Page 20 of Embracing Love

“I’m sorry it’s taken a while to get back to you.” He sat down, and watched her as she got out her paperwork.

“Your secretary told me you were out of town. It’s fine.” She said, mesmerising him with her easy nature and alluring smile.

She wore a close fitting white dress with capped sleeves and had dressed it up with a bright lemon, almost lime colored silk scarf. She looked fresh and summery, and he thought he detected a hint of freshly cut flowers, reminding him of the outdoors.

“I didn’t know you called.” He’d wondered if she had.

“I didn’t. I found out through Nadine. It’s strange how news from San Francisco gets from your office to mine, and then filters through to here.” She smiled at him, and he felt there was a subtext to her words.

Puzzled, he said nothing.

“Shall we get on?” she asked, taking out her folder. “Because we have a lot to get through.”

“I can see.” He rolled up his sleeves.

“Which of the designs did you like?”

He picked the one he’d been looking at. “This one, if we could change the image to fit that of our bestselling running shoe.”

She glanced at it. “It should be an easy enough change to make.” They were getting on so much better. His eyes roamed around as he thought back to the behavior in their first meeting. She'd walked out and of course he'd been so rude to her.

“Good. We seem to agree on something.”

“We might even get to resolve something in this meeting, for a change.” She seemed to loosen up a little and he noted the way it lit up not only her lips and her eyes but the whole of her face until she was radiant. “My boss will be pleased,” she said.

“This alliance means a lot to him, doesn’t it?”

She nodded. “I like to think of it more as collaboration.”

“It’s just a word. There’s not much difference in meaning, pertaining to the situation in hand. Us working together, I mean.”

She fanned her face. “It’s so hot outside.”

“It is an unusually hot day, even for June.” He agreed, and watched as she began to remove her scarf.

“Let me open a window,” he said, getting up to do just that.

She cleared her throat. “Let’s run through the color schemes first, I want to show you what Russell Trent liked in particular—”

“Would you like a drink?” He asked, “Some cold tea?” She couldn’t help but hide her smile. “It’s iced tea,” she replied, “I didn't think it was a French refreshment.”

“It's not,” he said, “but I thought you being American it might be something that you would prefer.”

“Where would you get iced tea from?” she asked.

“The shop across the road. They sell them in chilled cans. The peach flavoured ones are popular, I hear.”

“Thank you, but no. We should get on.” She seemed eager to press on.

He sat forward and paid attention. They worked hard for the next few hours and he was suitably impressed by everything that she’d shown him. He questioned her about the things he didn't like.

“That particular trainer isn’t selling so well over here. Russell knows that and it would make sense to use our bestseller in our campaign.” He sat back, arms resting on the armrest, and watched her in earnest.

She began to gather her things together. “I’ll find out from Nadine, and get back to you.” The thought of her going made him think of ways of detaining her.

Remembering their previous conversation, he attempted small talk. “You say this is a new role for you?”

She looked up from putting her files into her briefcase, and he could have sworn he felt something shift inside her. It was just a momentary fleeting glance that skittered across her face. But it was there nonetheless.

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