The Secretary and Her Boss

Chapter 13

"You look perfect," Dash said, grinning far too broadly.

I ignored the looks from several coworkers as I exited the bathroom on the ground floor of the Royal Winters office building, long white-gloved hands on my hips. "I look ridiculous."

Dash, who still sported his tuxedo and top hat, had added a cane to the ensemble while I was changing. He walked around me with an appraising expression. "It's impossible to look bad in a ballgown."

He furrowed his brow. "But it is missing something."

Removing his top hat, Dash pulled a flower corsage out of his hat like a magician, plucked up my wrist, and wrapped the ribbon of flowers around my wrist. Then, taking a step back, he took in all of me with that bright smile, far too pleased with himself. "Now you look perfect."

I stood before Dash, wearing a light purple ballgown that was all ruffle. The back had a large bow at the waist, and the entire thing weighed a million pounds. The only consolation I had was the purple Converse Dash had given me to wear so I would be comfortable, but seemed to be a purposeful pairing for the black ones he wore. Tennis shoes and fancy wear were a combination I could get behind.

He ushered me outside to where a limousine sat at the curb.

I burst out laughing. "You can't be serious."

Dash pulled open the back door and gestured for me to climb in. "I completely am."

Once we had managed to get my enormous dress inside, Dash climbed in, nearly tripping over the ruffles. By the time we managed to get the door shut, we were both laughing.

"This... went differently in my head," he admitted as he shoved down one of the ruffles as it attacked his face.

I fought a smile, watching Dash bat another ruffle away from his face. "Is this thing alive?" he wondered out loud.

"Be careful, the dress does not appreciate being talked to like that," I warned as the limousine pulled away from the curb. "If you keep that up, it'll smother you to death."

Dash threw back his head and laughed. "Ah, a clever wit. I'm learning so many things about you on our date already, Work Wife."

"Where are you taking me anyway?"

"You'll see." Dash reached into his tux jacket and pulled out a flashcard. "Okay, first date questions..."

Wow... the dude came prepared. He handed me the card and I read it out loud.

"What do you want to be when you grow up—"

"Great question!" he replied.

I glanced back at Dash, brow raised. "We are grown up, Dash."

He tipped his top hat over his eyes as he leaned his head back on the seat. "Sometimes we forget the dreams we had as kids. So I want you to answer for the kid you once were," he replied. "Here, I'll show you." He cleared his throat. "When I was a kid, I wanted to be a knight. Not a fictional one, but the ones that work at those medieval festivals and shows. I wanted to fight with a sword, and throw a flower to a pretty lady, and ride a horse toward my opponent and try to knock them off their horse."

He looked suddenly embarrassed as he tapped the brim of his top hat unconsciously, tilting it back out of his face. "I even tried to get a job at that knights dinner theater place— Medieval Times in Buena Park— when I was sixteen. But I dropped the sword on the managers foot during my audition and nearly cut his toe off."

Dash shrugged as he took in the look of complete horror on my face. "Yeah... The ambulance was called... there was a lot of blood for something that was supposed to be a fake fight."