“Good business meeting?” I asked, dying to find out all I could about him.
“Excellent. There’s a fund-raiser planned for mid-October that I have to attend in Scottsdale. I’d like you to go with me.”
I smiled as my stomach flipped, the churning instantly dissipating. “Sure. Thanks for the invitation.”
He gave me a sort of as if I wouldn’t invite you look. Then asked, “How’d your work go?”
A diversionary tactic. Quickly off the subject of him and on to Ari.
That just wouldn’t do. So I briefly said, “Since the grand opening is a week after Christmas, all of the holiday decorations will still be up—I presume.” I crooked a brow at him. We hadn’t yet discussed this.
With a nod, he told me, “They’ll complement the launch perfectly. And we’ll want them up for the pre-launch activities, anyway. The holiday season is a great time of year to show off the Lux.”
“I agree.” Phew. “So, that’s my current focus. Every last detail, light strung, ornament hung, has to be just right.”
His grin was a grateful one that made his beautiful eyes sparkle. “I knew I could trust you with this. Really, Ari. How did you ever doubt yourself?”
I dragged in a slow breath, let it out on a long sigh. “Dane. I haven’t done anything yet. I’m in reconnaissance mode at the moment. Needing to move on to the implementation phase ASAP, by the way. Chances are good it’ll take most of December to get all the decorations up in time for the initial events.”
“I have absolute faith you’ll pull this off. Preferred planners don’t miss deadlines or details, is my guess.”
“Not so far.…” I picked at my salmon. Yes, I felt the pressure. I felt the significance of my role in the ope
ning of the hotel. More than that, I felt the incredible need to bring it all together, flawlessly executed, not for my personal success but for Dane and the Lux.
Despite the weight on my shoulders and the constant please, God, keep me from fucking this up thoughts, I knew Dane needed me to be spot-on—so that he could contend with all the problems he continually encountered on-property.
“I won’t let you down,” I assured him. And hoped to hell I was right.
“I already know that, baby.” He gave me the sexy grin. Literally turning me inside out.
I tried to focus on the food, because I really was famished, but his gaze remained on my lips, teasing a smile from me as the tingles ran rampant. I just wanted to climb all over him, have my way with him.
But I was missing the prime opportunity to quiz him more. I opened my mouth to speak—and his cell went off.
The angry ring.
He swore under his breath. “I have to take this.”
I eyed him curiously and asked, “Is it Ethan?”
“Yes.” He pulled the phone from his pocket. “I’ll try not to be long.” He kissed my cheek and stepped out onto the patio.
He’d finished his meal, at least. I polished off mine and then rinsed the dishes and put them in the washer. I went back to the great room, a little frustrated that I hadn’t learned anything new about Dane. And why was he cool about missing calls when he was with me but never skipped Ethan’s?
That was another piece to the puzzle I wanted to figure out. Ethan had been Dane’s mentor—still was? And they were business partners on some level. I didn’t know the extent. It had sounded last night as though Dane’s investors weren’t involved on such a grand scale that he’d had trouble supplementing funds for the Lux when he’d cut out the five corrupt associates.
Clearly, I was on hold for answers, so I gathered up my catalogs from the coffee table in the great room and retired to Dane’s bedroom, flipping through pages and just trying to absorb thoughts as much as possible while blocking the questions from my mind.
It was nearing midnight when I heard him walk in. I’d been drifting in and out of sleep and was on the drifting verge again, a bit groggy.
He climbed in behind me and reached around to pry a magazine from my hand.
“Baby, you’re going to OD on Christmas decorations and it’s not even Halloween yet.” He placed the book on the nightstand and switched off the light.
His arms were around me in the next instant and he surrounded me again with his heat and strong presence.
“So much to do,” I mumbled.