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‘I’m trying to find an alternative solution to your problem. Is this too not acceptable?’ he asked, his face set in its usual world-weary lines.
‘It’s acceptable but I’m not sure it’s the right solution for me.’
He shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. ‘From where I’m standing, your options are slim to nil. Don’t take too long in deciding or you’ll find yourself back to square one.’
‘Okay...thanks.’ Her limbs felt heavy as she turned away. She told herself it was because she was drained from the head-on collision with Arion, and not the disconcerting realisation that she didn’t want to leave. Because that would be ridiculous.
She slid the card through its slot and heard the smooth whirring of the lift.
‘May I make another suggestion?’ he asked. The sensation of his breath on her neck told her he’d moved close. Far closer than was good for her equilibrium.
She glanced over her shoulder. Up close, his sexy stubble made her want to run her hand over his jaw, feel its roughness just one more time. ‘What?’ She forced herself to speak.
‘Allow my driver to get you back home?’
The thought of slogging through the rain to catch the last train to Bath made her waver dangerously. The sudden realisation that she could be doing so minus her panties made her stomach flip over.
She could stand on principle and endure a hugely uncomfortable journey, or she could give in this once. ‘Okay.’
‘I’ll give him a half hour heads-up. It’ll give us time to eat something on the tower deck before you leave.’
* * *
It took all of two minutes the next day to realise she had zero options. And really, had her head not been full of singeing memories of what she’d done with Ari the night before, she’d have come to that realisation a lot sooner.
But as much as she’d tried to push the shocking events that had stemmed from her complete lack of control from her mind, the more the vivid memories had tumbled forth.
She’d slept with Ari Pantelides for a second time, even after his blistering condemnation of her reasons for doing so the first time. Almost a day later, her internal muscles throbbed with the delicious friction of his possession.
But, even now, it was the vivid memory of his tortured face that haunted her.
Enough!
Perla glanced down at the piece of paper Ari had handed her. A quick call to a local lawyer this morning had reiterated Ari’s warning. She had no recourse because Morgan had changed the terms of his contract.
Unless a miracle fell into her lap—and she was cynical enough to realise those were rarer than unicorn teeth—she and Morgan’s parents were headed for the welfare office.
While her prior experience had been with only one large chain of hotels, she’d excelled at her job and enjoyed it enough to feel a tiny thrill at being given an opportunity to re-enter the business world again.
As for Ari...
According to her previous search, he was rarely in London and therefore the chances that they would meet again were minuscule.
Ignoring the stab of discontentment that realisation brought, she grabbed the phone and dialled the number before she lost her nerve.
The swiftness with which her previous job history was taken and the interview scheduled left her floundering. As did the realisation that the interview itself would be spread over two days.
Feelings of insecurity started to rush back, a legacy, she knew, from her dealings with Morgan. Although she hated herself, she couldn’t stop the feeling from growing.
When she found her fingers hovering over the phone an hour later, contemplating calling back to cancel the interview, she pursed her lips and straightened her spine.
Morgan might have succeeded in whittling away her self-confidence, through threats and blackmail, but giving in now would see her in the far more precarious position of being without means to support herself and his parents.
Besides, she was getting ahead of herself. Maybe she wouldn’t even get this job—
No!
She might not believe in unicorns but neither would she succumb to doom and gloom. Taking a deep breath, she stepped back from the phone and went to find her in-laws.
Explaining to them why she had to return to London again so soon was a little delicate, seeing as she’d told them the outcome of her previous visit. She didn’t want to get their hopes up because she’d been out of the job market for far too long and knew realistically she could fall flat on her face the first time, positive thinking or not.
‘Are you sure that’s what you want to do? London is so far away,’ Sarah said worriedly.
