Merrick shook his head slowly. “Just you.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “I have no damn idea. But to answer your question, not seriously, no.”
“Oh my God, I don’t even remember the question now.”
He grinned. “You asked if I was dating anyone.”
“That’s right.” I shook my head. “My question was related to the lack of vacation time being taken. You had said it was difficult to disconnect. But I feel like it shouldn’t be when you have someone who really captures your interest. I think we all need something that can distract us from our work.”
Merrick’s eyes flickered to my lips, causing a flutter low in my belly. He lifted his water to his mouth. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Luckily our food arrived just then. I swapped out half my sandwich for half of his and quickly picked up the burger, feeling the need to distract myself from the way my boss made me feel. “You know, if you decide to take some time off, I know a great glamping Airbnb.”
He winked. “I think I’m more of a treehouse kind of guy.”
“Seriously, though, I know you’re exempt from the mandatory therapy, but we can all use some time off to decompress. How do you destress if you don’t even take time off?”
“There are plenty of ways to work the stress out that don’t require weeks off. Though I’m not sure HR would want me to tell you my personal favorites.”
“Ah. I guess I forget about those methods since it’s been so long.”
A little while later, we walked out of the restaurant together. I had to go left to the subway, but Merrick would be going right, back to the building where he both lived and worked.
“Thank you again for taking the time to answer all my questions—and for dinner,” I told him.
“No problem.”
“Well, have a safe trip.” I nodded toward my train. “I go that way.”
“No, you don’t.” Merrick lifted his chin. “You go that way.”
I wrinkled my nose but followed his line of sight. The dark Town Car he’d dropped me off in the other night was waiting at the curb. The driver stepped out and opened the back door.
“It’s after eight. My employees take a car service home if they work this late.”
“That’s very generous of you, but I’m fine on the subway.”
“I’m sure you are. Take the car anyway.”
I squinted. “Back to being bossy, I see.”
“Back to being a pain in my ass, I see.” He tried to keep his face stern, but he couldn’t hide the amusement in his eyes. “Goodnight, Ms. Vaughn.”
“Doctor Vaughn.”
His lip twitched, but he said nothing more. So I walked to the car. Before I climbed in, I looked back to say goodbye and caught Merrick’s eyes glued to my ass. I expected a sheepish look, or feigned embarrassment, at least—like I’d felt when I’d gotten caught checking him out the other day.
But there was not a morsel of either to be found.
CHAPTER 11
Merrick
“She’s smoking hot,” Will said, though I hadn’t really heard him. My mind was somewhere else, as it often had been the last couple of weeks.
“What?”
He lifted his chin toward the hallway where Evie stood a few feet from my door, talking to Joan from HR. “The doc. She’s hot. I usually go for the ones who have it all on display. You know my type—dyed blondes, a mountain of cleavage, lots of makeup, the ones who know they have it and aren’t afraid to flaunt it. But the doc? She’s got that sexy-librarian thing going. I’d make her leave those thick glasses and pumps on when I ripped her clothes off.”