Bidding on Her Boss(23)

"Yes, partly. But it's more than that." Would a woman with a loving,  close family even understand Faith's issues with love if she told her?  Regardless, this was Dylan's mother, and it was up to him to share the  parts of his life with her that he wanted.

"I'll leave it alone, then." Andrea looked up at the stage, where the  tech guys were switching on microphones and getting ready. "I think the  speeches are about to start."

Faith turned so that she could see the stage, her eyes easily finding  Dylan in the group. He glanced up and caught her watching him, a slow  smile spreading across his face. Then Jenna tapped him on the shoulder  and he turned away.

"Nope," Andrea whispered. "Nothing going on between you two at all."

Faith bit down on her lip to stop the smile and watched the stage.  Jenna began by welcoming everyone and gave the crowd a short history of  the new flower. When she was done, Liam took the microphone and spoke of  his vision in creating the Ruby Iris. Then he handed the microphone to  Dylan.                       
       
           



       

Faith drank him in as he stood tall and confident at the center of the  stage, but with that mask of openness, which made it seem he was sharing  something with the people gathered. He was a natural, and even before  he spoke, the audience was responding to him.

"Hi, everyone," he said, giving them his charmer smile. "I'm Dylan  Hawke and I'd like to say a few words on behalf of the Hawke's Blooms  stores. We're looking forward to working with this new flower-we think  our customers will be excited to have it in their bouquets, and I know  our florists are keen to create arrangements that people will love."

He walked a few steps along the stage, ensuring he was including the  entire audience in his gaze. "I'd like to thank everyone who's played a  part in bringing the Ruby Iris to this point, but I'd especially like to  thank one of our florists, Faith Crawford, for working behind the  scenes and creating these stunning arrangements we have in the room  tonight. Faith, can you come up here for a moment?"

He shielded his eyes from the spotlight with the hand that still held  the microphone, then raised his other hand in her direction as a round  of applause flowed through the room.

Faith's pulse jumped. She hadn't expected this, but she was touched  that he'd think to mention her. His mother gave her a little prod, and  Faith began making her way through the crowd until she reached the two  steps that led up to the small stage. Dylan reached out to steady her  and moved to the side to join in the clapping.

Faith looked out over the crowd and, although the majority of people  were strangers, they were smiling at her with approval. They liked her  work. She'd achieved another step in her career plan-she'd reached a  large group of people with her designs. She'd made them smile. She  caught Dylan's gaze and mouthed, "Thank you." He nodded, his eyes  sparkling.

Giving Faith's arm a little squeeze on the way past, Jenna took the  microphone from Dylan and wound up the proceedings. As the music started  again and the people on the stage descended to the ballroom floor,  Faith was still on cloud nine. So when Dylan said, "Dance with me," she  didn't hesitate.

He took her hand and led her out onto the small dance floor, where a  few couples were moving to the music, and then pulled her into his arms.  The clean scent of him surrounded her, and she wanted nothing more than  to lean into him, to lose herself in his heat. Would she ever be able  to be near him and react as if he was any other man? Or would he always  have this power over her?

She needed to get her mind onto a normal topic of conversation. She  cast around for an idea, then remembered that Jenna had wanted him to  talk to someone earlier. "How did it go with the journalist?"

"He was from the same morning show as the woman outside. I've made an  appointment to see them both tomorrow, so cross your fingers for me."

"I will." Though she was sure he wouldn't need it. Everything Dylan  touched turned to gold. Except her-when he touched her, she turned to  flames.

His hand on her back traced a path up, then down, leaving a trail of  tingles in its wake. Faith hesitated. "Should we be doing this?"

"It's a date-our last one-and people dance on dates." He pulled her a  couple of inches closer. "Besides, there are hundreds of people here.  We're in no danger."

"It feels dangerous." Which was possibly the understatement of the night.

"I'll admit that it's lucky I have that limo waiting outside to take  you home." His Adam's apple slowly bobbed up and down. "I don't think I  could kiss you on your cheek at the door and leave tonight."

She couldn't imagine letting him walk away from her door tonight,  either. In fact, she was starting to think she would have just as much  trouble leaving him here and getting into the limo.

"Speaking of the limo," she paused, moistening her lips, "I'm thinking it's probably time I went home."

"Now?" he said, coming to a standstill in the middle of the dance floor. "We haven't been here that long."

In some ways, any amount of time on this date was always going to be too long, especially now when they were touching again.

She drew in a breath, pretending this wasn't going to wrench her in  two. "I was here for the speeches, I saw my arrangements in the ballroom  full of people and I've danced with the most eligible bachelor in the  room. What more could the night possibly bring?"                       
       
           



       

He grinned and his eyes sparkled with promise. "More dancing with that eligible bachelor."

"Yeah, that's what I'm worried about."

He chuckled. "Fair call."

The music segued from one song to another, which seemed like a natural  place to end things. She stepped back, away from the circle of his arms.  "Thank you for tonight. You've made it magical."

"You brought the magic," he said, his voice low.

It was too much. Being this close to him, knowing she couldn't have  him, was too much. She couldn't breathe. She turned and wove her way  through the crowd until she reached the door and could fill her lungs  again. Dylan followed and spoke to the doorman. Within moments, the limo  had pulled up in front of the door, and with a last chaste but  lingering kiss on his cheek, she slipped into the backseat and left the  launch-left him-behind.





      Ten

Faith sat bolt upright on the studio sofa, waiting for The Morning Show  to start again after the ad break. Her palms were sweaty-a combination  of the hot lights and a case of nerves that just might kill her-so she  tried to wipe them discreetly on her skirt.

"Hey," Dylan said beside her. "Are you all right?"

"Well, I've forgotten my name. Will that be a problem?"

He chuckled and rubbed a hand up and down on her back. "They have your  name written on the autocue for the host, so that doesn't matter. Just  tell me you remember how to arrange flowers."

"I can do that in my sleep." Then she winced as she imagined herself  fumbling. "Well, as long as I don't drop the flowers with my sweaty  hands."

A man wearing a microphone headpiece waved an arm. "And we're back in three...two...one..."

The host, Lee Cassidy, a woman in her early thirties with black hair  pulled tightly back from her face, scooted back into the seat at the  last moment and smiled at the camera. "We have a treat for you now.  Dylan Hawke, one of the brothers behind the Hawke's Blooms, and head of  their hugely successful chain of florist stores, is here in the studio  to tell us about a brand-new flower they launched a couple of days ago,  the Ruby Iris. And he's brought along one of his florists, Faith  Crawford." The host turned to them and smiled her megawatt smile again.  "Welcome to the show. How are you both this morning?"

Dylan looked at Faith, giving her the chance to speak first. She opened  her mouth to reply but no words came out. She closed her mouth,  swallowed and tried again. Nothing. Prickles crawled across her skin.

Dylan smoothly picked up the ball. "We're both great, thanks, Lee. In  fact, we're still buzzing after the launch of the Ruby Iris on the  weekend. It was quite a night."

"It sounds as if it was fabulous." The host turned to the camera,  giving her viewers the full benefit of her smile. "In fact, we have some  photos."

The big screen behind them suddenly flashed with images from the night,  including one of Faith taking Dylan's hand as she stepped up onto the  stage. She was gazing up at him with her heart in her eyes. Would anyone  else recognize that? Would Dylan be able to read that expression?