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Chapter Five
Dale put his hands in his trouser pockets. Much better to have them there. Otherwise they might just decide to do things without listening to his brain. Like touching her cheek to make sure it really was as soft as he remembered.
He took a seat at the table across from her. The width of the table should keep her scent from reaching him. She still smelled like rain. Her scent was killing him and made him want things he’d never thought of before. Suddenly, the idea of a steady relationship didn’t sound so horrifying anymore. What the hell?
He opened the file. “I understood from Susan you want to cancel the contract, but—”
“No, I’ve actually decided that we’ll do the job,” she interrupted, and he looked up.
“But Susan said you don’t want the job.”
“I know, but I’ve had time to think about it and I’ve realized that it’s a great opportunity for the firm. And I can work with just about anyone if I put my mind to it. Although, I’m curious,” she said and took two pages from the file she had in front of her. She shoved them across the table to him. “There is the email I sent to you, confirming our telephone conversation and there is your answer. Your letter makes it clear that you accepted the fact that I didn’t want to do the job. In fact, I know the only reason you asked me in the first place was because Don asked you to. But then, a few weeks later, you contacted Susan about it again without talking to me. Why?”
Dale leaned back in his chair and stared at her. She looked calm and very collected. Her dark hair was swept up, leaving just a few tendrils curled softly against her face. His fingers itched to touch them; he remembered the silkiness.
And then she swallowed. He bit the insides of his cheeks to prevent him from smiling. So, the lady wasn’t as cool as she pretended to be.
“I tried to contact you after Don and Caitlin’s wedding but you never answered any of my messages.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You know perfectly well why I ignored those messages,” she said primly.
He leaned forward, enjoying her obvious discomfort. “You see, that’s just it. I don’t know. You kissed me, stormed away, and ignored all the messages I sent you.”
Her lips trembled slightly. “You were the one who kissed me,” she said, her eyes stormy.
“You didn’t kiss me back?” he asked, not quite understanding why he couldn’t stop baiting her.
She inhaled audibly, bent her head for a few seconds before she opened the file. “We can go ahead with the contract. That is, if you still want me to.”
“Oh, I still want you…” he said solemnly, waiting a millisecond before he added, “to.”
Her flared nostrils were the only indication she’d caught his meaning.
“Good.” She got up. “I’ll ask Susan to contact you for the next meeting. Please make sure whoever you send has all the information available—budget, timeline, and of course, if—”
He also got up slowly. “Seeing that my brother suggested we make use of your firm, I will be working with you. Directly.” He emphasized the last word. “I don’t mind doing favors, but when money is involved, I have to protect the investment we’ll be making. I have to make sure you’re not just a pretty face but can actually do the job. You obviously don’t really want to work for me, but you’ve realized it’s good for business. Therefore, I have to make sure our business doesn’t suffer because of yours.”
Her eyes narrowed but met his for the first time. “You are under no obligation to work with me. Just say the word—”
“And be the bad guy in this? No way. But you’ll be working closely with me.”
“If that’s what you want. I assumed you’d prefer I work with someone else.”
He shook his head and she stopped talking. “I want you to visit the ten boutique hotels we own in and around Cape Town. To get an idea of what I like, a feel for the kind of atmosphere we like to create in our hotels. I’ll ask our secretary to arrange visits for you.” He pulled out his cell phone and flicked to his calendar. “Then we can fly out to Mahé next Friday. That gives you about ten days to have a look at what we have here before we leave for the Seychelles.”
*
Zoe stared athim, trying to assimilate what he’d said. “Mahé? Why do I have to fly out to Mahé? I’ve been to your hotel there, I’ve seen it, there is no need to visit it again.”
While she’d been talking, he had walked around the huge table and was now standing close to her.
“Oh, but I don’t agree. There is every need. You were there during a wedding. And only for two days, if I remember correctly. You will need to stay for at least a week. I’m afraid I have to insist,” he said when she tried to interrupt, still smiling his I’m-a-cat-and-you’re-the-mouse-I-can-play-with smile he’d been using all afternoon.
The whole conversation was ridiculous. It was now even more of a mystery why he’d insisted she do the job. He’d shamelessly confessed he was only using her firm because Don asked him to.
And she’d lost whatever advantage she thought she had when he mentioned the kiss. The obvious thing she should have done was to ignore him. But now he knew he’d rattled her. All she could do at this point was to retreat with as much dignity as was possible and to make sure the next time they met she’d be ready for him.
“I’ll have to check with Susan. I’ve just returned from a three-month stay in London, I don’t think I could leave again so soon.” Without looking in his direction, she bent to pick up her handbag. When she turned around, he was standing nearly on top of her.
