Chapter 207 - Gift

"Can I ask you a question?" Tom asked after a while as they ate in silence.

"As long as it has nothing to do with the color of my undie," Lucy said dryly as she took a forkful of spaghetti into her mouth, making Tom chuckle.

"I overdid that, didn't I?" Tom asked, feeling somewhat embarrassed now that he remembered all he said that day. 

"Yes, you definitely did. Now that we are on the subject, let me get something straight. Are you usually like that? I mean that... Raw?" Lucy asked after she swallowed the food in he mouth.

Tom shook his head, "No, I'm not. I was just trying to get into your head. Jade said good girls like bad guys and..."

"Hold on, that was really the reason why you did this whole makeover stuff with your appearance?" Lucy asked incredulously.

"But it worked. Didn't it?" Tom pointed out defensively.

"I'm not sure I liked you because of your hair or earrings. And it's definitely not because of your ungentlemanly ways either," Lucy said with a shake of her head. 

"But those were the things that made you pay attention to me, weren't they?" Tom asked reasonably, and Lucy shook her head once again.

"Not at all. Although they were pretty distracting, they made me uncomfortable. I only started paying attention to you when I started looking for ways to get rid of you," Lucy explained.

"So you want me to get rid of the color and the earrings?" 

"I want you to be yourself. I want to get to know the real you, not this person you are not," Lucy said, and Tom gave her a nod.

"Alright then. Let's stop by the salon on our way home. I should at least show them I got the lady that made me change my hairstyle," Tom said with a grin, and Lucy smiled. 

"I'm not sure your fan girls are going to like that though," Lucy said with a teasing smile.

"They don't have to like it. I didn't do it because of them," Tom said dismissively.

"So? What was the question you wanted to ask?" Lucy asked, reminding him that he had been about to ask her a question earlier. 

Tom looked at her with a puzzled expression for a second until he remembered his question, "Oh! I just wanted to ask if you would have been this relaxed around me if I wasn't your driver?" 

Lucy paused for a moment to think about it. She never would have been this relaxed in her boss's presence or be talking to him the way she talked with him had she not seen him as an average guy from the start, "Probably not," Lucy said with a shake of her head. 

"Yeah, I thought so too. I'm glad I'm your driver. I prefer the way you communicate with me as your driver more than the way you talk to me as the CEO. In the past when I talked to you as the CEO, I always looked forward to the evening when I get to know your real thoughts," Tom informed her. 

"What's the difference?" Lucy asked curiously.

"You used to be very cautious of your words. More like you filter your words when talking to me as the CEO. But when it's just me, you talk to me as a friend without painting your words," 

"You don't like being addressed respectfully?" Lucy asked as she resumed eating.

"I love to be respected as everyone else does. However, not just anyone can talk to me the way you do. I always want you to be real with me."

"Well, you can count on that," Lucy said with a grin.

"Good. Now on to my next question. Seeing as I met you on your birthday, what would you want me to get you? I want to get you a birthday gift," Tom said, looking at her expectantly.

"A gift? I think you are my birthday gift already," Lucy said, thinking that being able to be in a relationship after so many years and to be open this way with him was a miracle already. 

"The feeling is mutual. This gift wants to get his gift a gift. So think about something you want, and let me know, okay? It's a blank cheque," Tom said as he set down his cutlery.

"Alright. I will think about something that fits your pocket. Thank you," Lucy said, making tok chuckle, as it seemed to him that Lucy was constantly going to be referring to his wealth.

"Is it your intention to milk me dry?" Tom asked playfully.

"Funny that you were running away from golddiggers only to end up with the chief of them all," Lucy said with an equally playful smile.

"Well, I don't mind this golddigger. I have a soft spot for her. I might just have to work a little bit harder to meet her needs," Tom said confidently making Lucy glance at her wristwatch.

"Speaking about work, I should return to my seat now, work calls. It's over twenty minutes past lunch break, and you should be expecting the next set of directors in a couple of minutes," Lucy said as she set down her cutlery and started clearing up the table. 

"Have you given the doctor a call?" Tom asked as he watched her, and Lucy paused.

"I don't know, I was thinking that maybe we get someone else? I could ask Lucas to help me find someone..."

"Why? You don't trust the doctor here? He won't be the one attending to you. He is just going to help us get professional help," Tom explained.

"I know that. But there is every possibility that he might be friends with the person he recommends, isn't there?" Lucy asked, "I know you are just trying to help, but he knows you are the CEO, right? And now that he has seen you with me, he must know that something is going on between us. That means he is going to likely pay extra attention to me. My past could hurt you if it gets into the hands of the wrong person, and I don't want that. So I will let Lucas get me someone around here who doesn't know I have anything to do with you. I promise to share the details with you once I've spoken to Lucas, is that okay?" Lucy asked, and Tom sighed. 

"It's fine. What is important to me is that you start therapy, that's all," Tom assured her, and Lucy smiled.

"I will. I should get going now. We've talked enough for one day," Lucy said as she leaned forward to peck him so that she could leave. 

"But we haven't kissed enough for one day," Tom protested as he held her around her waist and kissed her.