“These look really good. Enjoy,” he said, then left the table.
Tia glanced at her vegetarian lasagna and inhaled the aroma of Italian seasonings and garlic. Sunshine was right. It did look wonderful. She picked up her fork and glanced at her lunch partner and laughed out loud.
Chris sat, studying his burger. “This isn’t funny. I didn’t expect the burger to be this big.”
“It’s a Jam Burger. It’s half a pound of ground chuck. They are huge. You can always take some of it back to the office and have it for a late-afternoon snack.”
He held the burger in both hands and took a bite. Nodding approvingly, he returned the burger to the wooden basket and wiped his mouth with his napkin. “I think I’m going to finish this.”
“It looks pretty good. It’s too much food for me, so I never order it. But I always wanted one.”
“Here.” Chris took the burger in his hands and held it out to her. “Have a taste.”
With the bun in her face, Tia didn’t know what to do. She shook her head. “Oh, no. I can’t take your food.”
“Of course you can. It’s just a little bite. Come on. Enjoy!”
Tia wanted to say no. Eating his food seemed so intimate and personal. It was something you did with a partner, a lover, or a close friend. Tia was none of these, at least not to him. Again, this may be another cultural thing that she needed to learn.
With the burger in her face, she sank her teeth into the juicy beef. It was heavenly. She shut her eyes, savoring the taste. “Mmm!” Tia moaned. Opening her eyes, she found Chris’s gaze on her. He smiled knowingly. Disconcerted, she drew away and grabbed her napkin, wiping her mouth. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He placed the burger in its basket and pointed at her plate. “May I have a taste?”
“Oh! Sure.” She pushed the plate in his direction.
“No, no. Just give me a forkful.”
“Oh.” She wasn’t sure she wanted him using her fork.
Smiling at her, Chris said, “You don’t have to worry about germs. I’d never hurt you that way.”
3
Monday morning, Tia stood in the doorway to Adam’s office. “Okay. I’ll take care of it,” she assured Adam before shutting his door and crossing the office suite to Chris’s door. She tapped lightly on the wood surface and waited.
“Entrez.”
Tia opened the door and entered the office. Chris sat at his desk with the daily newspaper spread across the surface. Excitement rippled through her. Instantly, guilt assaulted her. That feeling should be reserved for Darnell.
What is Chris up to now? She pursed her lips, moved across the room, and stopped in front of him. “Good morning.”
After a quick glimpse in her direction, Chris returned to his paper. “Bonjour,” he muttered back. “Vous avez besoin de quelque chose?”
She shook her head. “English!”
“Sorry. Do you need something?”
“Yes.” Tia ran her fingers through her hair and said, “Adam wants you at a meeting with Reynolds at two o’clock.”
“What are we discussing?” Chris glanced at her.
“The legal department’s annual budget.”
Grimacing, he dropped the paper and picked up a pen, jotting the information on his calendar. “Oh, oui. Two o’clock. Reynolds’s office. I’ll be there. Très bien. Thanks.”
Reluctant to leave, Tia lingered, watching Chris for a moment. Absorbed in the paper, he failed to notice her. She stood, admiring the beauty of this handsome man as he turned the pages of his paper. Below the rolled-up sleeves of his shirt, she watched the ripple of muscles as he moved.
He glanced up unexpectedly. She covered by asking, “What’s all of this? You’re not looking for a new job, are you?” She waved a hand across the desktop, noting that the newspaper sat open to the classified section.
A bit frazzled, Chris shrugged. “No. I’m searching for a place to live.”
Tia’s eyebrows shot up. She struggled to keep the note of surprise out of her voice, but failed miserably. “You’re apartment hunting?”
“Oui.” Brows furrowed, he pointed at an ad in the newspaper. “I don’t understand. This is so complicated. Where is Beverly Hills? In California?”
Laughing softly, she circled the desk and stood beside him, leaning close to his shoulder to read the classified ad. The warmth of his body caressed her skin. “Yes and no. There’s a Beverly Hills, California, and a Beverly Hills, Michigan. So you were right. But not completely.”
Eyes squeezed shut, he massaged his temples. “Expliquez, s’il vous plaît. Explain please.”
Chris focused his pale blue eyes on her with a lost-puppy-dog expression that made Tia crumble. His need for help sucked her right in and tugged at her heart.
“I’m lost! Can you help me? I don’t know this city.” He chuckled without humor. “Or country.”
Tia patted his arm. “Poor baby. Of course I’ll help you. Let me see what you’re doing here.”
Annoyed, Chris pointed at an apartment ad. “Is this a good place to live?”
“Mmm. That’s Chesterfield. Why don’t you look for something closer?” Tia pulled a chair around the desk and placed it next to Chris’s. “I thought you liked the Marriott.”
“It was okay until this weekend. That place was a madhouse.” He ran a hand through his blond hair. “People were up and down the hallway Friday, Saturday, and most of Sunday. They partied and made all kinds of noise. No sleep all night.”
A closer inspection revealed Chris’s eyes were red-rimmed, and his face looked haggard. “Did you call security?”
“Oui, a few times. They’d quiet down for a while and then start up all over again. It was nearly four o’clock on Sunday before things settled down. I can’t have that. When I spoke with the manager, he said that it gets like this during play-off season.”
“That’s rough.”
“It’s time for me to get my own place.”
“Do you have an idea where you want to live?”
“No. I’m baffled. What do you suggest?” He turned an earnest gaze to her. “I trust you.”
She pressed her lips together, considering the options. “Chesterfield is so far away. Have you thought about staying closer to the office?”
He thought about it for a moment and then shook his head. “No. I’ve been
