Page 40 of The Money Man
“Try the artichoke lasagna.” He served a helping on her plate. “Let’s start with what I told Barsky on the phone about wanting to pay a visit to his headquarters with an eye to recommending his software to our less centralized clients. Maybe even taking a stake in the company to add capabilities for larger clients. I explained that you were doing the advance legwork for us in order to keep our preliminary investigation under wraps.”
For the next forty-five minutes, they reviewed the details of KRG’s fictitious plan to invest in BalanceTrakR, including Joe Passapera’s recommendation of Alice as an independent consultant to the consultants. For some reason, she found that redundancy funny, but it might have been a way to sidestep her increasing concern about the upcoming meeting. Derek’s insistence on trying to guess Barsky’s every possible reaction and developing a strategy to deal with it drove home how seriously he took the threat to her. It also demonstrated how brilliant he would be at managing high-powered clients.
When he finally declared himself satisfied that they’d covered every angle, she slumped back in her chair, having barely tasted the delicious food in front of her. “I can see why your customers are happy with your work. You’re very thorough.”
“Says the pot to the kettle.” His smile uncoiled some of her nervousness.
“My thoroughness is limited to numbers.” But she let his praise soak in. “You’ve got the psychological aspect figured out too.”
“Only because I’ve had to.”
She took a bite of her nearly untouched artichoke lasagna. “Too bad we won’t have time for sightseeing. I’ve never been to Dallas.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t see why we can’t arrange a side trip. I haven’t spent time in Dallas for a couple of years myself. Do you mind if we get back here late?”
“You’re the one who has a big project.”
“I apologize in advance but I’m going to have to work on it during the flight,” he said, reaching over to squeeze her hand. “Not the way I would choose to spend six hours on a private jet with you. However, I have an idea about how to show you Dallas.”
She fought her disappointment at his dedication to work but she understood it too. It was counterbalanced by the gratification at his willingness to indulge her in a tour of the city.
He swallowed the last of his wine and picked up his plate. “How about saving dessert for later?”
“Depends on how you define dessert,” she said, pitching her voice to a low huskiness.
They cleared the table and stowed the remaining food in record time. Then he stripped her jeans off and lifted her onto the kitchen counter to stand between her thighs and fulfill his promise of making her scream.
Chapter 10
As Alice slid into the black limo beside Derek early on Friday morning, she stifled a groan. Maybe that second self-defense lesson she’d taken from Dawn yesterday hadn’t been such a great idea, since she had several extra bruises and a sore shoulder. It was funny how she didn’t notice them while making love. This morning, though, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to escape from even the geeky Myron Barsky.
However, her aches and pains hadn’t stopped her from taking extra care, dressing in the blue silk blouse and gray pencil skirt her mother had bought her. Derek, already wearing his custom-tailored navy suit, had sat on the bed, watching her dress, his jaw tight with control. She’d taken her time and smoothed the fabrics over various parts of her body in a slow, sensual dance until he groaned and said he would wait downstairs.
Twisting back and forth in front of the mirror, she had decided to go crazy and substitute earrings that dangled a tiny gold tassel for her usual pearl studs. She had even added a delicate gold chain that sat in the V of her collar. However, since it was a business trip, she coiled her hair up in a tidy bun on the back of her head before she shrugged into a navy jacket.
Now she was going to fly on a private jet. That would be a thrill and a half. A hot shiver ran through her when she added the most important element to the equation: six hours on a private jet with Derek, even if he planned to work the whole time. Of course, she’d brought her laptop with her clients’ ledgers too.
As the limo backed out of the driveway in the chilly predawn darkness, he took her hand, interlacing his fingers with hers as he rested it on his thigh. She loved the feel of his warm skin pressed against the vulnerable curves between her fingers. It felt so intimate. His thumb stroked across the back of her hand in a slow, sensual rhythm that sent glimmers of sensation dancing up her arm. She found herself mesmerized by the sight of his big, square hand enveloping hers.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“About what? I’m in a limo on the way to ride on a private jet with a sexy man in a suit, before sightseeing in a city I’ve never visited before. That sounds like a good day to me.”
His hold on her tightened. “If I hadn’t seen the bruises from your self-defense lessons, I’d be yelling at you to take Barsky more seriously.”
“You yell? I’ve never heard it.” His concern felt like a warm blanket wrapped around her.
“Ask my partners.” He lifted her hand to kiss the back of it. “I’ll feel better when I’ve had a chance to meet all the players face-to-face to gauge what’s going on.”
It was almost true that she wasn’t worried as long as Derek was with her. Nervous, yes, but not afraid. She didn’t want to screw up the cover story, but the presence of this brilliant, capable man who cared about her safety in a personal way chased away most of her apprehension. No harm would come to her as long as he cast his protective shadow over her.
In fact, she was so relaxed—and maybe a little tired from making love three nights in a row—that she fell asleep with her head on his shoulder, only opening her eyes when the car came to a stop before a metal gate. The driver handed the guard some paperwork and the gate swung open. She gasped as she realized that they were driving right onto the tarmac where a sleek white jet caught a gleam from the just rising sun. The driver parked about twenty feet from the jet’s steps and leaped out to open the door.
Alice climbed out of the car with care since she wasn’t used to wearing such a slim skirt or high heels. She turned as Derek emerged behind her and forgot all about her bruises when the dawn found glints of gold in his hair and turned his skin to honey. She wanted to ... no, she justwanted. It was that simple.
“I like the door-to-door service,” she said, trying to quell her response. “And it’s nice not to have to take my shoes off.”
His laugh was rueful. “You get spoiled. It makes flying commercial even worse.”
