Chapter 11 DO WE HAVE TO DO THIS?
Ryan pulled away, ending the kiss slowly.
It seemed oddly quiet around them for a second.
Marie looked stunned, she hadn't expected it.
Joseph Dane leaned back in his chair, smiling into his drink. “Well,” he muttered, “get a room guys.”
Eleanor laughed softly beside him. “Joseph…..”, she playfully hit him
Ryan sat back properly, forcing composure back into his expression.
Marie adjusted slightly in her seat, picking up her wine glass mostly to avoid looking directly at him.
Her red lipstick was slightly smudged now.
Ryan noticed immediately, he looked away before she caught him staring again.
After some few conversations later, Joseph rested his elbows lightly on the table. “You know,” he said calmly, “Shield Corporation gave quite the chase.”
Ryan stayed quiet.
Joseph continued.
“But something about you seems confident.”
That mattered a lot for him.
Ryan understood that instantly.
“You’ll have competition until the final signature,” Joseph added. “But between us…”
He glanced briefly toward Eleanor before looking back at Ryan.
“I prefer people who can back up what they say.”
Ryan nodded once. “I appreciate that.”
Joseph pointed lightly at him. “Don’t make me regret it.”
A faint smile finally appeared on Ryan’s face. “I won’t.”
Marie looked between them quietly.
That was as close to confirmation as they were going to get tonight.
Dessert arrived afterward, accompanied by light meals for all of them. The wine set the mood too.
Joseph relaxed more openly now, occasionally talking about business disasters from his younger years while Eleanor corrected half his stories.
Ryan responded naturally.
Marie mostly listened, occasionally laughing when conversations drifted away from work entirely.
At some point, Joseph looked at Marie thoughtfully.
“You calm him down.”
Ryan almost coughed on his drink.
Marie looked amused. “You’ve known him for less than three hours.”
Joseph shrugged lightly. “It doesn't take long to read people.”
Eleanor smiled knowingly beside him.
Ryan avoided that entire direction completely by steering conversation back toward infrastructure talks.
It worked though.
By the time dinner ended, the restaurant had thinned out considerably.
Outside, the night air felt colder than before.
Joseph shook Ryan’s hand firmly near the entrance.
“I’ll contact your office soon, email the proposal.”
Ryan nodded. “Looking forward to it.”
Then Joseph looked toward Marie again.
“And you,” he said warmly, “keep him out of trouble.”
Marie smiled faintly. “I’ll try.”
Eleanor hugged her lightly before following her husband toward their car.
A few moments later, they were gone.
Ryan loosened his tie slightly as he watched the car disappear.
Marie folded her arms lightly against the cold. “That went better than expected.”
“Yes.”
“You think he’ll choose us?”
Ryan looked toward her.
“I think we just beat Shield tonight”
Marie smiled softly at that.
Then noticed something else.
The wine. The whiskey afterward. The champagne Joseph insisted on ordering near the end.
It was all finally catching up to him.
Marie noticed his expression immediately.
“You okay?”
Ryan exhaled quietly. “I’m not driving…..not in this condition”
“That’s probably smart.”
He rubbed a hand over his jaw briefly before looking around the street.
There was a luxury hotel across from the waterfront, lights glowing warmly against the dark city skyline.
Ryan pointed toward it slightly. “We will stay there tonight……I will make reservations”, he said, reaching for his cellphone.
Marie blinked. “You don’t have to.”
“I’m not getting behind a wheel like this.”
“That’s responsible of you, I can drive”
“You seem slightly intoxicated too, let's just spend the night there”
Marie laughed softly, that was true.
Ryan looked toward her again.
“Come and stay with me”
Marie’s expression shifted.
“Ryan.”
“I mean until tomorrow when we can drive.”
She should have left then.
Honestly, she knew that.
But instead she followed him across the street.
Ryan loosened his tie completely the moment the door shut behind them.
Marie set her purse carefully on the table near the entrance.
“You drink too much when you’re nervous”
Ryan shrugged slightly. “Occupational hazard.”
Marie slipped off her heels with a relieved sigh.
Ryan looked over.
Then immediately wished he hadn’t.
The royal blue dress looked even sexier for his self-control now.
Marie walked toward the window slowly, staring out over the city lights.
“You know,” she said quietly, “I think he liked you…..we didn't even talk about the project much”
“He said that he would email the proposal”
Ryan poured himself water from the minibar counter.
Marie turned toward him.
“You really don’t see it, do you?”
“See what?”
“People see potential in you, imagine competing with Shield singlehandedly. Those guys are a powerhouse .”
Ryan laughed quietly under his breath.
“That’s not exactly new, you seem to know them well”
“No…”, she replied awkward lol, avoiding his fixed gaze
Without the office between them, without meetings and schedules ,Ryan looked different tonight……kinda vulnerable.
Marie looked away.
The room grew dangerously quiet.
Ryan walked toward her slowly.
Marie’s breathing intensified .
He stopped beside her near the window.
Close enough now to smell her perfume again.
Ryan looked down slightly at her.
“You were good tonight.”
Marie smiled faintly. “You sound surprised every time I function properly.”
“You know what I mean.”
She nodded repeatedly.
Silence again.
Then Ryan spoke quietly.
“That kiss saved the meeting, I had to do it to make it more real. I am sorry if you felt otherwise.”
Marie looked up at him carefully. “It’s okay though.”
Ryan stared at her for a second longer than necessary, “Why didn't I ever notice this beauty about you”
Then his eyes dropped briefly to her mouth.
Marie’s pulse betrayed her instantly.
“You’re drunk,” she said quietly.
“A little.”
“And emotional.”
“That too.”
“That combination usually creates bad decisions.”
Ryan moved slightly closer.
“Marie.”
Her breath caught subtly.
“We shouldn’t do this.”
Probably true.
Ryan reached up slowly, brushing one curl gently behind her ear.
The gesture felt far too intimate.
Marie closed her eyes briefly.
Ryan’s voice lowered slightly.
“You’ve been looking at me differently for weeks.”
Her eyes opened immediately.
“No I haven't.”
“You have.”
Marie swallowed lightly.
“You’re my boss.”
“Right now I’m a man trying very hard not to kiss you again.”
Marie looked away toward the city lights.
“You’re confused.”
“No,” Ryan said quietly. “I’m actually very clear right now.”
He touched her waist lightly.
Carefully. Giving her room to stop this.
Marie should have stepped back.
Instead she stayed exactly where she was.
Ryan noticed immediately.
His thumb moved slightly against the fabric of her dress.
“You deserve better timing than this,” he admitted softly.
Marie laughed quietly under her breath. “That’s strangely respectful for a drunk man.”
“I’m trying.”
Her eyes lifted back to his.
He was too close to her, she could feel his breath on her skin.
Ryan leaned back slowly.
Giving her every chance to stop him.
Marie hesitated, he took the chance.
The second kiss felt nothing like th
e first one.
It was slower and longer.
Real in a way neither of them were prepared for.
Ryan’s hand tightened slightly at her waist as she kissed him back fully this time.
And when they finally pulled apart, they were too shocked to speak.
