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The look he gave her right then set her alight. And they’d be in close proximity, all night. Anticipation flooded her. She tried to rein it in as best she could, knowing she ought to be thinking about business. The trouble was the moment she’d met him, Draco’s appeal had outshone the business endeavor in a heartbeat.
They were just about to get on the tube train when he got a text message.
She glanced over and caught the name ‘Jackson’ on his phone screen. His forehead was heavily wrinkled his handsome mouth pursed. “What’s up?”
“Someone I was hoping never to hear from again, asking for a meeting.”
Tension immediately gripped her. His frown broke, and he tucked the phone inside his jacket pocket as he turned to her and smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry, it won’t intrude on our joint project.” He reached his hand over and squeezed hers. It was at tender gesture, but Lara was unnerved. Was it a girlfriend he’d heard from?
“Do I need to be concerned?”
“No. Just an old acquaintance bugging me.”
She couldn’t help herself. “A girlfriend?”
Draco chuckled, “No.” He seemed amused and she wished she hadn’t said anything. “Just some guy I know from my hacking days. We’ll have to reschedule our dinner date though,” he added.
“You’re canceling?”
He shook his head. “Hell no. It shouldn’t take more than an hour. Wait for me?” His eyelids lowered and he gave her a simmering hot look, full of promise.
“I guess I can amuse myself for an hour.”
He made a sound like a growl in his throat. “I guess you can.”
“I’ll head back to the apartment.”
“I’ll be an hour behind you, tops.”
“Okay. I’ll pick Chinese take out for us and keep it in the oven.”
“In that case I’ll grab a bottle of wine and see you at home.” With that he hugged her against him, made a growling sound in her ear, and headed away into the crowd, striding in the opposite direction to their train.
Lara stood there,
wavering at the edge of the platform. Where had he gone, she wondered.
What if he took off? Or maybe he’d already done that. Changed his mind. Surely not? Now they’d actually begun and he’d been seen at work, she didn’t want to let him out of her sight in case he had second thoughts, but he’d just pecked her on the cheek and left. It’d seemed like a natural response to a genuine text message. No sign of regret or backing away. Maybe that’s what way he’d do that, she didn’t know him.
When the next tube train pulled in, she got in.
As planned, she queued for take out and popped it in the oven back at the apartment. It felt weird now, being there alone. She was glad he’d called it “home” though, that tickled her.
While she waited, she set the table, turned on the TV and watched the news. After that she had a tidy out in her bag. When an hour had passed she found herself watching the clock and got up to have a look around the apartment.
Walking along the corridor to the bedrooms, she realized she didn’t know which of the two rooms Draco had chosen to sleep in. She’d left some of her stuff in the master bedroom. Grabbing the door handle she peered in for signs of occupation. She didn’t have to look far. Not surprisingly, he’d made himself at home in the master suite. She’d slept in that bed a couple of nights ago. It hadn’t occurred to her to point it out to him. Some of her stuff was lying about though, surely he’d noticed that? Apparently not. The bed was in disarray, pillows all on one side, and the fancy burgundy and gold quilt half strewn on the floor.
Grabbing her night things and the clothing she’d hung in the wardrobe, she moved them to the spare bedroom, running back and forth as quickly as she could.
Each time she went back into the master suite her attention went back to the massive bed. It seemed to pulsate with the same sexual suggestion he did, stimulating her senses, creating sexy images in her mind—images of Draco, naked and beckoning to her. After seeing him in the tailor’s changing room, those pictures presented themselves far too readily.
Why in god’s name had she decided to stay the night here? It was going to be impossible to sleep with him so close by. She should have gone to Naomi’s place again, to the safety of her friend’s sofa and just called by early tomorrow on the way to work again. Trust him, in other words. Can’t, she thought to herself. After all, she didn’t eve don’t even know where he’d shot off to.
It had to be done. She had to stay over and that meant ignoring the tide of desire hampering her logical self every time she looked at him or they got into close proximity. Quickly closing the master suite door, she turned away, even more flustered than she’d been before. She’d just closed the door on the smaller, second bedroom, when Draco’s voice behind her made her stop.
“Lara?”
Glancing over her shoulder, she saw him looming large and male in the subtle lighting in the corridor. His jacket was over his arm and his tie was adrift. Something was amiss. “I was just .. tidying. Are you okay?”
