Free Hypnotic Seduction (The Seduction Series) by Laurie Kellogg, L. L. Kellogg Page B

Gramps, simply a reminder.” Jordan called after them. “And don’t get my assistant too tipsy to work tonight.”
     

Chapter 5
     
    crave   v . 1. To have an intense desire for. See Synonyms at desire.
    The surest way to make a person crave something is to wave it in front of his nose and tell him he can’t have it.
     
    The elegant country club Edward chose for lunch dazzled Hannah. While enjoying a low- carb shrimp salad platter artfully arranged over a bed of greens with fancy deviled eggs and a side of caprese salad, she told him about her hypnotherapy and the recent trouble she’d had controlling her mouth.
    “I wanted to shake off some of my inhibitions, but now I’m afraid my good sense has flown the coop along with them. I can’t tell you the outrageous things I said to Jordan yesterday. I’m lucky he didn’t fire me.”
    The chandelier’s light twinkled in Edward’s dark eyes. “No one’s job has ever been safer than yours, my dear. Jordan is the first to admit he’d be lost without you.” Edward reached across the white linen tablecloth and patted her hand. “Just relax and be yourself. It’s good for my grandson to be put in his place once in a while.” He stabbed his fork into his chef’s salad. “Now, tell me about school. Are you ready for your exams?”
    “Barely.”
    Throughout their meal, Edward listened while she explained some innovative business concepts she’d been learning about that semester. Every few minutes, some acquaintance stopped by to say hello to Edward. It was obvious the nosey-butts just wanted an introduction so they could find out who she was. After the eighth visitor left their table, she smiled. “You have a lot of friends here.”
    “Not really. When you pay more in taxes each year than most people make in a lifetime, everyone wants to be your pal.” His voice echoed his loneliness. “Sometimes all that money makes it hard to tell who my real friends are.”
    She pushed aside the empty dish from her strawberries and whipped cream. “Well, you can put me on that list. I’d still like you even if you were homeless.”
    “I know that, Hannah. Why do you think I invite you to lunch?” He glanced over his shoulder at the other diners. “I should’ve known better than to bring you someplace where I’m so well known. As much as I like all these kiss-ups envying me for being with such a young, beautiful woman, I don’t like them assuming you’re some kind of gold-digger.”
    Chuckling, she pulled out Jordan’s credit card. “They won’t think that after I pay for your lunch.”
    “I like the way your mind works.” He grinned. “If you’re finished, why don’t you signal the waiter for the check while I sit here and enjoy watching the shock on everyone’s face?”
    ~*~
    Edward pulled his car up to the entrance at Calder’s headquarters to drop off Hannah. As she started up the flower-edged path, he climbed from the car and called, “Wait! I forgot to give you something.” He trotted around to the passenger’s side and reached into the back seat for a gift-wrapped box.
    As much as she loved all his presents, she felt uncomfortable accepting them. “Edward, please, you have to stop buying me things.”
    “Why shouldn’t I spend my money on you? I can’t take it with me.”
    She tore the flowered paper off the box and stared at the set of forty CDs.
    “You told me how you grew up listening to big band music with your grandparents and how much you miss it.”
    “Thank you. That’s so sweet. My grandma and I will love playing these while we’re baking.” She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek, hugging him.
    “I’m glad. Enjoy them.”
    “I’m sorry to run, but Jordan and I will be here all night if I don’t get back to work.” She turned and dashed up the path into the lobby.
    As she breezed past the reception desk, Chuck, the guard, called to her, “Did you have a nice lunch, Miss Oliver?”
    Hannah stalled in her tracks,