Which gave her a thrill that she did her best to ignore.
"Look, I'm flattered," she rushed to say, glancing away so he wouldn't see how flattered. As sophisticated as she dreamed of being, she wasn't prepared for someone like him. "But I've seen the women you date and I'm not in their league. Which, by the way, is another reason I would never set my sights on your brother-in-law. So thank you for this extremely interesting conversation, but I need to get back to work. I don't want to get fired," she added pointedly.
"Not in their league?" he repeated, frowning in disagreement as he gave her yet another thorough assessment in a way that set her alight. Her entire body actually hurt from the blood rush that prickled through her.
She'd starved herself and worked out like mad before leaving Montreal, determined that if any sort of corporate limelight fell upon her-or any sexy Frenchmen-she'd have nothing to be insecure about. Nevertheless, she experienced a pang of insecurity under his review, worried she wasn't up to standard.
He dragged his gaze back up to hers and let her see undisguised male desire.
Tingling excitement encompassed her. It wasn't exactly confidence, but it wasn't uncertainty, either. It was a delicious and involuntary "yes, please" that scared the hell out of her.
"You're very much in an elite league of your own, Natalie. Or are you making excuses to spare my feelings? It would surprise me if you are. You don't strike me as someone who would bother. Not considering the frankness we've already arrived at."
That made her chuckle drily, but she suppressed it with a sheepish dip of her chin. "You're right. But read my personnel file, Mr. Makricosta-"
"Demitri," he corrected.
"I don't live nearly as fast as you do. Demitri." She tried to make her voice diffident and amused, but Demitri was a surprisingly erotic name for a man with an American accent. "If I thought you were issuing a genuine invitation-and one that was only for dinner," she added with a you-can't-fool-me look. "I would be tempted. My coworkers here have families to go home to. It would be refreshing not to eat alone. But I suspect you're mocking me. Or maybe punishing me for said frankness?"
He was taken aback by that. "Why wouldn't I want to take you out? You're beautiful, amusing and you have a pretty laugh."
The sincerity in his tone made her heart swing inside her chest, dipping and lifting in a way that made her set a hand on the edge of her desk for balance. She grappled for humor to deflect how thoroughly his simple compliment disarmed her.
"And you want to hear that laugh in bed?" she challenged.
"Ha!" His chuckle was surprised and real, his grin appreciative before it turned hot and hungry. His gaze closed around her like a fist.
"I'll have the car brought to the curb for seven."