Like the previous week, Nia had to work closely with her boss. It wasn't as difficult and unpleasant as before, but she still didn't like it.

She folded the file and placed it in a binder, then took the next one and typed the information into her laptop. Occasionally, she glared at him over the top of her computer. And when he caught her glaring, she quickly looked away.

Robert smirked and held the paper over his face. He could feel the heat of her stare through the paper. Exhaling, he lowered the paper and looked at her. Nia stared at the screen like she hadn't just sent her boss a nasty look.

"Are you alright Smithy? Is everything okay with you?" He asked feigning concern.

"I'm fine," she replied curtly.

"You sure? You seem distracted. Is there something you want to tell me, to talk about? I'm here for you, I promise," he said holding up his hand and making the scouts sign of honor.

"Oh it's nothing really. Other than the fact that someone ruined my date on Saturday, I'm fine," she said with a sweet smile.

He rolled his chair around.

"Oh come on. You looked bored that day. I was putting you out of your misery."

Nia scowled at him. "My misery? Gee, thanks boss. I didn't know you cared," she said sarcastically.

"I don't!" He said quickly and she gave him a look. "But you're welcome anyway."

Nia sighed heavily and returned her attention to her computer.

There was silence for a beat before he spoke again.

"You look pretty."

Nia didn't raise her head, didn't acknowledge what he said. But her heart beat a little faster, and the blood rushed to her cheeks. He was beginning to say that a lot, but she wouldn't let his silly words affect her.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" She asked raising a brow.

He smirked. "Sort of."

Nia narrowed her gaze at him though her heart fluttered.

Is he flirting with me? Cause it's totally working!

"It's not working," she said flatly.

He winked and her heart galloped. It went into overdrive.

Be still my beating heart.

Robert watched as she shook her head and looked back down. She acted like his words weren't affecting her, but they were. She was blushing furiously.

"Do I have to work with you in here everyday?" She asked suddenly.

"Yes."

"But I can do this in my office."

"I know."

"So why do I have to stay here?" She asked finally looking up.

I don't know.

"You're here because I said so... Besides, there are things you'll be wanting to ask me concerning the files. It's better this way. You won't have to walk back and forth between the two offices."

I don't mind walking, she thought.

"Are you concerned about my well-being, Mr McGregor?" Nia asked with a flirtingly teasing smile.

She wanted to confirm something.

Robert leaned forward and placed his elbows on his desk. "I don't know, am I?" He asked. His voice had dropped an octave, and he was staring intently at her.

Nia's eyes widened as she realized he really was flirting with her. Faced with his flirting, she couldn't say anything.
Blushing, she looked down. She had no idea why she had started it in the first place.

Staring at her computer, she decided not to say anything for the rest of the day lest he find an opportunity to flirt with her again. She didn't think she could take it coming from him.

•••••

Nia had no idea how many hours had passed. Her fingers were cramped. And for the first time she realized just how hard it was to work with him in silence. He hadn't said anything, and neither had she. She willed him to say something, but he didn't.

She was going to speak when the door opened and Lisa waltzed in. Nia instantly tensed and held her breath.

Their previous encounters were still fresh in her mind.

"Robbie baby," she called in that high voice of hers and Nia cringed.

She looked up to find Robert staring at his computer like he hadn't just heard the door open.

"Could you bring me the dossier on Pierce, Nia," Robert asked not looking up.

"Of course."

Lisa rounded the table and sat on his lap.

"Robbie baby, I missed you," she said caressing his cheeks.

Nia could hear her making loud smooching noises all the way from the office. Pulling out the thick dossier, she blew off the dust and then took it out.

She met Lisa trying to pull Roberts face and Robert stubbornly staring at his computer. Stifling her laughter, she dropped the file on his desk and cleared her throat.

"Yes? Is there something you want kaf... "

"Don't try it," Robert said very calmly.

Nia stared surprised. No doubt Lisa had been about to call her... that again, and Robert had defended her. Surprise!

Lisa rolled her eyes and glared at Nia.

"Can't you see we're busy? What do you want?"

"You're right, we are busy. What do you want Lisa?"

Grabbing her computer, she glanced at him while avoiding Lisa's hateful stare.

"I'll be in my office sir."

The moment the door closed, Lisa turned to him and caressed his chest.

"Robert," she said with a pout but he ignored her. "Are you ignoring me baby?"

"I thought that was pretty obvious."

She tried to kiss him but he pushed her off and wiped her lipstick from his face.

"What do you want, I'm busy right now."

"That's okay, I can wait."

"No. Just say what you want and leave. And can you please sit on the chair?" He asked gesturing for her to move away from the desk.

"I just wanted to come say hi."

"Hi," Robert said, "You can leave now."

"Can't I spend some quality time with my boyfriend," Lisa asked picking a file and flipping through it. She dropped it with a sigh and looked around.

Of course such a thing wouldn't interest her.

He exhaled. "I don't know how many times I have to say this, but, we are not dating Lisa. Whatever gave you the impression that we were... "

"We had sex, remember? Back in London... "

"That was one time! It was just sex, that's all."

"Just sex? It didn't seem like it when you were touching me," she said with a smirk.

"Don't give too much meaning to it. A bloody mistake on my part and I'm sorry if you felt like I had a thing for you. I don't."

"But you said... "

"Like I said, I'm sorry I gave you the wrong impression. We aren't dating. Never were, never will."

"But you let me kiss you just now."

"Because I didn't want to embarrass you in front of her. Now, if that's all, I'd like you to leave. And don't come here if it doesn't concern business. You should know that considering the fact that your father has a large amount of shares in this company.

Lisa stared at him and he stared back blankly.

"You're kidding."

"I'm not," he said getting to his feet and walking to the door. Opening it, he looked at her.

"You're kicking me out?" Lisa asked, disbelief lacing her voice. She walked over to him and folded her arms across her chest.

"I haven't kicked you, have I?"

"No, but... "

"No buts, just leave. I have a meeting in five."

Lisa huffed and stomped out of his office. Robert promptly slammed the door shut and exhaled gustily. Talking to Lisa was both physically and mentally exhausting. If she hadn't been the daughter of his father's close associate, he might have thrown her out bodily, not by his hand.

He glanced at his watch and stared surprised. It was way past lunch time and he'd had nothing to eat. He was sure Shanice hadn't had lunch either. Poor girl.

He was overworking her. But she wasn't complaining, and neither was he. This time, it wasn't intentional. They just had a lot of work to do in so little time. Grabbing his suit jacket, he walked out of the room. He was starving, and he suddenly felt like having French cuisine for lunch.

******

Nia looked up just as the door swung open and Robert walked in. She shot to her feet with wide eyes. He had never stepped foot in her little office. Never had any reason to. She always gave him whatever he requested for in his office.

"Sir... "

"Come Smithy. We have a lunch reservation and we're running late as it is."

She frowned. "You don't have any appointment this afternoon sir. I checked your schedule. You're free for the rest of the day."

"This is an impromptu meeting. Just come on already and stop nagging like my mother. I'm hungry."

Nia glared at him but he had already turned away. She turned off her computer and trailed after him.

"I don't nag," she murmured.

He didn't reply as they approached the waiting car. He opened the door and gestured for her to get in.

Nia raised a brow but got in. When had he become such a gentleman? The Robert she knew would have slammed the door in her face and smiled if her finger got jammed.

She tapped her feet wearily and glanced at him from the corner of her eyes.

"Hurry Sam, I'm hungry," Robert said and she looked at him.

Who knew he was so petulant when he was hungry. Like a child. It was cute, in a strange sort of way.

"Step on it Sam," he said with a scowl.

"There's an old lady driving slowly in front of me, sir," Sam said.

"Well then bash her car out of the road."

"You can't do that," Nia said appalled and he looked at her. "She's old. You don't expect her to drive like you."

Robert stared at her making her feel like she had said something out of turn. Then he faced forward again and grumbled.

"Whatever. Just hurry the hell up." He glanced at his watch and tapped his knee impatiently.

Just who were they meeting and how did she not know about it? He wasn't even holding any files.

He glanced at her so suddenly and she looked away, nearly hitting her head against the window in the process.

The car stopped and she quickly opened her door herself. Who knew, perhaps his good behavior was just a facadé to deceive her so he could slam the door in her face. He was capable of that, she knew. So before he could slam the door in her face, she hurriedly got out and slammed it in his face.

Nia stepped back as he alighted and scowled at her.

"There was no need for that," he murmured.

"I'm sorry. I thought I saw some paparazzi."

He scoffed and led the way into the fancy looking French restaurant. The maitre d welcomed him with a lot of gusto. She sighed. She was used to such reactions from people to him wherever they went. Of course he was widely known. He adorned the front page of almost every business magazine wearing that sexy smirk on his face.

Bloody man.

They were led to a table for two in a secluded part of the room.

Nia sat looking confused.

"Ah, it's so hard to get a reservation here," he murmured and snatched the menu out of the waiters hands.

So rude!

"I thought we were meeting someone here," Nia said.

He looked thoughtful as he stared at the menu. "Man, I don't know what I want to eat."

"Sir?" She prompted. "Who are we meeting?"

"No one."

"You said... "

"I know what I said."

"And?"

"I lied."

Nia stared at him blankly. "You seem to do that a lot. Lie."

"Not really, just to you."

She considered saying some things that'll make a grown man blush, in Spanish of course, so he wouldn't understand.

Instead she sighed and asked, "So why are we here?"

He glanced at her over the top of the menu. "I thought you were brilliant, but now I know better... You're stupid."

Nia bristled. "Look here... "

"We're in a restaurant, at lunchtime, neither of us has had lunch, and you're asking me what we're doing here," he dropped the menu and leaned his elbows on the table. "Tsk tsk. I'm disappointed Smithy."

Nia tapped the table in an attempt to calm her self. She wondered what the maitre d would do if she threw her glass of water in Roberts face. He was, after all, one of the establishments best and most esteemed customers. They'd probably throw her out bodily and ask her never to return.

She wouldn't mind though. It wasn't like she could afford to eat in such a fine place.

Robert glanced at her. She looked like she really wanted an answer, even though it was obvious. So he decided to play with her a little. Just for his amusement.

"We are here because the office was getting stuffy and I wanted a break."

She raised a brow and he sighed. "It was lunch time, and I was hungry."

"You could have come alone."

"Yes yes," he said and waved a hand dismissively while staring at the menu. "But I didn't want to. Forgive me for making you tag along, but I quite like your company."

She blinked. Was this the same man she knew months ago? Because if he was, he had changed a lot. She was going to smile when his next words stopped her.

"Besides, I think you're quite... Bearable. Nasty attitude aside," he said with a cocky grin.

Nia gaped in outrage. "Bearable? Nasty attitude? You... You... " She stuttered trying to find the perfect word to describe him.

"Yes? Me me what?"

"You... You're hard to tolerate! You know that right, don't you?"

Insufferable man!

"I don't. No one has used those words in particular."

"Because they're probably too scared to say it to your face!" She snapped with a scowl. He was infuriating.

"You've got to loosen up Smithy. Stop frowning. You'll have frown lines on that pretty face if you're not careful."

"Says the man who scowls 24/7," she said with a roll of her eyes trying to ignore the fact that he had just called her pretty. Twice in one day.

Besides, it was hard not to frown around him. He just seemed to make her so mad sometimes.

Robert grinned and she blinked.

She wished he wouldn't do that. Smile. It made her feel butterflies. Stupid butterflies.

"I didn't know you watched me 24/7," he said wiggling his eyebrows.

"I don't! I just happened to notice that particular expression on your face," she said flatly.

"Okay," he said laughing. "But it's nice to know I'm noticeable."

"You're twisting my words."

"I'm not."

Nia stared taken aback. Was this real? Robert talking to her and not yelling. Robert making jokes, teasing her, wiggling his eyebrows.

Something was terribly wrong!

She uncomfortably shuffled in her seat and tugged on her collar.

"Relax Nia. All that sexual tension is going to kill you if it isn't taken care of," he said and signalled the waiter over.

"Sex... "

She trailed off when the waiter gave her a strange look.

Robert ordered and they both looked at her waiting for her to place her order. Her eyes widened when she realized she never took the menu to look at. She had been too preoccupied with him.

"Uh... "

"We'll have the same thing," Robert said and the waiter bowed before leaving.

Once he was out of earshot, she exploded. "Sexual tension?! Whatever makes you think I have sexual tension?"

Robert leaned back with a smug look on his face. "I'm a very observant man Smithy."

Nia scoffed. "Okay, Mr oh-so-observant. What have you observed?"

"For starters, I've seen how you behave around me. I see how you blush when I'm near you, or when I look at you."

"You wouldn't notice my blush," she said flatly. "I'm black so how would you notice my cheeks getting red?"

Robert cocked his head in thought. She was light skinned, it wasn't that hard to notice sometimes.

"Well then I see how your cheeks swell. Like bread dipped in tea. You know how it rises, and soaks... "

He had no idea why he had made the comment about the bread. It was just something he had thought of in the moment.

Nia felt herself flush with embarrassment and anger. Never had she been compared to bread. She pursed her lips and stared at him. She really wanted to say something bad, but she didn't have any smart comeback.

"And I see how you stare at me all the time," he said smugly.

"Oh please don't flatter yourself sir," Nia said offhandedly with a scoff. "Has it ever occurred to you that I might have been staring at you because you had broccoli stuck in your teeth and didn't know how to tell you?"

He glared and she smirked.

Ha! Take that you son of a three legged cur.

"So you admit that you do look at me."

"Of course I do," she said flippantly. "How can I not look at you? I see your face everyday of the week, it's hard not to look."

It was hard. Not when he was so sinfully gorgeous.

"Is that right, Nia?" He asked with a smirk.

She huffed and looked away. "No sé," she mumbled.

Where is that damned waiter boy? She wondered.

If he kept looking at her like that, her cheeks were going to look like what he called them; soaked bread.

It was hard to maintain a straight face and pretend she fine when he was staring at her so intently. She could feel his gaze on her. Nia fidegeted feeling self conscious under his scrutinizing stare.

"Can you please stop that?"

"Stop what?"

"You know what," she said softly.

"I'm not doing anything Smithy."

She studiously kept her gaze on the small bouquet of flowers in the center of the table.

The waiter returned with the food and she sat up.

"Finally," she murmured.

She took her cutlery and began eating.
The sooner she finished the eating, the sooner they could get back to the office and the sooner she could get away from him.

All she had to do now was try not to choke on her food.

_________________

No sé- I don't know.

Robert is an asshole.

Hey you, yeah babe, you. Thanks for staying with the story so far. There's more to come, I promise.

Don't forget to vote and comment.

Graciás...