Page 6 of Challenging Luke

"It's nice to meet you, Luke, but I'm not in the habit of telling strangers my name." She was sure Luke could see the twinkle in her eye, and like a good sport, he didn't disappoint with his response.

"And what's it going to take for us to no longer be strangers?"

They were close enough to the wall that Luke was able to lean back against it, crossing both of his arms and his feet. He might look relaxed, but she would bet if the situation called for it, he would be ready to go in an instant.

Before she answered, she took her time looking him over. She wasn't sure which Luke she liked better; the dressed-up man from the night before, or the one in jeans standing across from her. She would make the decision once she got a look at the way his ass filled out the jeans. She already knew the front did very well.

She realized she'd kept quiet too long when he cleared his throat. "Like what you see, sweetheart?"

"Depends." She shrugged. "Some men know how to work the Wranglers. Not sure if you qualify as one of them or not."

The way his green eyes darkened told her he knew exactly what she was referring to. "I think you know exactly how much I qualify."

Damn, did she know. She remembered how his tight ass felt beneath her palms. So, yes, she could accurately say that, if she took one look at his ass, he would fill those jeans out nicely.

"Knowing how you look, and how you perform, doesn't mean we still aren't strangers, and other than your name, I know nothing about you."

But he knew her. Or at least, what he was able to learn from the internet, and when she thought about it, that wasn't much. She was a workaholic with no social life. Especially now that both of her friends had moved to Texas. The only fun she’d had was when Ash and Trista convinced her it was time to get out and live a little.

"Okay, so let's change that," he offered. "There's a nice little restaurant right here in the hotel. I know for a fact that you didn't eat your lunch, so let's kill two birds with one stone. We get to know each other during our first date."

"First date? What makes you think you'll get more than one?" And why did her heart skip a beat at just the thought of going out on a real date? Because it's been over two years since you've been on one, that's why.

"Oh, I'll be getting more than one," he confidently told her.

She didn't bother telling him she was only in town for one more night, or that her flight left early. She was going to take the few hours they had left and make the most of it. Make sure the hours counted for something good.

They grabbed a table inside the restaurant that she had fled less than an hour before. She was happy to see Alexander was nowhere in sight. With any luck, he got the memo and she could continue on with her life.

This time, instead of ordering the salad, she let herself get exactly what she wanted. With their orders placed and the server gone from the table, she turned her attention back to Luke.

"I must say, it's refreshing when a woman orders a real meal," Luke remarked. "Not that I would ever judge based on food choices."

She let a real smile cross her face. She had chosen the burger and fries that she wished she could have gotten when she was stuck dining with Alexander. She might be forced to dress fancy and put on a performance with clients, but that wasn't the real her. The real Monica enjoyed greasy food, comfy clothes, and inappropriate comments. While she played her CEO part well, it was just that: a part. An act she put on because that was expected of her. Very few people knew the real her. Actually, the number of people could be counted on one hand, and she was sad to report it didn't even take the full five fingers.

"I order the salad when I'm looking to impress someone. Since you’ve already violated my privacy, there's no need for me to try so hard." She gave him her sweetest smile. The soft chuckle he gave her said all she needed to know. He didn't believe a word she said.

"I think you use it as an excuse not to let people close to you," he challenged.

How was he able to read her so well? She didn't consider herself an easy person to read. And over the past few years, she had been forced to toughen up, to make that external shell of hers that much thicker. She was the boss now, after all, and her employees looked to her to lead them. She couldn't do that if she was afraid.

"Maybe, but it's not me we're talking about. You already know a lot. So it's your turn to tell me about you."

"Fair." He smiled. "You already know my name. I told you my friends and I co-own a business together. We mostly accept government contracts. Do the grunt work they don't want to, or can't do because of red tape. I mentioned seven of us own the company. Dominic, Nash, and Jayce are back in the States setting up our new office. We used to be more mobile, but we decided that we were getting too old to be constantly living out of suitcases, so we are opening up a permanent location."

The way he said "old" made her want to laugh. There wasn't a single thing about Luke that could be considered old. He was the picture of male perfection. If she hadn't thought it would be so weird, she would have asked to lick his damn abs last night.

"And where exactly in the States is this new venture taking place?" The question was out before she could stop it. She hadn't wanted to know. It would be better to cut things off now before either of them learned too much. She was just about to suggest such a thing when he beat her to it by answering the question.

"Washington."

She attempted to hide the displeasure of his answer. Of course, his location would be in the nation's capital. He had mentioned they took contracts from the government and it was probably easier for them to be so close.

"I can see you misunderstood," he said. "Not Washington, D.C. The state of Washington."

Was that a flicker of hope in her chest? What are the odds that he would be moving his business to the same state in which she currently resided? She had to remind herself Washington was large. There was a good chance he could be clear across the state from Seattle.

"That's cool," she tried for nonchalant. "Any place I would know?"