He smiles. “If there’s no boyfriend in the picture, I don’t see why I can’t compliment you for looking down right sexy.”

I rub across the back of my neck and toy with my hair. It shouldn’t matter that he thinks I’m sexy, but it does. Heat in my belly pools, and I fight the urge to reach out and trail my fingers over his skin.

I can’t let him do this. Noel cannot take control over this situation. I need him to like me, but also keep him at a distance. We aren’t crazy, reckless teenagers anymore. The sweet talk that won me over in high school can’t go on now. We’re adults and we need to act like it.

I readjust in my chair and cross my legs under the table. “Well, thank you for the compliment, but I would appreciate that in the future we keep our relationship strictly professional. I have a lot riding on you and me getting along, so I would like you to refrain from those types of compliments.”

I cringe inwardly as I wait for Noel to tell me to get the hell out of the restaurant. I’m sure he’s used to getting his way now days. Isn’t that how all the tabloids portray rock stars? Putting him in his place probably isn’t going to sit well. After all, I don’t really deserve any kindness from him after the way I broke up with him, so he has every right to be angry with me.

However, instead of harsh words, I hear Noel roar with laughter across from me.

A few heads at surrounding tables turn toward us. Does this man attract attention everywhere he goes?

I smooth the white linen table cloth with my finger and try to pretend that his laugh isn’t kind of insulting. He finds it funny that I asked him to not sexually pursue me?

He wipes a tear away from his eye. “Lane, I never knew you had this little hard-ass business chick inside of you. I have to admit, this no-nonsense attitude is kind of hot. Plus, I didn’t know you thought about riding me. That’s one thing I know I can make happen for you.”

Great. So not the reaction I want. He’s never going to take me seriously. I’m a fool for thinking I could make this work out.

I grab my purse and start to stand.

Noel reaches across the table and grabs my wrist. His blue eyes ablaze. “Wait, where are you going, Lane? We haven’t even ordered dinner yet.”

His fingers burn my skin, and I stare up at the ceiling and count to three to take my mind off how good his touch feels. I pull my arm away from his grasp. “Professional, please, Noel.”

He raises his hands in surrender. “Okay, if I promise to keep things PG, will you stay?”

Does he even know how to do that anymore? This whole cocky, rock star persona he’s got going on probably warps his rating system of what’s actually considered PG.

I tuck my hair behind my ear and sigh. “PG? If you can do that, I’ll stay.”

Noel crosses his finger over his heart. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”

I raise an eyebrow and pick up a menu. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

Noel chuckles. “I don’t remember you being this fun back in high school.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t remember you being this much of a dick.” I duck behind the menu and bit the inside of my cheek and curse myself for talking to him this way. I’m going to lose this job before dinner is even over.

He clears his throat. “You know, Lane. If you keep talking to me like that, I might have to show you just how nice I can be.”

“Um, that’s not happening,” I flip the page in the menu and do the best I can to ignore his outrageous flirting. PG doesn’t seem to be in Noel’s DNA.

“You say that now, but I remember how much you liked it.”

My throat tightens and my thigh muscles tense. He’s right. Sex with Noel was amazing, but that’s not something I’m going to let happen, clearly since that seems to be his sole purpose in reuniting with me.

Uncomfortable as to where this conversation may lead, I search for a quick out. “Excuse me, Miss?” I say to a waitress that’s passing by and I’m relieved when she stops at our table and cuts Noel off. “We’re ready to order.” The cute blonde stands with her hands behind her back, committing our orders to memory, but before she leaves I add, “I’m kind of in a rush, so the sooner you can bring our order the better.”

The quicker I can get away from Noel, the sooner I’ll be able to regain my sanity is what I really want to say to her, but I don’t want Noel to know he’s having any effect on me.

When we’re alone and there’s no menu to hide behind, I stare at Noel. His eyes watch me intently, studying my every move, and he makes no move to pretend that he’s not openly staring at me.

I tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. It’s hard to get comfortable under his gaze. “What?”

Noel shrugs. “Just wondering what’s more important than your job?”

My eyes widen. “Nothing is more important than this job.”

He nods. “Good, I’m glad to hear that because it’s about to take up every minute of your life.”

“What do you mean?” I expect my new position will take up most of my time, but every minute?

Noel leans forward on his elbows. “I need to make sure the person in charge of getting the word out about my charity gets it—how close I am to literacy. So I’ve decided you have to come on the road with me to fully understand what I need from you.”

Go on the road with him? Is he insane? That’s unheard of, and it’s totally unreasonable to ask that of me. “You can’t be serious.”