The Geek Tycoon Read Online Free Page A

his face in both hands and French kiss him until he gave up his ridiculous plan. “So let’s say everybody agrees that a clearly defined policy concerning touching is the way to proceed, and one day you find Rylan and Miranda getting busy in the broom closet. What then?”
    His Adam’s apple bobbed. “We don’t have a broom closet. We have a cleaning service.”
    “Okay, imagine they’re on that little couch in his office. You walk in to ask him a question and there they are in total violation of your recently instituted policy. Are you going to fire them? Make them take a pay cut?”
    “No, of course not.” His voice was strained. “But Rylan wouldn’t –”
    “Don’t be so sure. I think he likes her.”
    His color was still high but he soldiered on. “I think so, too, but she dated Frazer in college.”
    “She did? I didn’t know that. Was it serious?”
    “Semi. I don’t know the particulars of the breakup and Frazer insisted he’d be fine hiring her as a consultant. But he might not be fine if his brother started dating her.”
    “Then maybe there’s no current office romance to worry about, but how global are you going to make this policy? What about two people going out for coffee? Or pizza, for that matter? Will that be against the rules?”
    “Of course not!”
    With deliberate intent, she reached across the table and covered his clenched fist with her hand. “Exactly. You can’t legislate your employees’ social life and people who socialize touch each other. It’s going to happen.” His hand felt warm and strong beneath hers. As she looked into his eyes, her pulse kicked into high gear. She’d seen that intensity before but only when he was excited about a new tech gadget. “See what I mean?”
    “Yeah.” His voice had a gravelly texture that was very unlike him.
    “Take this dinner we’re having, for example.” She rubbed her thumb over the back of his hand and his eyes darkened. Unless she was mistaken, her touch excited him. “When we leave, you’d probably help me with my coat.”
    His breathing had changed, too. “Probably.”
    “Surely that wouldn’t be a violation of the policy.”
    Holding her gaze, he drew a deep breath. “Depends on how I do it.”
    “And how I feel about how you do it.”
    “Obviously.” He sighed. “Charlotte, I –”
    “Pizza’s here!” A waiter arrived.
    She pulled her hand away and silently cursed the interruption. She didn’t know what Tony had been about to say, but it might have been really important.
    “Sorry it took so long, you guys, but we’re slammed tonight.” The waiter was all smiles and congeniality as he set down a metal trivet to hold the pan. “We put on extra olives and mushrooms to make up for it.”
    The moment was gone, so Charlotte decided to leave the subject alone for now. She had some ideas about how Tony could solve this HR dilemma, but she decided now wasn’t the time to discuss them. “Great.” She pulled a paper napkin out of the holder and spread it on her lap. “I’m starving.”
    The waiter set the pan on the trivet. “Enjoy!”
    She stared at the pizza. Then she blinked and looked again. No mistake. The pizza was definitely in the shape of a heart.

Chapter Three
    A heart-shaped pizza . Tony gulped. Although it had saved him from foolishly blurting out his feelings for Charlotte, it had created a new problem. She might think he’d ordered it.
    Although he hadn’t, he vaguely remembered seeing a sign in the window advertising heart-shaped pizzas for couples. The restaurant had some new employees. Someone who didn’t know him or Charlotte had thought they were dating.
    He looked over at her. “I didn’t ask for this.”
    “No?” She was studying him much too closely for comfort. “Sure looks like our favorite blend of toppings.”
    “I mean the shape. I didn’t tell them to make a heart. They assumed something based on us being the only two people at the table. And maybe because of the