Free The Tycoon's Captured Heart by Elizabeth Lennox Page B

their salads in front of them.  Scarlett waited until the man had gone away once more before she continued. 
    “It’s working just fine,” he told her before she could start up again.  He picked up his fork and devoured the dainty salad that couldn’t satisfy his increasing appetite.  Hell, nothing could really satisfy his appetite except a few weeks in a bed with this woman.  Naked. 
    Actually, he’d need more than a couple of weeks.  Maybe a couple of months.  Or a couple of lifetimes. 
    Scarlett started discussing the clients she’d worked with today but kept her eyes on Grayson’s eyes, trying to determine why he was so cranky.  She gently questioned him about his day, trying to find out if something had gone wrong.  But he was very closed-mouthed about his day.  So by the time their meals arrived, they were barely speaking with each other. 
    She was wearing the dress!  She had the necklace!  She was even wearing the lingerie!  Why wasn’t he attracted to her?  Why wasn’t he suggesting that they walk out of this restaurant and find some place private to have dessert? 
    She sighed when the waiter took their plates away and sipped her wine, wishing he would just talk to her. 
    “This isn’t working, is it?” she offered him with a gentle smile. 
    “No.  So you’re going to stop?” he demanded, tossing several bills onto the table.  He saw one of his colleagues approaching and he damn well wasn’t going to introduce Scarlett to the man!  He wanted her as far away from this restaurant as possible so he didn’t have to endure the other patrons twisting around to get a better look at Scarlett in that smoking-hot dress. 
    “Stop?” she asked in a whisper. 
    Hell, why did she sound so hurt now?  He looked across the table into her pretty blue eyes, trying to figure out what he’d said.  He’d only agreed with her!  Her efforts to find a guy were wrong and…
    No, they weren’t wrong, he reminded himself.  They were perfectly natural.  He just couldn’t be the man to help her do it.  “Let’s go,” he commanded and took her arm, grabbing her pashmina and leading her out of the restaurant before the other man could wind his way through the tables to them. 
    They were out the door and he was able to tuck her into his limousine before the man was even halfway to them.  Which was perfectly fine with him! 
    They were driving across town, back to her place when he glanced over at her.  “What?” he demanded. 
    She laughed slightly.  “My car is back at the restaurant,” she pointed out, not sure if she should be amused, but she was.  This was the man who never forgot any detail! 
    With a muttered curse, he lifted his phone and gave instructions to one of his guards to retrieve her car and bring it back to her house in Queens. 
    “He won’t have a key,” she told him.
    He shook his head.  “He has a key.”
    Scarlett wasn’t going to ask how the guard had a key.  All her life, the five men had been protecting her from the world.  This was just another example.  She used to get irritated with their manipulations but she’d learned over the years that they were only doing it because they cared and she’d also figured out how to get around their machinations. 
    When they reached her house, she stepped out but held up a hand, stopping Grayson from following her.  “You don’t need to walk me to my door, Grayson.  Just…” she bowed her head, still confused by how she’d failed so miserably.  “I’m fine,” she told him and turned away.
    Grayson noticed the droop in her shoulders and berated himself for hurting her.  “Scarlett wait!” he called out, walking over to where she was standing on the sidewalk.  “I have a…thing…tomorrow,” he started out.  “Could you help me?”
    Scarlett’s smile brightened.  “Of course.  What’s the thing?” she asked.
    “The usual ball stuff.  Want me to send over a dress?” he asked her, relieved