“Business or pleasure,” she called over her shoulder on the way to a leather loveseat. “You only get to select one, Ken.” The moment she sat down, she crossed her legs, conveniently toward the other seat. The wineglass remained in her hand. I’m gonna need more wine at this point. “You don’t get to have me for both.”
“Now there’s a conundrum.” Ken was on his way to her, although taking his sweet time. Was it to give Lana a full view of his body? Because he walked like he owned the room. My room. Don’t get cocky, Mr. Andrews. Lana did not hand her spaces over to anyone, not even a man she fancied. “That’s like asking me what I desire more. Satisfaction in my heart or in my bank account?”
“If you’re a woman, you’re constantly searching for both.”
“Aha.” Ken dropped his jacket onto the arm of the loveseat and sat next to her. His aura was so palpable that Lana could lick it. Bet he’d like that. She did not miss the moment his legs also crossed – toward her. Their feet were willing to touch at any moment. “Either way, I’m up against quite the brick wall, aren’t I? I mean, I was flirting with you. I think that intention is pretty clear.”
“Say you want to have sex with me, Ken. We’re both adults here.”
The rim of his wineglass stayed pressed against his bottom lip. “Oh, I would love to have sex with you, Lana. Don’t let that be misunderstood.” He drank, his throat pushing two long waves of red wine down to his stomach. Lana had to look the other way before she burned like the rose of her blouse. “Also don’t let it be misunderstood that I don’t want you working for my company. Like I said. Quite the conundrum. Do I satisfy my current sexual urges for the short term happiness, or do I do the smart thing and hire you as my underling, always to remain professional to a fault?”
Ah, but he had walked into her logistical trap. You said you wanted to fuck me, Ken. We can never go back from that. Lana drank as much as he did. They had sexual chemistry. That had been established between them. That would also follow us through our professional careers. Again, what should she do? Do I work for a man who wants me as much as I desire him? Lana was not going to fool herself into thinking a real relationship could happen here. Even if it did, how long would it last? She would be the one cut from Lois & Bachman once the messy breakup occurred. Messy because I refused to be the sweet girlfriend. Because I got bored. They hadn’t even kissed or touched outside of a handshake, and Lana Losers was already sabotaging a possible relationship.
“What do you want, Lana?”
She jerked her head back in his direction. “I’m not the one possibly fucking over his business.”
“No, but you stand to lose the most, don’t you?”
“Fuck you,” she said with a snort.
“It’s true, though. I won’t pretend that it isn’t.”
Lana had no idea how that made her feel. She wasn’t used to men, let alone her prospective romantic partners, taking into account what happened to her once she left the bedroom. One of many reasons I don’t get to have real relationships. Well, that and her personal issues. “I wouldn’t have invited you up to my room if I wasn’t at least interested.”
“Interested in what?” Ken leaned forward, wineglass dangling between his hands. “Come on, Lana. You asked me, now I get to ask you… do you want to have sex with me?”
Bastard. Dastardly, handsome bastard.
“Yes.” Lana couldn’t look at him. She didn’t want to see the smug satisfaction oozing from his goatee. My liking casual sex doesn’t mean I don’t have any self-respect. Besides, that was so dumb of her to admit! Like he said, she had more to lose! Why did she admit that she wanted to sleep with him? Everyone would assume that he wanted to fuck her if she went to work for him. Not necessarily the other way around. Or so Lana wanted to believe.
Ken put his glass down. “Well, I suppose that solves that dilemma, then. Here I am, having admitted that I want to sleep with you. Here you are, admitting that you want to sleep with me. I’m in your hotel room where such things happen. Come on, Lana, you would’ve been disappointed if all we did was talk business up here.”