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‘Can you talk anyone into anything?’ he asked. After all, she’d done all this over the phone in the course of an afternoon. He couldn’t even blame the mind-boggling effects of touching her, or even just looking at her, for the world falling at her feet. Or was that just him? Was everyone else immune, and it was just Dominic Beresford who found himself handing over jobs, money, credit cards and trust to this woman without a second thought?
Faith gave him a rueful smile. ‘I wish I could. Do you know how many places I had to call, how many people I had to talk to, and how much research I put in to pulling all this together? A lot of places just said no upfront. Some I’m still in negotiations with to fit us in later in the week. I lucked out tonight, but I’ve still got a lot of hard work to put in to pull off the rest of the trip.’
She stopped, as if she hadn’t meant to say so much.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I didn’t mean to suggest you hadn’t been working hard.’
‘That’s okay.’ Faith’s gaze darted away, out of the window. ‘I mean, it’s supposed to look effortless, isn’t it? That old swan metaphor. Swimming smoothly along, paddling like mad underneath.’
Ridiculously, all he could think of at her words was Faith in a bikini. He cleared his throat, buying time for the image to dissipate. ‘Well, it all seems like, uh, very smooth swimming so far.’
She gave him a curious look. ‘Good. I’m glad you’re enjoying it.’ She glanced over his shoulder. ‘Looks like our table’s ready. I’d better gather the others from the bar.’
She strode off towards the Americans, who were all ordering cocktails. Apparently the champagne had put them in an excellent mood. If only he could get them to sign the contracts now...except that would be unethical. And his lawyers would kill him.
Sighing, Dominic headed for the large round table directly overlooking the river. Usually this sort of an evening was nothing but a chore, time away from the office he could ill afford. But Faith had managed to make it fun, different.
He couldn’t wait to see what she had planned for the rest of the week.
CHAPTER SIX
IT WAS NEARLY midnight by the time the group climbed onto the Routemaster bus again and headed back to the hotel. And as they pulled up outside the Greyfriars, Faith silently thanked Dominic for quashing Henry’s suggestion that they carry on to a club after dinner. She needed sleep and, before that, she needed to check her emails and reply to any confirming spaces for events over the next few days. And, as Dominic had pointed out, the Americans had a lot of meetings to fit in before their trip to the Beresford country estate later in the week. He needed them alert in the morning.
Fortunately, everyone except Henry had agreed. And when she’d promised to take him dancing another night—something else to add to her never-ending list of requests—even he’d been mostly appeased.
As the others headed for the lifts, waving tiredly behind them, Faith hung back with Dominic.
‘Bed?’ he asked, and for one moment, before she remembered that this was Dominic Beresford, more automaton than man, she thought he meant together and her eyes widened.
He noticed. Damned observant man. ‘Are you going to yours now, I meant,’ he said, not looking at all flustered at the misunderstanding. ‘Rather than any sort of inappropriate proposition.’
‘I knew that,’ Faith said quickly. ‘And yes. Bed. After I finish up some emails and such.’
Dominic nodded. ‘Come on. We can work in the office of my suite. Keep each other awake while we finish up for the day. I’ve got some things I need to go over with you, anyway.’
She shouldn’t. All she really wanted to do was take off her make-up, curl up in her bed with the late-night TV on low, and answer her emails until she passed out from exhaustion. Working in Dominic’s room meant keeping on her high heels and actually making coherent conversation, both of which seemed like they might be beyond her until she’d got some sleep.
And yet...
‘We can have a nightcap,’ he said, striding off in the direction of the lift. ‘Come on.’
She followed. He was her boss, after all, and she was obliged to bow to his requests. At least, that was what she was telling herself. She was too tired to think about the part of her that wasn’t ready to say goodnight to him just yet.
Dominic’s suite was twice the size of her, already impressive, accommodation. It had a kitchen area, a full dining table, a lounge filled with an oversized corner sofa and a glass coffee table and, tucked away in a corner by the bedroom door, the office.
