Barbara Brown's POV
I have told my professor that I was feeling under the weather when I was looking at her. She nodded before she and Adam went out of the hotel and sightseeing in the city. It's not like I was not I was being left out, it just…I have known this city my whole life.
"Okay, let's go," I said as I was putting my usual wear; yellow checker flannel with a black shirt underneath it and I was wearing indigo jeans with combat boots. I was ready to see that Mr. Brandon Cornwall and strike a deal with him for a spot.
I asked for a Lyft to the address and it was not that expensive. I think it was in the middle of the city whereas I was lodging outside the city since we can go to the conference with public transport.
It was the least that my university can do for us. But it's just for 3 days and 2 nights. Tonight we will be flying back to New York and I can't wait to go back. I sighed as I was looking at the expensive hotel that was in front of me.
"We're here," my Lyft driver said before I was smiling at her. She was a sweet girl as she liked to talk about her life and I was having a nice ride. I will give her 5 stars for rating.
"Thank you. Have a nice day," I said as I was getting out of the car. The cold air of Summer was hitting me. I was smiling before I went inside the hotel. I was looking at the grand interior design before I was being stopped by someone.
"I thought you would not show up," a voice was getting my attention when I turned to look at Brandon Cornwall that was sitting at the lounging seat. He stood up and I just noticed that he was wearing his casual wear.
Khaki pants with a red button-down. He also wore sneakers. That was unexpected but I liked this other side of him.
"Shall we?" He said as I was looking at his face where he was holding his smirk at me. I smiled saccharinely before we went to his destination. It was a restaurant inside the hotel. Of course, it was that, you idiot, not his room.
"Table for two please," he said before the hostess was showing us the table. I followed behind him before we reached the table that was beside the window where I can see the pedestrians and cars.
"So, what do you want for breakfast. You can have anything that you like," he said as I snapped my eyes to him. He smirked before I looked at the menu and my eyes were bulging when I looked at the prices for each.
"Don't worry, it will be my treat," he said as I cleared my throat when I felt my face was heating up. I don't know why I was blushing but I cannot control my blood flow to my face. I heard Mr. Cornwall chuckled before he asked for a waiter.
"What will you guys having?" The waiter asked before Mr. Cornwall told him that he will be having omelet with steaks and some black coffee.
"And you, Miss?" He asked before I turned to look at him. I smiled before I ordered a garden omelet that has mushrooms and cheese and broccoli. It was one of the best-reviewed on the menu and I think I might have that.
"And the drink?"
"Water would be enough. Thank you," I said as I gave him my menu and Mr. Cornwall was doing the same.
"So," he started as I was looking at him. He was looking at me before his eyes were traveling onto my body. I felt like I was being undressed by him again.
"Will you stop doing that?" I hissed at him before he arched his eyebrow at me.
"Doing what?"
"Undressing me with your eyes," I said as I was glaring at him. He laughed before I was rolling my eyes. He has some nerves to laugh at me.
"Sorry. I never thought that you would be…"
"Ordinary?"
"Casual is the word that I would use. I never thought that the woman who was wearing a black loose blouse and pencil skirt with high heels was like this in the morning. I thought you might dress up again to impress me," he said as he was sipping on his water. I scoffed at him.
"Well, I never took you as someone that looked at someone's appearance to judge them," I said as I was trying to control my anger. He smirked.
Damn him!
I cleared my throat as I was waiting for the food to come. I sighed before I turned to look at him.
"Okay, look. I know we get on the wrong foot at the start, but as I recall last night, you were the one that asked me to meet you for your condition today. So, fire it away," I said as I was looking at him. He was looking at me. No scratch that, it was assessing. He was assessing me.
"Hmm," was only his response before I closed my eyes and sighed.
"Well?"
"What?"
"The condition if I want to get a spot on your excavation," I hissed at him before the waiter came with our food. I thanked him and the whiff of cheese and steaks were overwhelming me. I cannot think anything else but to eat right now.
"Why don't we fill our stomaches first then we talk," he said as he was picking up knife and fork. I did the same as I was cutting the omelet and the cheese was gooey as I took it off the plate and put it on my mouth. It was heaven.
"Oh my God," I moaned as I was closing my eyes and let my other senses have a tingle of the feeling. My taste buds agreed and my nose was happy. I felt the chemical reaction was happening in my mind right now.
Then, it stopped as I opened my eyes as I looked at Mr. Cornwall was staring at me. I blushed before I dabbed a napkin over my mouth.
"Sorry, it's just too good," I said as I was smiling at me. He smirked before we continue our eating until I put the fork and knife on the plate that I cleaned under 15 minutes.
"Do you want anything else?" He asked me before I was dabbing my mouth. My stomach growled but I don't want to take advantage of Mr. Cornwall.
"No, Mr. Cornwall, I could not possibly—"
"Brad,"
"Sorry?" I asked before Mr. Cornwall was smiling at me before he dabbed his mouth with the napkin.
"Call me Brad. It's what my friends call me," he said as he was sipping on his hot coffee. The whiff of it was nice and all of a sudden I wanted to taste it.
"Are we friends then?"
"We are sharing our breakfast right? So, if this is not a gesture of a friend to another friend then I don't know what to say to you," he said as I was blinking at him. He smirked before he sipped on the coffee as I was trying to comprehend what he wanted from me for a spot on his excavation.
"So, you wanted us to be friends? Is that the condition?" I asked him as I cannot stop my mouth from spilling even more words from it. He shook his word before he folded his hands together and put them on the floor.
"No, Barbara, I want us to be more than friends. You ask me what was the condition for you to be on the excavation. I have decided that it will be all-male employees only but I can make an exception for someone else who was female," he said as he was looking at me seriously.
Why do I felt so scared to hear what he said next?
"And the only condition that you allow female on your excavation is to be your secretary?" I asked him before he shook his head.
"Make a guess," he said as I was rubbing my chin before I was thinking even more. What could a female be employed by geologists in the field?
"A cook?" Brad shook his head.
"Cleaner?" He shook his head. I blinked a few times as I have no idea what he meant by that.
"I gave up. So tell me, who will you allow to be with you for a female if she was not to be a geologist?" I asked before Brad smirked and sipped his coffee. After he put the glass down, he looked at me into my eyes, staring into my soul.
"I will make another exception if she is my wife"
Silence. Absolute silence when I let that word took hold into my ears and my brain.
A wife?
A wife!
I stood up from the seat as I was looking at him before I opened my mouth and closed it again, having nothing to say to that notion. Brad smirked before he went to stand up as well before the waiter came and he was signing a check for our meal.
"Send the dessert to my room. I think I will have another long conversation with you in my room," he said as he took my hand and dragged me to his room.
I don't even protest when he did it because that's how stunned I was.