Rock Hard (Rock Kiss #2)(94)

Gabriel snorted. “You were doing her job.”

“Yes, fine. I need someone who will actually be my assistant.”

“Hire someone.”

That was that. Instead of making up a job ad, she promoted from within, reaching out to a staff member who’d shown potential. The other woman didn’t have the qualifications that would’ve made her an automatic shoo-in for the position, but she did better work than others who were technically more qualified.

It felt good to make someone’s day and to make a silent statement that hard work would be noticed and rewarded. “You’ll officially start next week,” she told the younger woman. “That’ll give HR time to get someone to fill your current position.”

Beaming, the other woman left to share her good news with her friends, and Charlotte got back to work. Gabriel still wasn’t back at five thirty. When she called him, he said he was taking the store’s managerial team out to dinner and asked her to meet him at a restaurant over the bridge.

Heading downstairs to the lobby around six, she smiled at the security guard on duty. “Bye, Steven.”

“Hey, Charlie. I have to walk you out—boss’s orders.”

“The car’s two feet outside the door.” She could see the idling cab, her favorite cabbie’s bearded form in the driver’s seat.

“I’m not about to argue with Mr. Bishop.”

“You should. It’s good for him.”

That made Steven laugh as he pushed the button that opened the doors after hours. “You have a good night.”

“You too.” Right before she was about to slide into the cab, something made her look around. It felt as if someone was watching her, the feeling so visceral she knew it wasn’t paranoia.

For a second, she thought she saw Richard at the end of the block, but when she looked again, there was no one there. Though the incident disturbed her, she put it out of her mind by the time she arrived at the restaurant; she would not let Richard win by allowing him to dominate her thoughts. As long as she was smart and careful, he couldn’t get to her. Gabriel, too, knew not to let down his guard.

“Ms. Baird,” Gabriel said when she reached the table, a glint in his eye. “I’m glad you could join us.”

He was a wicked, wicked man. The two of them weren’t hiding their relationship any longer, but no one at work had twigged to it. Charlotte was glad she didn’t have to deal with media scrutiny, and it made sense to remain professional during work situations—which Gabriel didn’t make any easier, tapping her foot with his under the table and making the odd double-edged comment designed to tease her but that went right over everyone else’s head.

She shot him a glare now and then for form, but she felt like laughing. The dinner was fun overall, the people around the table a mix of both those she dealt with regularly and several new faces.

When the store manager—seated beside her—leaned over and said, “I don’t suppose you’d have a private dinner with me another day?” she smiled and shook her head.

“I have a guy.”

“Ah well, my loss. Should’ve scooped you up earlier.”

It was only when Charlotte glanced across the table that she realized Gabriel had tensed up, his good humor for show. Discreetly taking off her high heel under the table, she ran her foot over his leg. The gleam returned to his eye, but she could tell he was annoyed by the fact another man had hit on her.

Gabriel, she realized suddenly, wasn’t as onboard with the whole “under the radar” thing as she’d believed. He’d agreed only because of her discomfort with being in the spotlight. Her heart expanded—yeah, she was pretty stupid in love with her guy. And she wanted people to know he was hers, enough to handle any resulting pressure; she’d make that clear to him later tonight.

He was definitely possessive when he ushered her into his SUV, the two of them the last to leave the restaurant after Gabriel took care of the bill. Tipping up her chin after backing her up against the car in the dark parking lot behind the restaurant, he kissed her, his hand at her throat. It made her shiver, wrap her own arms around him, her mouth opening under his and her fingers tight in his hair.

Biting her lower lip, tugging, Gabriel smiled. “I’m thinking diamonds and skin.”

Feeling scandalous, she whispered, “I’m pretty sure you could convince me to get naked in the backseat.”

Another wet kiss, his hand tugging up her dress to slide up her thigh before he stepped back and opened the passenger door so she could get in. “Hold that thought,” he said after getting into the driver’s seat and throwing his wallet on the console. “But not in the backseat. I’m too damn big.”

She put the wallet in her handbag so he wouldn’t forget it in the car. “I like you big.”

“Naughty, Ms. Baird.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“So you’re saying I’m not big?”

“You should’ve been a lawyer,” she said with a laugh.

He put his hand on her thigh, the warmth and weight of it intimate and familiar. Closing her hand over his, she leaned back in the seat and just enjoyed the drive, enjoyed being with her guy. Even the thought alone made her grin like a giddy schoolgirl.

When he brought the car to a stop at the apartment building, she got out and they headed to the elevator. She slapped her forehead just as the doors opened. “Damn, I forgot to ask you to stop for milk. We’re all out.”