Slow Dancing

19 | vibrato

"Is there a reason why you specifically picked this hotel instead of another one?" I asked randomly, in a less than subtle attempt to kill the silence between us. It wasn't awkward per se, but I just didn't like long silences that seemed to stretch on for days on end. "I mean, Nolan's got a whole chain of hotels – you could've easily picked another one."

He shot me a sardonic look, as if my question was more than redundant. "Why would I pick another one when this is the most convenient?"

"Well, that's true. If you're going to have a quick shag with your date, why bother with booking a room when you've already got one, right?" I said this teasingly, just for the sake of getting a reaction out of him, but I was more than confused when he simply raised his eyebrows at me and I started to feel self-conscious. "What?"

"I don't have a date," he replied evenly, as he resumed walking. "It's not a social event for me, Isla, I'll be there to do business. You should know; you're coming along with me."

I stopped mid-track, staring at him slack-jawed and wide-eyed. "I am?"

"You're my personal assistant, aren't you?"

"But – " my voice trailed off as I began to falter uncertainly, "I thought I was going to be doing some background work. Like, setting up the place or clean up after or– "

"Why would I have you do any of that?" He sounded rather appalled now, and I almost wanted to laugh.

"I don't know – I didn't get an invitation or an RSVP."

"That's because you're sitting with me, at my table, for the whole evening – you don't need a bloody invitation. You don't even need to do anything, just relax and have a good night."

Perhaps it was just me; perhaps I was a person far too easy to please. But it meant a lot to me that he'd specifically invited me to go to the company dinner with him, even if it was for solely professional purposes. Nevertheless, a part of me couldn't help but rile him up. "So it's a date?" I asked blandly.

His eyes narrowed. "It's not a date."

"Will you be driving me to and from the party?"

"There'll be a stretch limo – yes," he reluctantly dragged out, as if compelled to tell the honest truth. "And I won't be driving, there'll be a chauffeur for the night."

"Will you be getting me flowers?"

He shot me an aggravated look. "Do you want flowers?"

"No, the chocolate fountain and red velvet cupcakes should suffice," I replied mildly, trying to stifle my surprise at the fact that he'd actually asked. His glare deepened and I simply let my lips curl up in a teasing smile, hardly able to resist one last push. "Trust you not to know when you're taking a girl out on a date, Kaden."

"It's not a bloody date!" Exasperated, he turned on his heels and strode towards the ballroom. But just as I began to wonder if I'd well and truly angered him, he paused and threw a brief glance at me over his shoulder. "Are you going to stand there all day?"

I realised then that this was what it was – a constant push and pull between the two of us. When I pushed, he pulled back, but he never went far. It grew tiresome at times, but the rewards were somehow always satisfying – knowing that he'd still be there, no matter what.

Shaking my head, I smiled and caught up with him.

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The blatant looks of surprise from the other employees were honestly laughable when Kaden stepped into the ballroom. I bit my lip to keep from smiling and followed him in, keeping a good distance when he swiftly began a conversation with one of the hotel managers who was overseeing the preparation. There was an equal mix of hotel staff and employees from Kaden's company in the room; the only distinguishable attribute about them was that the hotel's employees were dressed in their usual uniforms.