Desk Job (London Menage Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

and prospects. Plus, I’d always wanted to live in the big city. Bright lights and all that.”
    “And great shopping, restaurants, and theater.”
    “Yes, all of that, but what I actually really love is the vibe. London is beautiful whatever the season, whatever the weather. I enjoy the parks and the museums and people watching.”
    “People watching?” He tipped his head as though wanting me to go on.
    “I write poetry.” Why had I just said that? I never told people about that small but much loved hobby of mine.
    “Poetry.” He nodded slowly and put a fork full of food into his mouth.
    “Yes and people watching, sitting observing, it gives me inspiration. It’s easy to think everyone is the same, has the same ideas, values, hopes and aspirations. But listening and watching people when they’re going about their day to day business, it gives me ideas for my poems.”
    “Like a snap shot of their lives?”
    “Yes, that exactly.” I popped in a swirl of pasta and began to chew.
    “I’d like to read your poems.”
    Yeah, right . I kind of smiled. I didn’t let anyone read my poems. I swallowed then had another sip of my wine. “And what do you do for fun, to relax.”
    “To relax?”
    “Yes, you must relax some of the time.”
    “Well, no not really. Unless you count being asleep.”
    “No hobbies?”
    He shook his head. “The business has been my hobby for as many years as I can remember. I don’t have time for much else.”
    “Wow.” I scooped up another piece of pasta. “What does your girlfriend think of that?” What the fuck…? Why had I said that? What was going on with my mouth? It was tipping out words that hadn’t come from my brain.
    He half shrugged and set his blue gaze on me. “No time for a girlfriend.”
    “Oh.”
    “I didn’t have time for a wife either. She left me three years ago.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    His smile dropped. “You must think me a very sad and boring man.”
    “Not at all.” His wife left him. No girlfriend because he didn’t have the time. That was a bit sad. “Perhaps I should schedule dates into your diary.”
    “And would you be keeper of the gate then? Vetting women for suitability?”
    “Well…” A rise of heat crept up my cheeks. “I really don’t think that would be my place.”
    He reached out and put his hand over mine. “I’m sorry. I’m teasing.”
    My cheeks continued to burn. I knew they’d be red.
    “And I shouldn’t do that to you, tease that is. I’m trying to keep you on board not scare you away.”
    I looked at the way his big fingers had curled over my knuckles. His palm was warm and his shirt sleeve had fallen away to reveal a wrist coated in downy pale hairs and an expensive looking watch.
    “I am on board,” I managed.
    He moved his hand and picked up his fork again. “I’m glad to hear it.”
    The conversation moved on to travel and my cheeks cooled. Andre had been all over the world with Wainwright and Bramon and seen places I’d dreamed of visiting. I adored his story about hiking on the Great Wall of China and then he made me laugh with a tale about getting lost in Bangkok on the floating market.
    The restaurant emptied and as I finished the last mouthful of one of the best tiramisus I’d ever eaten, I realized it was late. “I should get going.”
    He shoved at his sleeve and checked the time. “Yes, it’s heading toward eleven o’clock.” He signaled for the bill.
    “Gosh, really.”
    He smiled. “I guess we got carried away chatting about nothing and everything.”
    I matched his smile. It was infectious, easy to respond to. “I enjoyed it. Thank you.”
    The bill arrived and he quickly took it.
    I opened my mouth, ready to offer to go halves.
    “No thanks required,” he said quickly. “And this is on me. It’s the least I can do. You’ve been amazing getting to grips with everything. I couldn’t have hoped for better.”
    A heavenly sensation of being appreciated washed through me. The wine had