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And been treated to a snarled “What?” and a man she’d never wanted to see again, Marco Santini, all six feet three inches of gorgeous male, with a look on his face that made it absolutely clear he felt the exact same way.
CHAPTER SIX
Emily stared at the apparition that was Marco Santini. He stared back. Then he took a step forward.
“Emily?”
“Mr. Santini?”
“It’s Marco. And what—”
And what are you doing here? he’d almost said, but from the look on her face he suspected she was about to ask him the same question.
“I don’t—I didn’t—” Her gaze swept past him, raked his entire office before returning to him. “Where’s the piano?”
“The what?”
“The piano.”
Marco shook his head. “What piano?”
“The one I’m here to play.”
“Wednesday,” he said, “you’re playing on—”
“Oh, I know that. But I assume Mrs. Barrett—”
“Mrs. Barnett,” he said, as if it mattered. “It’s Jane Barnett.”
Emily nodded. “She sent me up here. I figured it was to audition.” The tip of her tongue appeared and slicked lightly over her bottom lip. “But not for you. Your message said you wouldn’t—that I wouldn’t be seeing you.”
“No. I mean, yes. I mean…” Marco walked to his desk, put down the papers he’d been holding and ran both hands through his hair. “Obviously, there’s been some kind of mix-up.”
“Yes. Probably my fault.” She turned toward the door. “It’s been nice seeing—”
“Don’t go.”
He spoke the words in a rush. She looked at him and he cleared his throat.
“I mean, now that you’re here… How are you?” He bit back a groan. Was he a brilliant conversationalist or what? “What I mean is, I wondered if you were OK, if you’d caught a chill last night.”
“Oh. No. No, I’m fine, thank you.” She hesitated. “What about you? You must have been as soaked as I was.”
“I’m fine.”
“You didn’t even have the protection of your jacket.” Her eyes widened. “Your jacket! I should have brought it with me. I wasn’t thinking. To your office. Your office building I mean, I certainly didn’t expect t
o see you…” Emily clamped her lips together. “Sorry,” she said, after a couple of seconds. “I’m just a little surprised. I didn’t think you’d be auditioning me.”
X-rated images shot through his head. He swung away, busied himself straightening the papers he’d dumped on his desk.
“No need for that,” he said briskly. “I already know that you can do the job.”
She gave a little laugh. “But you don’t. Not really. I mean, you only have my word for it.”
She was right.
He’d arranged to hire her without knowing anything about her except what she’d told him. That wasn’t how he did business. Before he signed a contract, bought a property, hired anyone who would be part of his staff, he did as much research as possible.
