Page 12 of Dreams That Bind Us
But it was all too real. The man who plagued her, sending her into an erotic frenzy night after night for months, not only lived on her island but was also a client. A very wealthy client.
Just fricking great.
Anna could still smell his intoxicating scent—a deep, rich spice that she couldn’t quite identify mixed with sweat and cypress—quintessentially male. It horrified her that she’d wanted to lean into his chest and rub all over him.
Gah! What the hell is wrong with me?! I’m not a damned teenager with raging hormones. Get a grip! This man is DANGEROUS.
Refusing to meet his eyes when he'd been standing so close had been her only defense against that yearning to wrap herself around him.
Now she’d given him her number, and she knew he'd call. She could always say no, turn down any further work he tried to send her way, but that would be stupid. Even though this order put her in the black for quite a while, she still had bills to pay and future work was never guaranteed.
No, she couldn't turn down work. But…
Her lips twitched to the side as a plan formed in her head. She could appoint an intermediary—maybe the art gallery andhave all the business flow through them. That could work. It wasn't something she'd asked of Becky before, but surely the gallery manager wouldn't say no after all the business she'd brought them over the last few years.
"Hey, Anna."
She jumped at the voice directly behind her. She pasted a smile on her face as she turned to Gus who was casually strolling toward her.
"Hi, Gus. Is everything going okay?" she asked, keeping her tone light to disguise the adrenaline still coursing through her veins. "It looks like we're almost done here."
"Oh, yeah. Everything's fine." Gus dismissed her question with a wave of his hand. "I'm just making sure you're alright."
She mentally cringed as a nervous giggle bubbled from her chest. "Of course, I am. Why wouldn't I be?"
One eyebrow arched as he smirked. "I think you know what I mean." He shot a glance toward the hotel's front entrance. Anna's gaze followed, and she almost squeaked as it landed on the tall, muscular figure casually leaning against the decorative coral railing of the front veranda. James stared back, unperturbed that they spotted him, his eyes like lasers, burning a hole right through her.
"Oh, it's okay,” she remarked. “He asked about more furniture for the fourth floor and I’m not certain I want more work. I have so many back orders as it is, and I haven't had any luck with locating a consistent mahogany supply, and, you know, there's another client who wants to buy out my current stock—" She pressed a fist to her mouth, aghast at her word vomit.
Just stop, idiot!
"Yeah, it's as bad as I thought." Gus chuckled. "If it makes you feel any better, he's actually a pretty good guy. Annette and Charli have both worked for him for years, back in Boston. Apparently he owns a bunch of companies up north. And he'sbeen a great partner on this project." He shrugged his shoulders. "Plus, Jack and I wouldn't have let him near you if we thought he was scum."
"Yeah, and I appreciate that." Anna took a deep breath. "I just don't have the time or desire to deal with… anything other than work," she finished, feeling deflated.
"I get it. I wasn't trying to get involved. I just wanted to reassure you."
"How's your mother?" Anna asked, desperate to change the subject.
Gus beamed at the question. "Mama Celeste is great. She's very excited about the baby."
"I'm sure she is." Anna smiled. "It's been a long time since I've seen her. Maybe I should stop by her shop sometime for a visit."
Mama Celeste was a renowned psychic in Key West, catering primarily to the island's tourist traffic. But she was a powerful clairvoyant and had been a close friend of Anna's family for decades.
"You should. She'd love that."
"Well, I think those are the last two pieces," she commented as the movers hauled the last of the furniture out of the truck. "You won't need these guys for more than offloading, correct?"
"Nah!" Gus replied. "Our guys can handle the rest."
"Okay, great." Anna nearly wilted with relief. She had to get away—fromhim—now. "Please tell Annette I said hi. Maybe we can have coffee soon."
"I will." Gus grinned. "And I'll tell her to be a little more careful with the coffee next time," he teased.
Anna grimaced as heat bloomed in her cheeks. "Thanks," she muttered. "I'll let my guys know they can leave."
She gave him a small wave and turned.
