile. If I have to talk to him, I may as well have some fun.
“Small world.” He brings his beer to his lips, still smiling. His eye contact is powerful but playful. “You mentioned last night that you work for a magazine. What do you do there?”
“I just started this month as an account executive, which is basically a fancy name for ad sales.” I’m so nervous around him. He’s insanely attractive and carries himself with so much confidence that I struggle to find my voice.
He laughs, gesturing with his beer around the room. “Ah, yes, we have quite a few of those here. Which magazine? Do you have a card? I forgot to ask for it yesterday.”
Is he trying to get my number? No, that can’t be it.
I dig in my bag and pull one out. “Here, that’s me.”
Taking my card, he asks, “Is this the best number to reach you at?”
I stare for a moment, then clear my throat. “Um, yes, that’s my work cell.” I don’t have a work cell, but he doesn’t need to know that.
He smiles and pockets my card. “Thanks, I’ll have to give you a call when we are ready to put in an ad.”
Ugh, so it is a business thing. Damn it.
To avoid his searing gaze, I use the only tool in my arsenal. “Sure thing. Well, it was great seeing you again, Dylan. Please excuse me.” I hold up my phone that is most definitely not ringing. "I have to take this." I turn on my heel and walk away before I embarrass myself further.
I look for Katie with my phone to my ear, willing myself not to sneak a glance at him as I retreat, knowing I'll find his ocean eyes on me. She’s by the bar, laughing at something the guy she’s with is saying. What was his name? Mark? Michael? I was distracted by a tall drink of water with piercing blue eyes when she mentioned him.
“Oh, Emma! You must meet my absolute favorite client, Matt.”
Hah! I knew it was a M name.
Shoving my phone in my bag, I extend my free hand to shake his, “Hi, Matt, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Matt is in his mid-to-late twenties, tall and blond, but only a few inches taller than me in heels, putting him maybe six foot—which is only a little shorter than Dylan. He’s definitely good looking, but not really my type. Or maybe I'm just crushing on Dylan?
He offers to grab me a glass of wine to replace the one I downed in one gulp on my way to find Katie. “I'm ok, thank you. I just wanted to check in with Katie before I head out.”
“Give me thirty and we can head out together?”
“Sure, I can wait for you,” I reply as professionally as I can, but my nerves are shot. Just as I’m about to walk away, Dylan approaches, slapping Matt on the back to greet him, “Hey, buddy, how’ve you been?”
Matt chuckles. “Great, it’s been a while! The office hasn’t been the same since you transferred. Have you met Katie and... Emma, was it?”
As I’m about to confirm, Dylan replies for me with a grin, his dimples on full display, “Yes, we’ve met a few times. Old friends now, aren’t we, E?”
Shoot, now he wants to be just friends. That’s worse than just business. I’ve been friend-zoned! Also, E? Since when do I have a nickname?
He lowers his voice and leans in beside my ear so that only I can hear him, "When I call you, I hope you don't rush off the phone as quickly as you did with that call you took." I suck in a quick breath, unsure how to respond after being caught.
Katie jumps in, full of half-truths, “Emma was telling me that she just took on five new clients. I don’t know how she makes the time to join me at these events.”
I mutter under my breath, “Really, Katie?”
Beaming, she continues, “Well, gentlemen, we have an early morning meeting that I forgot about, but I’m so glad we had a chance to catch up.”
Dylan’s smile fades. Is he sad I’m leaving? We shake hands and, when he touches me, it feels like a mild electrical current travels up my arm. My hand fits perfectly in his and I appreciate that he doesn’t offer a limp handshake like some men do, simply because I’m a woman. He pulls me a little closer, his thumb gently and ever so subtly swiping over mine. Did I imagine that?
“I’m sure I’ll see you soon, Emma.” His voice is silky, and I have to remind myself that this is just work. He’s probably like this with everyone.
Katie and I slip away from the crowd. Once we’re out of earshot of everyone, she looks me dead in the eyes. “That man wants you. Time to play hard to get.”
“I am not going to play hard to get,” I insist. “Plus, he only wants to be friends or business acquaintances.”
“Friends with benefits, maybe,” Katie scoffs. “Did you see him checking you out as we left?” Was he checking me out? “Does he have your number?”
“He has my card.”
“Mark my words, he wants more than a business relationship. Just be careful when he reaches out. By the way that man looks at you, he’s probably the kind of guy who jumps in with two feet.”
Katie’s words replay in my head the entire way home.
CHAPTER 2
EMMA
In the last month, I’ve run into Dylan no less than ten more times. He sits at my table during every luncheon. Every mixer, he brings me a glass of wine or comes up with an excuse to talk to me. He always finds me. A few people have asked if we're dating—which is super awkward—but we both change the subject. I have no idea where we stand. The flirting is fun, but we’re friends at best and business contacts at worst.
I’m in the middle of drafting an email to one of my clients when my phone rings. “Hello?”
“Hi, is this Emma?” The voice on the other line is familiar, but I can’t place it. “Yes, may I ask who’s calling?”
“Dylan,” he says, as if I should know who he is. Of course, I know exactly who he is, but I need to play it cool.
“Oh, hi, Dylan No-last-name.” My voice feels shaky; I hope the quiver is only in my head. He lets out a hearty laugh. “My apologies, I should’ve clarified. Dylan Alexander.”
“How may I help you?” I straighten my posture, even if no one can see it but me.
“I wanted to see if you were available to grab a drink or dinner to... discuss a few things.”
Wait, like a friend thing? Or a business thing? Or a date thing?
“Oh, sure. I think I have a few evenings free but my lunches are all booked up.” I’m such a liar, I have zero lunches booked. Ball’s in your court, Dylan. If this is a date, his next move should make it obvious.
“Perfect. How about Thursday evening, after work? Maybe 5pm? I have a meeting that goes until 5. Hope that’s not too late?”
Well, shoot. His next move was not obvious. This could still be just a work thing.
“Sure, that should be fine. My car will be at the train station, but I can grab it after work and meet you closer to 5:30?”
“That’s not necessary. My meeting is downtown; I'll come pick you up.” Oh my God, is this a date? No, there's no way, it still feels too stuffy.
“Sure, my work address is on my card, I’ll meet you downstairs around 5,” I reply. What on earth is this man thinking?
“Great, I’ll see you then. You’re sure you don’t have plans?” It’s an odd question for him to ask, I just told him I’m free.
“Nope, I’m available. See you Thursday.”
“Can’t wait,” he says as he hangs up. I’m left gaping at my phone, wondering what the hell just happened.
Thursday comes quicker than I expected. When I look at my calendar, I realize why he double checked about my plans tonight—it’s Valentine's Day. I still can’t tell if this is a date or not, but I'm excited, no matter the outcome. I might walk away with a second date on the books, or a contract for an ad in the magazine. Win-win.
I make sure I'm downstairs a few minutes before 5 o’clock, surprised to discover he's right on time. He pulls up to the building and gets out of his car to open my door for me. I don’t know if it’s possible, but is he even more handsome than I remember? I haven’t seen him in a week, but it feels longer. A realization hits me—he doesn’t have a date tonight either.
On the drive to the restaurant, he asks me how my day was, and I ask about his. He rattles off some sort of stock trading information that I barely follow. So far, this outing feels very platonic. He didn’t comment on how pretty I look, or do any other complimentary first date things guys typically do. I’m starting to think I read this all wrong. Maybe he’s just not that into me and it’s all business.
We decided to head to a local seafood restaurant that, in my opinion, is casual enough to grab dinner as a date, but fancy enough to buy him dinner if it’s a business meeting. I still have no clue what this is and wanted to be sure I’m covered either way.
Entering the restaurant, the host seats us at a table in the middle of the room. He sits across from me. Damn it, now I can’t avoid his dimples.
As the waiter asks my drink order, I reply, “Gin and tonic with extra lime, please.”
I set my napkin on my lap and look up to find Dylan with a curious expression on his face. He pauses for a moment, his trademark dimples bigger than ever. Shaking his head with a smirk, he turns to the server, “Make that two, please.” Once our server leaves, I ask Dylan what that look was for. He laughs to himself and replies, “Nothing. You just surprise me.” I smile back, feeling a little like he’s flirting with me.
