“No disrespect,” Rock said, frowning with confusion, “but what is it with your mother? Why can’t she stay in one place more than a few years?”
“I guess it’s her nature. She’s always been a wanderer. She’s an artist,” Dana said as if that explained everything. “She sculpts, paints landscapes and does ceramics. I guess it takes many countries to feed her passion.”
“Poor kid. When did you get a chance to make friends?”
Dana sighed but still she smiled. “Not till I made it to college. I insisted on doing my degree in the United States and, thankfully, my parents didn’t object.” She shook her head. “I tell you, Rock, I was so sick of moving from place to place, once I started college I never boarded another plane. Until now, that is.”
“What about your parents? Don’t you visit them?” This family was seeming stranger and stranger by the minute.
“Oh, they come and visit me all the time, and they stay for weeks at a time. But me, I want stability now. That’s why I applied for a green card right after college. I’m happy here.”
“And you never thought of settling here for good, becoming a citizen?”
“I…I guess I haven’t given it much thought. I haven’t had reason to.” Then her face took on a thoughtful look. “I guess if I ever decide to start a family-“
Abruptly, she stopped speaking then her face colored and she looked down. “Sorry.”
“Not at all. That would be a very good reason to settle down here.” His tone was gentle, reassuring, but it did not seem to ease her distress. Obviously, she felt she’d blundered by bringing up a personal topic. Was it because he was her boss that she seemed so uncomfortable, or was it something else?
After that the conversation lulled and Rock could see Dana’s relief when the server arrived with the entrée. It wasn’t until dessert - cheese cake for her and sherbet for him - that she began to relax and seem like her old self.
“I’m sorry I haven’t been great company for dinner. I’m not very good at this sort of thing.” As soon as the words were out a look of embarrassment flashed across her face and she clamped her mouth shut.
“Meaning?” This time he wasn’t going to let her off the hook.
At first she kept her lips sealed tight but then she sighed. “Okay, you’ve probably figured this out already. I meant…I don’t go out much. This is the first dinner date I’ve had in over a year.” At those words she blushed again then said quickly, “Not that this is a date. I didn’t mean that at all.”
She looked so distressed, so vulnerable, that he reached out and touched her hand - for the briefest of moments, but in that feather-light touch he felt the electricity of awareness ignite between them.
“Not to worry, Dana. I know what you meant.”
Was it the change of environment, the idyllic atmosphere of the island? What had caused this change in Dana? What had happened to the girl they called Richard French’s bulldog? The cold, formal assistant who had worked in his office was gone and in her place was a softer, gentler creature. And he liked it.
In fact, he had liked the whole evening. For the first time since they’d met he’d spent close to three hours with Dana and not once had they discussed anything to do with work.
But then he remembered they would have to be up early next day. He glanced at his watch. “Whoa. Almost ten o’clock. Time to get you to bed.”
She nodded. “I’m feeling a bit ragged. Must be the plane ride.” As if the thought brought on even more tiredness she stifled a yawn.
Immediately Rock stood up. “Let me walk you to your door.” He reached out and helped her to her feet then, clasping her elbow, he escorted her out of the restaurant and to the elevator. Inside, she sighed and leaned back against the mirror-covered wall. Her eyes half-closed, she gave him a soft smile. “Thank you for dinner. It was wonderful.”
“It was my pleasure.” As he watched her, her body languorous and soft, his hands itched to hold her, to pull her into him, to give her another kind of pleasure. He was aching to kiss her.
When the elevator door opened Dana stepped forward and, as if the gods were on his side, her heel caught in the groove and she stumbled, falling back against him, right into his waiting arms.
As his arms went round her she leaned against him and looked up, her eyes cloudy with an emotion he decided was desire. She wanted him just as much as he wanted her.
Rock needed no further invitation. As the elevator door closed again, enclosing them inside its walls, he tightened his arms around her and captured her mouth in a kiss that would leave her in no doubt that he wanted her.
And she was kissing him back. So sweetly, so urgently, her arms coming up to cling to him, her soft moan filling the space that was now their own private world.
And it was almost his undoing. God, he wanted her so bad. His mouth slipped from her lips to her throat and as he kissed her there she gasped. He slid his mouth back to those sweet lips, drinking in the honey of her desire, losing himself in the aphrodisiac that was Dana Daniels. With a soft ‘ping’ the elevator door opened and he jerked his head up just as an elderly couple stepped inside. They smiled at Rock and Dana.
His arms still around her, Rock shifted Dana’s body, shielding her from the open stares. Thinking fast, he put a hand to her forehead. “Feeling better, honey? Just rest your head on my shoulder. A little sleep and your headache will be gone in no time.”
That seemed to satisfy the couple because their open curiosity and smiles soon gave way to a commentary on the meal they’d just had, and even when the door opened on their floor and they were walking down the hallway, they were still singing high praises for the chef.
When the door closed shut behind them Rock pressed the button for Dana’s floor then slowly released her.
She still looked dazed and he smiled, flattering himself with the thought that it was all due to the effect of his earth-moving kiss.
“Are you all right?” He put up a hand to brush away a lock of hair that had come loose from its clasp and fallen onto her cheek.