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. âThis isnât funny. I didnât expect the burger to be this big.â
âItâs a Jam Burger. Itâs 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.â
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. âI think Iâm going to finish this.â
âIt looks pretty good. Itâs too much food for me, so I never order it. But I always wanted one.â
âHere.â Chris took the burger in his hands and held it out to her. âHave a taste.â
With the bun in her face, Tia didnât know what to do. She shook her head. âOh, no. I canât take your food.â
âOf course you can. Itâs just a little bite. Come on. Enjoy!â
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. âMmm!â Tia moaned. Opening her eyes, she found Chrisâs gaze on her. He smiled knowingly. Disconcerted, she drew away and grabbed her napkin, wiping her mouth. âThank you.â
âYouâre welcome.â He placed the burger in its basket and pointed at her plate. âMay I have a taste?â
âOh! Sure.â She pushed the plate in his direction.
âNo, no. Just give me a forkful.â
âOh.â She wasnât sure she wanted him using her fork.
Smiling at her, Chris said, âYou donât have to worry about germs. Iâd never hurt you that way.â
3
Monday morning, Tia stood in the doorway to Adamâs office. âOkay. Iâll take care of it,â she assured Adam before shutting his door and crossing the office suite to Chrisâs door. She tapped lightly on the wood surface and waited.
âEntrez.â
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. âGood morning.â
After a quick glimpse in her direction, Chris returned to his paper. âBonjour,â he muttered back. âVous avez besoin de quelque chose?â
She shook her head. âEnglish!â
âSorry. Do you need something?â
âYes.â Tia ran her fingers through her hair and said, âAdam wants you at a meeting with Reynolds at two oâclock.â
âWhat are we discussing?â Chris glanced at her.
âThe legal departmentâs annual budget.â
Grimacing, he dropped the paper and picked up a pen, jotting the information on his calendar. âOh, oui. Two oâclock. Reynoldsâs office. Iâll be there. Très bien. Thanks.â
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, âWhatâs all of this? Youâre not looking for a new job, are you?â She waved a hand across the desktop, noting that the newspaper sat open to the