“Athena, it’s time to go to the meeting.” Makayla glared at him from under lowered eyebrows, a tiny diamond twinkling in one. “Bye, Mr. Clayworth. We’ve got to go now.”
Nodding, he backed up, strangely unsure of himself.
“Tomorrow?” he asked softly.
Athena stared at him. “Yes. My place. Tomorrow at five.”
“Tomorrow are you going to talk to Mr. Clayworth about the two of you? Now you’re going to make him fall in love with you, aren’t you?”
Athena stopped in the hallway outside the meeting room and stared at Makayla. She hadn’t realized Makayla still had thoughts of vengeance until she saw it in her eyes. “Of course not,” she gasped in real shock. “We’ve put the past behind us to find Bertha’s missing gowns.”
“That’s awesome, I guess. But I gotta tell you there’s more going on with Mr. Clayworth, because every time you two are in the same room it has a really hot vibe.”
Don’t I know it.
Athena tortured herself with the clear and present knowledge that the Fates, once determined to throw her and Drew together at any cost, seemed now equally determined to keep her away from him. Well, they had played their last nasty trick on her. Nothing, and she meant nothing, would stop her from being with Drew tomorrow.
But first, she had to get through this staff meeting and wait another twenty-four anticipation-packed hours.
She kept glancing at her watch as Edna talked about the budget for the coming year. Makayla nudged Athena out of her daydreams so she could make the appropriate response, a pleased smile and a serene glance into Edna’s eyes when she congratulated her on receiving the Bertha Palmer gowns from Drew and renewed support for the scholarship fund.
The rest of the board applauded politely.
Back in their office, Athena gave Makayla a hug. “The scholarship will pay for your living expenses and all costs at the Art Institute. It’s what you’ve worked so hard to accomplish.”
Blinking her spiky lashes, Makayla stepped out of Athena’s arms. “You’re so awesome. You made it happen, and I’ll pay you back someday.”
She squeezed Makayla’s hands. “You are by never letting go of your dreams. Trust me, they do come true.”
CHAPTER
Dreams do come true. Tonight I’m making love with the man of my dreams.
Athena buried her face in Drusilla Junior’s warm fur before putting the cat down next to a plate of her favorite gourmand cat food. While the spoiled darling licked up every morsel, Athena fluffed up her bed and closed the gate to the mudroom, which had been transformed into kitty paradise, scratching post, catnip and all.
She turned off her iPhone and unplugged the house phones.
Now I can concentrate on seduction.
Athena drifted through her small carriage house, old-fashioned rooms with wood paneling and fireplaces in the living room and a smaller one in her bedroom.
These rooms, the feel and look of them, had always reminded her of the house where she’d grown up. A mini money pit she’d laughingly called it while restoring the small house to its former glory.
It might be warm tonight, but she loved her bedroom lit by only flickering flames, so she struck a match to start a fire.
The four-poster brass bed loomed as wide as the wall-to-wall bunk on Drew’s boat. She saw herself and Drew there on the antique white cotton lace spread, resting on the pile of silk pillows, like they’d been on the Clayworth blue down comforter on the boat. Could smell his clean skin and feel the almost electric touch of his lips.
How would Drew feel about this intimate bower? Too soft, like the Egyptian cotton sheets on the bed?
Would the dressing table with crystal perfume bottles, and the sterling silver hand mirror engraved with her initials, seem too feminine? Would the books in the low bookcase against the far wall help him understand who she’d become in the intervening years?
She felt hot and eager but amazingly calm. There wasn’t any pretense. Any fear. They both knew why he was coming here tonight, and they both wanted it.
The old grandfather clock in the living room chimed the hour. Four p.m. Only an hour left.
She ran a hot bath and threw in her favorite bath oil, floral with a hint of spice.
She piled her hair on top of her head with tortoiseshell combs and stepped into the deep claw-footed tub. The perfumed steam swirled around her as she leaned back and closed her eyes.
This is how I prepare to seduce the man of my dreams.
When the doorbell rang at 4:58, the odd thought came to her that it could be the UPS guy or FedEx with some package, and here she’d be standing in the exquisite lavender French lace peignoir and gown from the store, with her hair falling around her shoulders and every inch of her perfumed.
She demanded the Fates give her a break.
She peeked through the lace curtain on the side windows and saw Drew on the front porch. He paced back and forth in front of the door, and his blue eyes, always arresting in his tan face, appeared the tiniest bit haunted by the possibility of defeat.
She slid the robe off. Better to let him know this night was a sure bet.
She opened the door and smiled up at him. Still a little hesitant, he stepped in, his gaze roaming over her body. She shut the door behind him and firmly turned the lock.
She felt the current coming from him. Heat. Hesitation. A magical tension. She smiled.
Something very important is about to happen here.
But who would tip the scale? Make the first move?
Me.
On tiptoe, she leaned all her weight into him and clasped her fingers around his neck. Their lips clung together, broke, met again.
Hers ached and burned a little from the hot current flowing between them.
Like he had on the boat, he swept her up in his arms and she giggled, suddenly breaking the tension, making this achingly real.
At last, I’m where I belong.
She buried her face in the curve of his neck, breathing in his clean scent. He smelled of fresh air, and soap, with a hint of lime.
He pressed soft kisses all over her face and hair, and hesitated only one heartbeat before he found the bedroom.
He lifted her up on the nest of pillows and stretched out beside her. A little muscle danced in his cheek and he looked flushed, making his eyes a riveting blue as he ran his thumb over her lower lip, stroked her cheek.
Every nerve in her body came alive.
“Remember what I did when we went skinny- dipping?” he asked softly.
She bit at her lip, trying not to smile, but failed now that she understood his noble reason.
“Of course. You made me immediately put all my clothes back on. My ego has never recovered.”
His low, intimate chuckle tickled her throat where he pressed a kiss. “Now I want to immediately take them all off.”
“At last,” she sighed. She went up onto her knees, and Drew followed her so they were in the middle of the bed, her thighs pressed against his.
He lifted a handful of her hair and touched it to his lips. “Scented of roses and everything nice,” he said softly.
His warm, dry lips opened her mouth—lingeringly, hot—and again, scorching current ran through her. Blood pounded in her throat and in her breasts under the touch of his lips and fingers.