“I’m fantastic, thank you; how are you?” she returned smoothly. Her heart might be pounding in her chest and her blood might be racing as the sound of his voice filled every part of her with hunger, but she wasn’t about to let him know it.
“Very well, thank you. It’s good to hear your voice,” he said softly. She heard a little sigh escape him. “I’m sorry it’s been so long between calls; I’ve been really busy here at the office. I’d like to see you soon. I was hoping you would have some time for dinner tomorrow night.”
She didn’t know whether it was an excuse or if he was intentionally trying to make her crazy missing him or if he was really busy at the office, but she thought about the character of the man she had gotten to know and she decided that he was in earnest and had just been busy.
Opting to take the high road, she shrugged and leaned back in her chair, looking out of the window. “Oh how thoughtful of you!” she paused a long moment as she made him wait. “Let me have a quick look in my calendar…” she said as she sat there and gazed out of the window. She knew full well that her night was free the following evening, but she wanted to make him wait just a little longer as reciprocity for making her wait a week to hear from him.
“It looks like I’m free after six,” she said a moment later as a smile spread over her face. She ignored the rush of excitement at hearing from him, and the knowledge that she was going to see him and hopefully be in his arms again.
“Perfect!” he exclaimed happily. “I’ll pick you up at six-thirty if that works.”
A little laugh escaped her and she held the phone a little tighter in her hand. “That works. I’ll see you then, and thank you. I’m looking forward to it,” she admitted honestly.
“As am I, much more than I can say,” he answered, and her eyes widened, wondering what he meant by his admission.
They said goodbye and she hung up and closed her eyes, squealing happily and drawing in a deep breath. He had called her again, finally, and it was like an enormous release to her. Every bit of irritation and annoyance and worry was gone from her; evaporated with the sound of his voice and his sweet kind words. She was elated again, so quickly, so simply, and there was nothing that could bring her down from it. Mia was on a natural high that lasted all through that day into the next, and the closer it got to the moment he would be standing at her door, the happier she grew.
Chapter5
Determined to be successful in her endeavor to get Alexander into bed on their third date, Mia visited the salon again and had everything that she could have done, done. Her hair color was enriched; her hair was styled. She got a manicure and pedicure, she was waxed and exfoliated, rubbed and pampered, and when she left, she looked better than she had in years.
Her confidence boosted, she bought herself a new dress. It was made of fire engine red silk, with a strap over each shoulder, a gently arched V shape over her breasts, and from there it was gathered all the way down her waist to the hem that laid just above her knee. It was form-fitting to her body, offering subtle hints at all of the curves that were just beneath the smooth material. She knew she looked smoking hot in the dress, and there wasn’t another dress in her closet that made her look as good as the dress she was wearing.
If he could tell her no looking like she did that night, there was no hope for her. She was sure of it. She sprayed herself with a lightly spiced perfume that she hoped would leave him hungering for her, and she slipped white diamond earrings into her ears. She looked into the mirror and knew that there was nothing she had left undone.
Just as her assuredness had emboldened her, the doorbell rang and a flash of panic zipped through her like lightening. He was there and it was time. She couldn’t stop the thrills that tingled in her body or the happiness that bubbled in her more than any of the champagne that the two of them had shared together.
She took a deep breath and opened the door, looking up at him with as casual a smile as she could manage, though it grew a bit when she saw the momentary expression of raw desire on his face as he took in everything about her. He recovered swiftly and handed a bouquet of red roses to her with a barely controlled gasp and a smile.
“You look stunning. I…” he paused and drew in a long breath, “I love that dress.”
She could see by his smile and his eyes that he did indeed love it, and it made her feel as though perhaps she may just be successful in her endeavor that night. She was going to give it everything she had.
“Thank you!” she laughed lightly. “I like it too.” She put the roses in a vase and returned to him at the door. She noticed him stealing glances at her all the way from her door to the car, and even in the car as he drove her to his home. She loved every single second of it.