Page 21 of Out of Office Nights
A ripple went through his jaw. ‘I wish I could say Cristobal was faring any better than you,’ he said.
Absurdly that didn’t make her feel better. ‘So that’s it? We’re both out?’
For the longest time he didn’t speak. He examined the sketches even more thoroughly the second time, flinging several onto the floor. Leaving only a dismal handful. Only then did he look up. ‘These ones are salvageable. Barely.’
‘And?’
His masculine hands returned to the table, now resting on her sketches. The sight of them so close to her work flipped her belly.
‘And this collection is too important to leave to your whims and feelings,’ he said with a gravity she’d heard in his voice in New York, exposing the startling truth that this wasn’t just a new season’s fervency. For whatever reason,thiscollection held some kind of reverent importance to Teo. She was busy searching his face for a clue when he continued. ‘I can fire you right now, as you seem to be craving, or I can stay and help. But you’re going to have to ask for it.’
‘Don’t do me any special favours,’ she bit out, unable to help herself.
He exhaled roughly. ‘Sabeen, I have just come from two extremely trying days with Cristobal. Do not push me.’
That surprised her. And he saw.
‘You continue to think the worst of me even while you’re drowning and I have a lifeboat.’
She held back the words that would damn her, probably for ever. Swallowing her pride was a huge effort, but what choice did she have if she didn’t want to fail?
Besides, there was a reason she’d wanted to work for Teo Domene. The king of haute couture was matchless in talent. She’d been thrilled and stunned when he’d picked her as a protégé, then a temporary replacement when Cristobal went on his sabbatical. Having it all fall apart, admitting failure and inviting more scandalous whispers especially after Nathan, wasn’t an option.
Sensing her internal battle, he leaned over the table, bringing his indomitable will to bear on her. ‘Ask me. Ask for help.’
‘And you’ll give it?’Without strings?
Something twisted in his face, gone too soon for her to decode it. ‘It’s my name. My line. Failure may be acceptable to you. It isn’t for me. Ask for it.’
Her mouth dried, a deep tremor rising from her belly. ‘Help me.’
If she’d expected Teo to immediately produce a tablet and begin salvaging her mediocre offerings, she was in for disappointment.
He stepped away from the table, strode over to the coffee table and poured two more cups of tea. Clearly her surprise showed because he sent her a droll look.
‘The hard task-mastering will start soon enough, don’t worry,’ he drawled. Then his gaze trailed leisurely over her. ‘You still want to shower?’
Why that conjured heated images of their bodies sliding together like that night on the terrace, she refused to contemplate. ‘Yes.’
He nodded, drawing out his phone. ‘Have you had dinner?’
She blinked then warily said, ‘No.’
‘Neither have I. Let’s do something about that,’ he said then after a moment speared her with a hard look. ‘Time’s wasting, Sabeen. I don’t work well on an empty stomach.’
A little dazed, she hurried down the short hallway to her bedroom. Shutting the door behind her she blinked at the tea in her hand, set it down untouched on her dresser and went to her bathroom. A quick rinsing off while she ruthlessly stemmed the tide of uneasy excitement churning inside her. And because she absolutely wasn’t going to deem this anything but another work meeting, she chose a simple knee-length orange-striped white dress and matching orange heeled slippers with gold buckles, adding hoop gold earrings before securing her almost dried hair in a firmer knot.
A quick spritz of her favourite oud scent—all without meeting her eyes in the mirror—and she was exiting her room.
Teo rose from the sofa at her entrance, and she was thankful he hadn’t sat in her grandmother’s chair. His gaze trailed over her before dropping to his phone. ‘My assistant has sent me a list of restaurants, but you’ll probably have a better idea.’
‘Can I see the list?’
He walked over and displayed the screen. Completely unaware, she desperately hoped, of what his scent did to her.Focus!
She dismissed the first one. ‘The food doesn’t live up to the overpriced hype. Same for the second.’ She pointed to the fourthone on the list. ‘That one is run by a mother and daughter. It’s small and out of the way, but the food is excellent. And you don’t need to call ahead.’
The hint of his sardonic smile reminded her that that wouldn’t have mattered. Even in her little corner of the world, men like Teo would command red carpet treatment even without trying.
