Mixing Business with Pleasure (Editing)

4 - Lunch Date

Chapter 4 - Lunch Date
Candice Pov

I never lie to my friends but I had to tell Renee a little white lie to give her a reason for why I couldn't go to lunch today. It was based on truth, I am going with Samuel to lunch but maybe I failed to tell her that it was just for two. And I may have added that it was part of a meeting with other companies at a get together. It's not that I don't want to tell her what's going on. It's that I don't even know what's going on myself and I wanted to find out before I start talking about it. Don't judge me, I'm not ditching my girl for no man. Well, I am ditching her for a man technically speaking BUT I feel like I need to see where this is heading and I don't want her getting all excited before I know if it's real or not.

I touched up my dark red lipstick in the mirror, looking at my reflection in the mirror. Every woman should have a LBD. Yes, little black dresses are not overrated, I thought to myself as I admired my figure. I stared at myself in the mirror a little longer analyzing my face and using my fingers to tuck in my unruly curls. When I was satisfied I left the restroom to see Samuel Peters standing in the hallway waiting for me. He smiled at me as I walked up to him. I couldn't help but smile back. I'd never really seen him smile before today. It's something I'd like to see more often. It makes his eyes twinkle. 'Oh no girl, look at you getting all romantic all of a sudden' my inner voice teased me.

Nobody in the office battered an eyelid as Samuel and I walked out together. As I'm his PA they're used to seeing us together but an observant person would be able to tell a few subtle differences. I was walking beside him instead of behind him and we were both smiling, which is not the expression that's normally on both on our faces. He normally walks around like he has the whole world on his shoulders, while my face shows that I'm fed up with his bullshit.

"After you" Samuel said holding the door open to the car that was going to take us to wherever we were going.

"Drive" Samuel said to his driver Ronald, who put his foot on the pedal as soon as Samuel opened his mouth.

My face screwed slightly as I remembered the traits of Samuel I don't like, like the way he speaks to people that work for him, including me. He must have noticed my 'not impressed' facial expression as he thanked Ronald on the way out, which is something I've never heard him do before. I stood in front of the Italian restaurant beside Samuel, as men at the door greeted us. I smiled politely, feeling a little out of place. Judging from the fancy exterior of this place and the fact people were paid to stand at the door, it signaled that this was one of them posh places to go out and eat. A place that would probably cost my months wages just for a starter. I guess this is how the other half live.

Samuel sat opposite me on a nicely set table, looking at the menu. All of a sudden I felt really hungry. I had already picked out a pasta dish that didn't sound too complicated secretly wishing I were at a McDonalds or Wendy's drive thru with Renee instead. What? At least you'd get that food served straight away. Plus I'm in a mans company, which means I can't even eat the way I really want to. I suppressed my rumbling stomach as the waiter took our orders. I started thinking about how much has changed in just one morning.

"I want to know everything there is to know about you I don't already know" Samuel spoke suddenly, and somehow I knew he had been watching me the whole time.

I took a sip of the white wine Samuel had recommended. He was intense.

"Ask me any question you want to know, and I'll answer it." I replied wondering when the food was going to come.

"What are your goals?" He asked which made me laugh.

I raised my eyebrow at him. "I almost feel like we are still at work, that's a typical interview question."

"Someone's goals can tell you a lot about a person, you'd be surprised" He replied with a serious look... that almost took food out of my mind.

"Well" I said feeling flushed again. What is this man doing to me? "I think my goal in life is to be happy. I know that sounds so cliché but honestly that's what I want. To be content, and just live life like you're supposed to. Maybe I'll have children, and then I'd want them to be happy" I stopped talking before I rambled on, "What are your goals?"

"To be happy" He copied. "Because I learnt a long time ago happiness doesn't depend on money and material things. I used to think it did when I was building this company up with Daniel. Money was always the aim, and now I got it. But all along there was always something missing"

I peered over at him. I admired this open Samuel. "And what was missing?" I asked stupidly hoping he said it was something corny like 'someone to share it with'

"It might not be missing no more" He said quietly just as the food came.

"This looks so good" I said looking at the dish in front of me, ready to tuck in. It tasted good too. We moved onto different topics getting to know each other more as we finished eating. I learnt quite a lot about my boss I didn't know before. Like his old Nick name of Sammy that his brother uses when he wants to provoke him. That he's scared of spiders even though in his words he's a 'grown arse man' We were on our second bottle of wine between us when the the waiter came back telling us about our desert options.

I declined looking at my watch. This was only supposed to be a quick lunch and Samuel has a meeting scheduled at 2.

"Remember when I said don't over think things" He said. I felt his eyes on me again "There's no rush Candice, I've got this great PA who is really good at reorganising my schedule. I'm sure she could make my meetings for today appear throughout the week instead"

"I'm sure this great PA could make that happen too. So what is it you have planned for the rest of the day?"

"Well first I was thinking I could get desert" he said looking over at me and I knew he didn't mean nothing that was on the menu. I could give him some desert.

With the look that he was giving me right now food was the last thing on my mind. The good, professional and dignified parts of me had long gone out of the window. The truth is, that it's been a long time since I had a man. And the effect that this man was having on me already made me want to forget my morals right now. I thought about how soft his lips were when he kissed me earlier and how they would feel all over my body. I crossed my legs trying to control the dirty thoughts running through my mind again. His eyes looked into mine as we both spoke to each other without speaking. For the second time today, I wanted him just as much as he wanted me and he knew it.
I bit down my lip, not caring what he thought of me, before confirming what we was about to do "I think we should get desert somewhere else"
Samuel signalled the waiter to bring the bill.

A/N A little bit of a filler. Simone's Pov will be the next chapter and maybe a private chapter as we know things are about to go down between those two. Sorry if the spacing is messed up. I uploaded this on my phone.