As Robyn stormed out of the room Erin held on to the counter then made her way back to the table where she sank gratefully into the chair. She sat there for a while gulping in air then she gathered just enough strength to get up and grab a can of ginger ale from the fridge. It was the only thing guaranteed to dispel her nausea.
It took a whole ten minutes for Erin to return to normal. Still, she did not move. She sat there thinking. And thinking.
What was she going to do now? She'd just upset - no, angered - the one person in the world with the power to create a mess of her life. Well, the one person outside of Dare DeSouza. She had created a real enemy.
She clenched her fists in her lap. Whatever Robyn chose to do she would have to deal with it even if it meant that she ended up on the street. But there was no way she would continue to live under that witch’s control.
Her mind made up, Erin got up and went to find the chauffeur. Robyn would need the ride back to the airport.
CHAPTER NINE
Dare sank into the seat of the town car and, eyes closed, rested his head against the back. It had been another rough day. They hadn’t had any luck in locating Bart Reynolds in Europe. What was the use, anyway? The contract he’d signed was airtight. Two hundred and fifty million. Down the drain, just like that. It was a lot of money to lose.
Dare knew he would recover from this loss. He always did. If there was one thing he knew it was how to fail and keep on coming back. Wasn’t that the common factor linking all successful entrepreneurs?
He sighed. Maybe it was a good thing he’d decided to make it an early night. He’d as much as promised Erin’s friend that he would have dinner with them and he meant to keep that promise. But God, he was dead tired. He hadn’t even bothered to drive himself home. As soon as he called, Carlos had come out to get him. He’d arrived before Dare even had the chance to stuff his papers into his briefcase. Thank God for reliable employees.
Once at home, a brisk shower was all it took to get him back to normal. Dressed in comfortable slacks and a light silk shirt he headed for the dining room where dinner would be served at seven. He was prepared to be pleasant and accommodating, the perfect host. Erin’s friend deserved at least that, if even for one evening. He knew Erin would be pleased he’d made the effort.
Erin. As his mind settled on her he shook his head. He could not figure her out. She’d thrown him for a loop when she’d adamantly refused him, even pissing him off by intimating that he would have to force her. He’d never forced himself on a woman in his life and he wasn’t planning to start now.
But he would put that incident behind him. Tonight he’d be cool. Tonight it was all about the ladies.
The dining room was softly lit by elegant lamps positioned in the corners. A gold candelabra sat in the center of the table. And there, all alone, sat Erin.
Clearly, she didn’t realize that he’d entered the room. Her eyes downcast, she seemed lost in thought. But what made him pause was the slight droop of her shoulders, a posture that spoke of sadness or pain. Even her mouth had lost its feisty pout.
“Erin.” He said her name quietly but she jumped and jerked around to stare at him with her liquid amber eyes. Even there, in her eyes, he could see a strain that had not been there before. For some reason a feeling of guilt gripped him. Was he the cause?
“Are you alright?” He walked over and pulled out the chair at the end of the table, the one closest to her. He sat down and was just about to reach out and take her hand when he stopped. An innocent gesture but one she might misconstrue. He wasn’t taking any chances.
She gave him a tiny smile and her eyes glittered in the candlelight. Or was that the glitter of tears? Dare could not tell but no matter what he was going through tonight he would be gentle with her. He knew he didn’t have exclusive claim to problems. She was probably facing personal challenges of her own. And he could guess that being pregnant was no easy thing.
“I’m fine, Dare,” she said, and her voice cracked on his name.
What the deuce had upset her so that she seemed on the verge of tears? “What’s wrong, Erin? And where is your friend? Did something happen between the two of you?”
Erin tightened her lips then took a deep breath. “She had to go back to Vancouver earlier than planned. She’s alright, though. She’s fine.”
“It’s not her I’m worried about,” Dare said, frowning. “I want to know about you. Did she upset you?”
Erin smiled again and shook her head but it was a sad smile and Dare was not fooled.
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, watching her intently.
“No, that’s okay. Let's just eat.” She picked up her napkin and rested it on her lap then looked at him expectantly.
He did the same but he had suddenly lost his appetite. Erin had been upset or hurt by Robyn whatever- her-name-was but obviously she wasn’t comfortable talking about it. He would give her some space…for now. But damn if he wasn’t going to get some answers. There was a lot about Erin that remained a mystery to him but he was going to get to the bottom of this one sooner rather than later.
They began to dine, in silence at first, and then slowly Erin began to relax in his presence. She popped an olive into her mouth, chewed and then looked over at him. “How did you manage to leave the office early today? You’ve been so busy with your project I didn’t think you’d make it back in time for dinner.”
“I promised,” he reminded her. “Your friend made me.”
At the mention of the recent departee her face clouded over but then it cleared and she was smiling again. “Well, I’m glad you made it.”
Dare said nothing but he had to admit he felt good about it, too. Since he'd brought Erin back to the island he’d spent precious little time with her. Hell, they’d hardly exchanged words except for that time he’d tried to carry her off to his bed. And that had ended in disaster.
“And how’s it going?” she asked. “Your project, is it almost completed?”