Sleeping with the Boss (Anderson Brothers, #1)(20)

The elevator door opened and Chance stepped out. “Hey! I was just coming to talk to you.” The door closed behind him.

Shit. From the time he was a little kid, Chance’s timing had always been remarkable—almost like he had a sixth sense detecting when his appearance would be the biggest pain in the ass. Like now, preventing Will from getting Claire alone. He gritted his teeth as she moved a foot or so out of reach. “What’s up?”

“Let’s go talk in Michael’s office,” he suggested. Then he noticed Claire. “Oh, hi, Miss Maddox. Have a nice evening. See you tomorrow.”

Well, this was f*cking awkward. Michael would lose his shit over taking an employee out, even a temp, but he had no idea what Chance would do. Claire obviously picked up on his brother’s assumption and hit the down button as if she were leaving to go home.

No way. Will didn’t give a shit what Michael’s reaction might be, and he sure as hell wasn’t worried about Chance.

He reached over and took her hand, pulling her close. “Afraid I can’t right now. We’re on our way to dinner. The car is waiting downstairs.”

His brother’s brow furrowed for a moment, then relaxed as the pieces fell into place. “Oh.” He looked from Will to Claire, then back again. “Well, okay, then.” He paused for a moment as if fishing for the right words. “Have fun.”

Will pushed the elevator button, still holding Claire’s hand.

Chance took a few steps toward Michael’s office, then stopped. “Michael’s probably going to call you tonight.” Again, his eyes flitted to Claire and back. “You might want to answer. He’s pretty uptight.”

“He’s always uptight,” Will said as the elevator door opened. “I’ll answer. Don’t worry. But he should really come off his high horse and text instead.”

Chance nodded. “I agree completely, but as you know, he feels like text messages lack the nuances and clarity of real conversation. You know how he is.”

Yeah, unmovable.

“Have a good night,” his little brother said, striding away.

A good night was exactly what Will had in mind, and as the elevator closed, he exulted in the fact that he was one step closer.

…

Outside, a limousine was waiting. Claire tried to act like she wasn’t jump-up-and-down-giddy at the prospect of riding in one for the first time and slid in with what she hoped was going to be a dignified move. But, of course, she caught her foot on something and ended up crash-landing on all fours in the middle of the vehicle.

“That’s first date with Will Claire-ism number one,” Will said, sliding into the forward-facing seat at the back.

He held out his hand, and she took it, allowing him to pull her onto the seat next to him. A guy in his midforties who had held the door for them stuck his head in. “Ready, Mr. Anderson?”

“Yes, we are. Thanks, Jacob.”

The door closed with a muffled click, and Claire took a look around her first limousine ever. All black and plush and everything she would expect, complete with a mini bar and burled wood accents. “Where are we going?” she asked as they pulled away from the curb.

Will pulled a bottle of champagne out of a bucket on the other side of him. The cork had already been removed. “It’s a surprise.”

“I don’t like surprises,” she blurted out without thinking. Most surprises in her life had been bad ones.

“I bet I can change your mind.”

If anyone could, it would be Will Anderson. Claire leaned back against the soft leather and tried to relax, which was hard when all she wanted to do was climb into his lap and give this luscious-smelling man a surprise of her own.

He poured two flutes of champagne and handed her one, then held up the other in toast. “To surprises.”

She reluctantly held hers up, and he clinked his to it.

“What is it you don’t like about surprises?” he asked, swaying slightly as the car came to a stop at a light.

“Um… The surprise in them. Not knowing what’s going to happen. Not being able to plan.” She took a swallow of champagne. It was delicious.

He stared at her a moment and the vehicle took off again. “So, you planned the kiss at your place last night?”

She almost choked on her mouthful of champagne. “Of course not. You know I didn’t.”

He took a sip and studied her with those clear blue eyes, which unnerved her a little bit, causing her heart to flutter. “Then you didn’t like it?” He grinned. “You sure acted like you did.”

Her face heated as the memory of them up against her door last night played through her mind. “Of course I did. That’s not what I meant.”

“Admit defeat, Miss Maddox. You just discovered that you do, indeed, like surprises. And you’ll like where I’m taking you tonight.”

Oh dang. No doubt she would. She clamped her legs together to quell the sudden sensation shooting through her.

He flinched when his phone rang. After slipping it from his pocket, he stared at the screen and scowled.

She fought back a laugh. “‘Smooth Operator’?”

“Chance sets my ringtones because he thinks he’s funny. That’s Michael’s.”

“What’s Chance’s?”