in silent ogling when he saw her head lift and her back straighten.
Almost as if she knew that he was watching her. So that, when she stood up and looked over her shoulder at him, he should have been ready for the impact that seeing her smile transform into a grin that was laser-focused on him would cause.
Impossible. Nothing could have prepared him for the blast of that smile.
She had never looked lovelier. And she literally took his breath away.
Mesmerized, Sean could only watch as she excused herself with several deep bows to the guests, who returned her bows with gentle warm waves and smiles.
Oh yes, she was good.
She skipped between the tables and was at the bar in seconds.
Instantly she flung her arms around his neck as he bent down to kiss her on the cheek, much to the amusement of the hotel guests.
‘You have been away far too long, Sean Beresford.’
‘Agreed. Only, I think your fan club are taking our photograph on their smart phones.’
Dee peeked around Sean’s back and waved back. ‘Oh no, those are proper cameras. We are probably already online. But I’m not in the least ashamed. This has been a brilliant afternoon.’ And, just to prove it, she went up on tiptoes and pecked him on the lips so lightly that he barely had time to register the sensation of her warm, full lips on his before she stepped back into her shoes.
‘I hardly dare to ask,’ he replied, but kept his arms tight around her waist. ‘But could it be anything to do with the party of visiting Japanese academics?’
Dee pressed one finger to her bottom lip and tried to look innocent, but failed.
‘You do know that they brought their own tea with them, don’t you? The word is out Mr B—there is not one hotel in the whole of London who serves speciality Japanese green tea of the quality your guests demand and in the way they like. I think this is quite shocking news. Just imagine the impact on the hotel trade. If only you knew someone who could import some of that fine tea for you. Just imagine what a difference it could make. Now... I wonder what we can do about that?’
Then she fluttered her eyelashes at him in the most outrageous, over-the-top way and a bubble of laughter burst up from deep inside his gut and exploded into a real belly-laugh. The kind of laugh which turned heads and made the barman look at Sean over the top of his spectacles.
And why not? It had been far too long since he had laughed out loud—really laughed.
He had almost forgotten what it felt like, which was more than sad. It was a judgement of the life that he had chosen for himself and had never stopped to question—a roller coaster of work and travel, then more work and more travel, which never stopped long enough for him to get off and see the view now and then. It was too fast, and the highs and lows were so exhilarating, that it was impossible to look anywhere else but straight ahead because he never knew what was going to happen next.
It was a life that was as addictive as it was exhausting. A rush of daily adventure and excitement that called for his total focus and attention.
That was why he had been so attracted to Sasha.
They loved the hotel trade, and the rush of pulling off seemingly impossible projects and delighting his father and their hotel guests along the way. Sasha had been on her own roller coaster and at first they had been side by side, project to project. But slowly their tracks had simply drifted apart, further and further away, until they hadn’t been able to see one another. Both of them had been strapped in and going for the adventure of their lives.
It was true. His life was one long roller-coaster ride. He had jumped on when he was sixteen and was still strapped in at thirty-one.
Almost half of his life.
Strange. He had never thought of it that way until now.
And he knew exactly who he had to thank for that.
The girl with the twinkling green eyes who was grinning up at him.
The girl who had swept into his life like a warm breeze on a cold day.
The girl who he was going to leave behind, and sooner than he had planned.
Sean slid one of his hands from her waist and onto the bar so that he could lean forward slightly. He inhaled the light floral fragrance that she was wearing like the aroma of a fine wine. Intoxicating and provocative. Heady and enticing. Daring him to find out if her skin tasted as delicious as the aroma promised.
‘I still haven’t forgiven you for texting me when you knew that Tuesday was our Bake and Bitch Club night. The girls were scandalized by that sort of suggestive language.’
‘How could I forget our first anniversary? And you did call me brazen last week. I have a reputation to maintain, young lady,’ he whispered into her ear in a voice that was not meant to be overheard, especially by the hotel staff.
Her eyes met his without hesitation or excuse. Beguiling. Honest. True. And, oh, so magical.
‘I know. And I am certainly not complaining,’ she said.
Sean swallowed down a lump in his throat.
Dee was so close. So very close. Her gaze was locked onto his face, as though it was the most fascinating thing that she had ever seen, and he almost flinched with the loss when a guest sidled up behind them at the bar.
‘That colour looks great on you.’ He smiled. ‘Stylish and...’ He paused and, when he was sure that she was looking at him, silently mouthed the word ‘hot’ before slipping off the bar stool and grabbing her hand.
Her eyebrows lifted and she replied with a girly giggle and a small shoulder-wiggle, which was so endearing that he had to distract himself by focusing on the way her fingers felt clasped inside his.
Time to move to something less likely to scandalize his staff.
‘I think it’s about time you showed me what you have been up to in my conference suite. Don’t you?’
Dee paused outside the main doors to the conference room where she had spent most of the day with Prakash, and a stream of porters, delivery drivers and other people who she had never met before but who somehow seemed to be able to transform her sketches and lists into reality.
She raised one hand, palm upwards. ‘Now, it might come as a bit of a shock. So prepare yourself.’
Sean nodded just once. ‘I have been through everything, from Mardi Gras to beer festivals. I can handle it.’
Dee stretched out her hand towards the brass door plate, then lifted it back and whirled around on her heel. ‘First of all, I should say that Prakash and the team were amazing. Just amazing. And they did it all in one day! Totally brilliant, in fact. I couldn’t have done any of this without them... And now I am babbling, because I’m so excited and it’s wonderful, and did I say that it is amazing and the festival is tomorrow and...?’
‘Dee.’ Sean smiled and gently rested a hand on each of her shoulders. ‘I spoke to Prakash. He helped, but this is your idea. Your design, your colour scheme, your concept. So I know that it is going to be wonderful.’
‘Perhaps you should come back tomorrow when the exhibitors are setting up. There will be such a buzz.’
Sean looked over her shoulder into the middle distance and seemed about to say something, but changed his mind, turned back and lowered his head so that his nose was almost pressed against hers. He spoke in a jokey, firm voice.
‘Dee. I want the full tour and I want it now.’
‘You are so bossy!’
‘I know. But that’s why you like me.’
‘Really? Is that the reason? I thought it was your snazzy ties and shiny shoes.’
‘They only add to the allure. And you’re