Page 79 of The Money Man
The tears slowed as Derek’s warmth and strength soaked into her, dissolving the fear and tension. “You scared the heck out of me with that fall, though. You must be bruised from hitting the table with your shoulder.”
“My shoulder’s fine. Part of the technique is to reduce the distance you fall by doing it in two parts. Hitting the table meant I had a shorter distance to go before meeting the floor. I used my hand to make a lot of noise on the tabletop, which makes it sound even more authentic and provides a distraction.” He kissed the top of her head again. “You put the finishing touches on by claiming I was epileptic. That was quick thinking.”
“I was sort of afraid it was true because you were so convincing.”
“Then you returned the favor and scared the hell out of me when you broke away from Barsky.” His stroking stopped and he pulled her closer. “He had a gun pointed at your head.”
“I didn’t want Ivan to get loose, especially since he would be majorly pissed off at you.” She flinched as she thought of what the huge, awful man might have done to Derek. “My friend Dawn—who taught me the self-defense move—says a gun changes the whole situation. But I think she would approve of what I did.” Dawn believed in surviving.
His hand came up to cradle her head against his chest. “I can’t argue with the results, but I would have preferred a less risky solution.”
“That’s the irony of all this,” she said. “I went into accounting to avoid risk, but a few tiny little bookkeeping discrepancies got me held hostage at gunpoint by two criminals. Which proves that you can’t avoid risk in life. It’s crazy to try.”
“A good lesson for both of us,” he said, his voice a rumble against her cheek. “This might not be the best time but I need to ask you something.”
She leaned back so that she could look at him, curiosity and a touch of nerves making her breath go shallow. “Go ahead.”
He brushed back a damp tendril of hair that was clinging to her tear-stained cheek. “I’d like you to come to Asia with me. You said you wanted to travel and I’m about to go on a trip so it could work out well.” His expression was strangely uncertain.
“But it’s a business trip,” she said, stunned by the unexpected invitation. “You have to work.”
“I’ll arrange for a guide for you while I’m working, but I intend to take plenty of time off to sightsee with you.” His face lit up. “I want to see the world the way you saw Dallas. With delight and wonder. I want to experience it through your eyes.”
“Really? You didn’t mind all my statistics about the Trinity River?” But a thrill of excitement ran through her.
“You have to ask me if I mind statistics?” His smile glinted.
She was trying to sort through all the implications, but the one fact that kept bouncing around in her head was that Derek wanted her company for his big trip. On top of that, he planned to take time off from his huge important project to be with her. “I ... When do you leave?”
“Does that mean you’ll go?” His eyes blazed with hope.
“I ... maybe.” She took a deep breath. “Does this mean we might have a relationship?”
“Yes, of course it does. That’s why I want you to come.” He slid his hands down to take hers as they knelt facing each other. “We haven’t known each other for long but you understand me in ways no one else does. You remind me of what I have lost sight of in my life.” He paused while he seemed to search her face. “I’m falling in love with you, Alice. I hope that I can convince you to fall in love with me.”
Shock rippled through her. Derek was in love with her? Here it was: the biggest risk of all. To admit her feelings to him ... and to herself. Because this man could break her heart into jagged pieces. But today had seared a life lesson into her soul.
She laid her palms against either side of his face, feeling the contrasting textures of his skin and hair. “I’ve already fallen. I’ll go with you.” As soon as she said the words, joy exploded through her.
He stood and pulled her up with him. Wrapping his arms around her, he kissed her with a fierce possessiveness that made her toes curl in her high-heeled pumps.
“You’ll never regret it,” he whispered against her lips.
This incredible man loved her and she loved him in return. No matter what happened in the future, nothing could make her regret that.
“I know,” she whispered back to him.
Epilogue
Six months later
“There!” Natalie secured the pearl garland into Alice’s soft upswept bun with a hairpin. “You look just like one of your Regency heroines.”
“Not yet,” Gabrielle said, scooping up a pearl necklace and fastening it around Alice’s neck. “We have to get the accessories right too. Stand up, dear.”
Alice carefully scooted to the edge of the beauty salon chair and eased to her feet. It wasn’t so simple when one was wearing a costume that would look familiar to Jane Austen. She loved the long, pale lavender crepe dress that opened down the front over a white satin slip with bands of pearls draped across the opening. Her white satin slippers were striped with the same lavender. The plunging neckline was edged with pearls that made her skin seem to glow. Gabrielle had found the whole ensemble in a costume shop in Manhattan when Derek had invited Alice to a costume charity gala.
“Now the jewelry.” Gabrielle clasped a pearl bracelet around each of Alice’s upper arms, an authentic detail about positioning she’d found in researching period costumes. She handed Alice a pair of pearl drops for her ears. Next came the long white gloves, bunched just below the elbow, another period detail. Finally, she draped a deep purple cashmere shawl over her arm.
