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Exasperated by his high-handed decision, she huffed. “I would prefer to drive myself. That way, I can leave whenIwant to.”
“Not to worry, we’ll leave whenyouwant to.” He stressed the word just as she had.
Was he always so pushy? “Mr. Lambert, please don’t insist.”
“You don’t understand.” His lips twitched, and his appealing grin morphed into a grimace. “I just trampled on your feelings by offering you a reward. I have to make up for it. If you don’t want me to drive you, then I hope you’ll let me treat you to dinner on Saturday.”
“What? No. You don’t have to—”
“Yes, I do. I’m not used to hurting someone and not offering reparation.”
“Ah ... All right. Six-ten in front of my building.”
Amusement glittered in his eyes. Dang, she’d fallen into his trap and had let him convince her to pick her up—and be at his house without a car.
“Take back the locket. I would preferyougive it to my mother. If I forget it here, I won’t hear the end of it.” He dropped the plastic bag with the precious piece of jewelry into the palm of her hand.
Having witnessed his referential tone when he spoke to his mother, she could imagine him apologizing endlessly for such an unforgivable mistake, and couldn’t suppress a giggle. Fisting her fingers over the locket, she mumbled. “I’ll guard it with my life.”
Closing his hand over hers, he burst out laughing. “You do that. Or else my mother will resent us both for years.”
He was so easy to talk to, especially when he let go of the sternness that probably demanded instant obedience from his staff.
“See you tonight, Madison.” Her name flowed from his lips like a soft caress.
She nodded. “See you then, Mr. Lambert.”
“Rick, not Mr. Lambert, okay?”
“Okay. Bye, Rick.”
He opened his office door and walked her all the way to the reception area. Pressing a finger on the button, he called the elevator and waited with her. “Thank you for coming,” he added when she stepped into the elevator.
“Bye.”
Still under the spell of his charismatic smile, Madison strode to her car parked at the end of the street. Arrogant boss, seductive playboy, or attentive son? Maybe all of the above. A prescription for trouble for the naïve woman who would have the misfortune of falling for him.
Certainly not her. Memories of the men and the disastrous dates she’d had over the years had taught her to guard her heart.
The vivid image of the stunning male she’d visited lingered in her mind, with a multitude of questions she should avoid. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder how he would behave around a woman he cherished.
Madison entered his address in the GPS. It wouldn’t hurt to drive by the house and discover where he lived. After leaving the main boulevard and crossing a couple of bridges, she slowly drove through a web of small roads and dead-end streets.
Twenty minutes later, she slowed down and stopped. Gaping, she stared at the closed gate and the imposing mansion at the end of the long driveway, one similar to those she’d oftenadmired from the water-taxi—the famous mansions of the filthy rich celebrities along the Intracoastal Waterway. Was he that wealthy?
She’d never heard the Lambert name before she’d met them on the plane. Was he a new billionaire freshly landed from Dubai?
When a security guard headed toward her car, Madison made a U-turn and drove home. Ten minutes later, she parked in her reserved spot and dragged herself to the elevator. After traveling on the red eye from San Francisco to Fort Lauderdale and then rushing to the Global Software Company, she was eager to relax under a hot shower.
The shower did wonders for her tired body, but it didn’t soothe her monster headache. A cup of herbal tea in hand, she lounged on her bed and slowly sipped, grateful for Mr. Lambert’s offer to pick her up and save her the risk of getting lost at night. She didn’t anticipate much fun from what she considered a business dinner, but she was determined to enjoy a homecooked meal with a sweet, old lady and maybe a short exchange about her travel overseas, before claiming much needed rest and escaping to her cozy home.
When her alarm chimed at five o’clock, Madison had trouble extracting herself from Rick’s arms. She bolted upright, horrified by her incredible dream—not exactly a scary one, but ... Why had she sat on Rick’s lap and returned his kisses in her dream? And why was her short nighty drenched?
Chapter Three
Leaning against the side of his Porsche, Rick watched the young woman walking out through the glass doors of her building. She was the picture of sober elegance in a beige shirt-dress with brown leather buttons, a matching belt, purse, and high-heeled shoes. It was an outfit he would expect a career woman to wear to a meeting or conference, and no doubt the image Madison wanted to project, a warning that he shouldn’t consider this a date. Her glorious blonde mane cascading down her back challenged her effort to look reserved.
Straightening, he met her halfway and held out his hand. “Good evening. I hope you had time to rest.”
