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It wasn’t that she didn’t like men. She enjoyed their company, she’d even had sex on two occasions. Experiences that had left her frustrated and disappointed. She’d probably expected something of the fireworks her mother always wrote about in her romances but, as she should have known, those were fairy tales, not real.
She’d definitely never met anyone who’d led her to believe in the happily-ever-afters her mother described.
And it wasn’t as if Zoe’s home life had been a good example of marital bliss. Yet, her parents seemed to be quite happy being divorced. Her mother had a very full life; her dad always had a different woman on his arm.
Okay, Caitlin seemed to be quite happy at the moment. But what was going to happen once the baby was born and Don had to leave for business? Would he still be faithful? Would she be happy staying home?
Relationships were just so complicated and, from what she’d seen so far, they mostly ended where one or both parties were angry or hurting. And, anyway, with a father like hers, she was plain wary of men.
It would be much better to remain professional when Dale was around. She was going to tell him about her ideas for the hotel this morning. Hopefully, he’d give her a chance to at least explain what she had in mind. And that would mean they wouldn’t have to spend quite so much time together.
She frowned. Somehow, she would have to get hold of the plans of the hotel, though. How Dale thought she could work without them, she had no idea. And there was no way she was going to contact him every time she wanted to check something on the plan. She’d ask again nicely and if he still refused, she’d have to make another arrangement.
She felt him behind her before he spoke.
Shaking her head at her own foolishness, she got up.
“Dale.” She nodded in his direction without looking at him.
“Zoe,” he said, sounding businesslike.
Good. Now if she could only keep this up for the rest of the visit.
*
Dale quickly turnedaway from Zoe and looked around for the manager. If he didn’t talk to someone else quickly, he might just do something crazy like taking Zoe to one of the suites in the hotel and locking the door behind them.
Today she was wearing a tan jacket over a coral-coloured dress that ended demurely just above her knees. But the flesh-coloured high heels she wore showed off her gorgeous legs, and all he could think about was gliding his hands up and up—
“Mr. Cavallo, sir.”
Dale looked around gratefully. The manager was approaching from behind him.
“Henry.” Dale greeted him and introduced Zoe without looking at her.
How the hell was he going to keep his hands to himself? By insisting on being with Zoe when she visited the hotels, he was punishing himself. As if it wasn’t enough that her damn black panties had him dreaming X-rated dreams for the last few nights. Also his own bloody fault.
He could get someone else to show her around. Hell, he should get someone to show her around. Maybe he should excuse himself and let Henry take her around.
Before he could say anything though, Henry opened the door to one of the bedrooms, and Zoe smiled at him before entering. Henry’s gaze dropped to Zoe’s legs. A primitive need to guard what was his welled up inside of Dale.
“Thank you, Henry, I’ll take it from here,” he said brusquely and followed Zoe into the room. There was no bloody way he’d let the fool follow Zoe around, drooling over her legs.
Zoe was standing in the middle of the large bedroom, looking around her. All Dale could see was the big bed and all he could think about was having Zoe on it, under him, above him, all over him.
Cursing softly, he turned away from her and walked to the big doors that opened onto a courtyard.
“This hotel is similar to the one near the Kruger in that it’s also built around a courtyard, although of course here there is no marula tree. But like the new hotel, all the bedrooms open up onto the patio,” he said and walked out of the room. Staying close to that bed was not a good idea.
“Dale,” Zoe said behind him and he turned around.
“I think I have a good idea of what you like and I’ve made some notes of what could be done. We could save a lot of time if you are willing to look at what I’ve come up with so far. You must be busy and must have other projects to work on as well.”
Dale looked at her for a moment, enjoying her beauty, her poise, her grace. Hell, she was exquisite. His fingers tingled. She was right. Before he did something he’d regret, they should try and finish this.
“We have an office here, follow me,” he said curtly and turned away quickly.
*
