Bidding on Her Boss(21)

He kissed one corner of her mouth, then the other, his lips brushing  hers, featherlight, in between. "So I won't be trying to charm your  pants-or dress-off you. I won't be trying anything."

When his lips brushed past hers again, she opened her mouth,  intoxicated by him, and he took the invitation, kissing her once, twice.

"Then why are you kissing me?" she asked, using the last brain cell left working in her head.

He pulled away and looked at her with heavy-lidded eyes. "That's a very good question. One I don't have a logical answer for."

She already missed his touch even though his mouth was only inches away. "Do you have an illogical answer?"                       
       
           



       

"Several," he said with a smile that melted her insides. "Starting with how you look in that dress."

"You don't look so bad yourself." He wore a lavender shirt and a silver  tie that Julie had matched with it. "Speaking of our clothes, where is  our personal shopper?"

"She slipped out of the room right about when I started touching the sleeve of this dress."

Faith blinked. "She's been gone all this time? She must be getting bored."

"I'll pay her a bonus for her discretion-it will be worth it." He  leaned in and placed a kiss on the curve of Faith's jaw. "It's been a  long, difficult month."

It had been a difficult month for him, too? "I thought that was just me."

"Why would you think that?" he asked, his voice low.

How far into her mind was she willing to let him see? She sucked her  bottom lip between her teeth. There probably wasn't a point in holding  back now. "You seemed so together when you came to my apartment, while I  was falling apart from wanting you."

His eyebrows lifted. "I thought the same about you. You seemed  unaffected, and I was having trouble keeping my hands to myself. In  fact, I was getting annoyed that you were so calm."

"Not even close." She smoothed her hands over the lapels of his jacket. "In fact, I thought you must have moved on."

He let out a wry laugh. "I haven't even been able to contemplate  another woman since that first night at the Santa Monica store, when you  pretty much ambushed me so I would watch you work."

For a long moment she considered just staying here in this little world  they'd created. It would be like heaven. Well, until it was ripped  away. Places she wanted to be were always ripped away in the end. And  the longer she let herself become used to this, the worse it would hurt  when it was over.

"It's been the same for me," she said. "But we've already discussed this, and standing here, so close, isn't helping any."

He drew in a sharp breath and moved back. "You're right." He scrubbed a  hand through his hair and didn't meet her eyes as he said, "I'll find  Julie."





      Nine

The night of the launch, Faith was a jumble of excitement and nerves as  she sat beside Dylan in the back of the limousine. Going on a date with  this man felt like standing at the edge of a cliff and hoping she  didn't fall.

He glanced over and squeezed her hand. "Did I say you look beautiful?"

"Twice," she said, smiling. "But I don't mind."

The limo driver pulled over a short distance from the hotel.  "Apparently I need to drop you here so you can walk the red carpet," he  said over his shoulder.

Faith turned to Dylan. "Red carpet?"

Dylan grinned. "After the success of the Midnight Lily launch, and  since Jenna has come out as Princess Jensine, we were able to attract a  few more celebrities this time."

A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Will it be a problem if you're seen on the red carpet with an employee?"

"Not in the least." He stroked his thumb over the back of her hand.  "It's perfectly natural that I'd escort the florist who made the  arrangements for tonight."

Put that way, it seemed reasonable, so she let out a breath and smiled.

The driver opened their door and Faith stepped out, taking in the scene  around her. Paparazzi lined the street and a crowd had gathered, hoping  to catch a glimpse of someone famous. The atmosphere was like nothing  she'd ever experienced before and was a little intimidating.

Then Dylan was at her elbow, with a warm hand on the small of her back, grounding her. Keeping her centered.

"I don't know how Jenna lives like this," she whispered.

"Most of the time, she doesn't," he said. "She spends the majority of her days with Meg, Bonnie and Liam."

The image of a little family rose in Faith's mind-the stability, the  love. Only in her mind, it wasn't Jenna's family. It was Dylan  surrounded by a bunch of kids with her curly red hair and his green  eyes. The image was so perfect, so unattainable, her chest ached.

"Dylan," a voice called once they reached the carpet. "Can we get a quote?"

Dylan smiled and waved, then leaned to Faith's ear. "Ebony is from a  local morning show. They sometimes do a gardening segment, and I've been  talking to them about doing something with us, so I need to talk to  her. Can you-?" He paused, then grabbed an arm a few feet away. "Adam, I  need to do a bit of media. Can you walk in with Faith? You're here  alone, aren't you?"                       
       
           



       

Adam offered Faith a smile before nodding to his brother. "Sure."

He put a hand under her elbow and they walked through the door, making  small talk about the weather. Once inside, he dropped her arm and asked,  "Can I talk to you privately about something?"

She resisted taking a step back as his expression changed. There was  something serious on his mind. Something he wasn't happy about. But he  was the CEO of Hawke's Blooms Enterprises, which covered the farm, the  stores, the markets and R&D, above even Dylan, so she said, "Of  course," and smiled politely.

He glanced around and then led her through a door marked Staff Only into what appeared to be an office.

Then he turned and faced her squarely, face stony. "I need to ask. What do you want out of this involvement with my brother?"

Her blood turned cold at the implication about her morals. Then she crossed her arms under her breasts and matched his stance.

"What does a woman normally want out of an involvement with a man?" she asked, heavy on the sarcasm.

Without missing a beat, he began to make a list, raising a finger for  each item. "Money, promotion, prestige, access to something, an  opportunity to sue or blackmail. I could go on."

She coughed out a laugh, more amazed than insulted by his cynicism. "Please don't."

"If you're planning to use whatever it is between you and my brother to get ahead, it won't end well for you."

She cocked her head to the side, examining Adam's face. It was amazing  how similar he looked to Dylan, yet how little they were alike. She'd  seen a range of expressions on Dylan's face before but nothing this  hard, this remote. Adam's green eyes were the cold arctic sea, whereas  Dylan's sparked with life and energy. There was no doubt in her mind  that Dylan was the better man, and she wasn't going to let his brother  push her around.

She narrowed her eyes and poked her index finger into his chest. "Are you always this suspicious of people's motives?"

He looked a little less certain. "I've found it pays to be."

"Well, let me put your mind at rest." She took a step back and folded  her arms again. "Hawke's Blooms has been good to me. I would never do  anything to hurt the company. And Dylan? He's a good man. I would never  hurt him, and anyone who wanted to would have to go through me to do  it."

Adam frowned, apparently taken by surprise by her answer. "So you are planning on a future with him?"

"Actually, I'm not. But here's a question for you. How much of this-"  she waved a finger, taking in the room he'd corralled her in "-is about  the company and how much is about protecting your little brother?"

Adam opened his mouth to answer but then hesitated, frowned and closed  his mouth again. Before he was able to find any words, Dylan burst  through the door.

"What the hell is going on here?" His voice was tightly controlled but  his gaze was clearly full of irritation aimed at his brother.

"I was just-" Adam began, but Faith had had enough and stepped in front of him.

"Your brother was grilling me about my intentions. Turns out he was  worried I'd sue the company. Or was it blackmail that you were more  concerned about?" she asked, moving to stand beside Dylan and smiling  brightly at Adam.

Dylan's face turned red. "You said what to her?"

Adam held his hands up in surrender as Dylan took a step forward. "It was a reasonable concern."