A week later, Evelyn felt half her burdens lift after finally moving from the hotel to her apartment. The past week at work with Derek had been surprisingly drama-free and uneventful—so much so that she still found it hard to believe, considering his earlier pronouncements about flirting and seduction.

Judging by the smooth progress and her avoidance of Michael for a week, she thought Lady Luck was on her side, and hoped it would last the remaining three weeks of the arrangement.

Arriving at the office, Evelyn frowned upon seeing Derek's absent but his coat hanging on the rack, indicating his presence earlier. She confirmed with his secretary that he'd stepped out, and decided to get his coffee before his return.

She was surprised to find Derek exiting the coffee kitchen, carrying two cups.

"Good morning, Eve. How are you?" he asked. Evelyn resisted rolling her eyes. Even though he'd been well-behaved, his continued use of "Eve" no longer bothered her.

"Good morning," she replied. "I was just coming to get your coffee. Are you expecting a guest?" she asked, curious about the second cup.

"I've been expecting you. I figured I'd get us both coffee, seeing as you were running late," he said, handing her a cup.

"Is this your way of scolding me?" she asked, amused as she took the cup.

Derek smiled. "No. I'm not scolding you. There are better ways. Besides, you haven't been a bad girl," he said with a wink, making her heart skip a beat.

"Thank you," she muttered, looking away.

"You're welcome, Eve. Let's head back to the office," he said. She nodded, and they returned to his office in silence.

Thirty minutes later, Evelyn examined the appointment journal the secretary had given her. "You don't seem to have a lot to do today. I suppose I can leave early," she observed.

"You can leave after my lunch meeting," Derek said, and Evelyn frowned.

"A lunch meeting? Your secretary didn't mention anything."

"That's because she doesn't know about it. It was impromptu," he interrupted. She nodded.

"I see. Where is the meeting?" she asked as they settled into his car.

"You don't have to worry; I'll drive us there," he said.

Driving to the meeting, Evelyn was curious about the purpose and attendees.

"Mr. Stone, if you don't mind, who are you meeting? Where is the meeting? And what is it about?" she asked.

"Are you ever going to stop calling me that?" he asked, ignoring her question.

"Am I supposed to?" she retorted.

"Yes. We're old friends, after all. Besides, I'm your employer," he said. She snorted.

"Could have fooled me," she muttered.

"What do you mean?" he asked. She sighed.

"Nothing. I'm going to keep calling you Mr. Stone. We're not friends, and I have no intention of being friends with you—now or in the future. Let's keep things formal," she said firmly.

"You're a tough nut to crack," Derek said. She shook her head.

"That's where you're wrong. I'm not a nut for you to crack. So quit trying," she said. He nodded.

"Alright. It's been a week. I'm curious about your findings. What have you learned about me?" he asked, changing the subject.

Relieved, she paused. "Well, I've noticed a few things," she began cautiously. "You have a very hands-on approach to leadership. It's clear you're deeply involved in every aspect of the company, which is commendable. It makes me wonder how you've managed to stay out of the public eye for so long," she said. Derek chuckled.

"It would have stayed that way if you hadn't shown up," he said confidently. "It's good to know you're paying attention and being objective," he added, avoiding her curiosity.

"It's what I'm good at," Evelyn said, resolving to discover his media avoidance before the arrangement ended.

"I'm curious to see more things you're good at," he drawled. Evelyn sighed dramatically, making him chuckle.

"You didn't answer my question about the venue, who you're meeting, and why. Shouldn't I know what to expect?" Evelyn reminded him.

"Why the hurry? We're almost there, and you'll find out soon enough. But I can assure you, you'll like the restaurant," he said. Evelyn rolled her eyes. Why did he sound like he'd chosen the place with her in mind? It wasn't like they were going on a date, she mused, but said nothing.

At the charming deluxe restaurant, the hostess led them to a table for two. Evelyn raised an eyebrow. Before she could ask, Derek pulled out her chair. She waited until he was seated before looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "Where's the client? Are we too early? And why are there only two seats?" she asked suspiciously as a waiter arrived with champagne.

Derek checked his watch and shrugged. "He's probably running late. When he arrives, we'll move to a different table for privacy while you observe. Let's order lunch while we wait. I'm famished," he said casually. Evelyn hesitated, looking at him suspiciously. "I don't think it's a good idea to have lunch with you while you know my identity. Someone could see us and misunderstand"

"The people who know my identity won't care about seeing me with you, and those who don'tdon't matter, do they?" He asked, his eyes glinting.

"What's the champagne for?" Evelyn asked as he poured.

"To celebrate your return to my life. The celebration is long overdue, don't you think?" He asked. She frowned.

"Did you deliberately bring me here for this? Or is there really a client?" she asked pointedly.

Derek met her gaze. "It's our first date," he confessed. He watched with amusement as anger sparked in her green eyes, and she began to rise from the table.

"I'm not doing this with you," she said, grabbing her handbag.

"I told you, Eve. I wasn't going to keep things professional. If you want me to flirt with you openly at the office, I will. I suggest you sit down and have lunch with me," he said calmly.

"Are you threatening me?" she asked, glaring.

Derek shrugged. "You can call it whatever you want, Eve. Six years ago I let you have your way with me. Now I'm going to have my way with you, whether you like it or not. You can call me a jerk, but I intend to have you, Eve. So, you can either let me treat you like a gentleman, or I'll go about it the other way," he said, lifting his glass.

Evelyn hesitated, torn between calling his bluff and taking his threat seriously. She didn't want him flirting openly at the company.

"Be a good girl and sit your pretty ass down, Eve. I gave you a week to settle down. Now I'm just getting started," he said with a roguish smile as he picked up the menu. Evelyn took a deep breath to calm herself and sat back down.