It went without saying that he’d never kiss her, or touch her, again.
Emily rose from her chair, took her purse and made her way to the ladies room. She switched on the light, went to the sink and briskly washed her hands and face.
She was glad she’d decided against leaving her job. It would be foolish to give up an excellent position with excellent pay for what were, basically, simple lapses in judgment. And Mr. McBride wouldn’t fire her. He might be an easy mark for the Crystals and Brandies of this world but when it came to business, he was a tough, take-no-prisoners warrior. She did her job well, and he knew it. Hadn’t he promoted her and given her a fat raise just a few days ago?
Emily turned off the water, reached for a towel and dried her hands and face.
Yes, he’d stormed out of the office in a rage but by now, he’d have calmed down enough to realize that the best thing he could do, the best thing they could both do, would be to go back to where they’d been. She’d be Emily, he’d be Mr. McBride, and the closest they’d ever come to anything of a personal nature would be on Friday evenings, when he’d smile politely and wish her a pleasant weekend.
Now to get ready for her date with Thad Jennett.
She leaned closer to the mirror and looked at herself critically. She saw wide-set chocolate-brown eyes, a nose that was okay set over a mouth that was nothing special. Average, she thought, just plain, average Emily.
She poked at her hair, neatly confined at the nape of her neck. It looked all right, she supposed; not sexy or glamorous the way the hairdos on all those women last night had looked, but at least the strands weren’t curling this time. She hated those curls; they looked wild and uncontrolled and that wasn’t her, that wasn’t her, at all.
A touch of dark brown mascara might have been a good idea, if she’d known Thad had really meant it when he’d said he’d call. So would a better-looking outfit. Not that she had one. The only nonpractical things in her closet were the silk suit she’d mentioned to Jake—to Mr. McBride—and a bridesmaid’s gown. She’d bought the suit for Serena’s wedding and the gown for Angela’s.
The gown was out of the question. It was long. It was hilly. Mostly, it was puce. The suit wouldn’t have worked, either. It was an okay shade of pale apricot but she’d have frozen wearing it in weather like this, although none of those women last night had seemed terribly concerned about freezing in their excuses for dresses. That Crystal creature, especially, hadn’t been concerned about frostbite but then, she’d probably figured some man would warm her.
Not some man.
Jake.
Had he? Had he taken Crystal out, after the party? Had he taken her home, put heat and color into her skin with his hands and mouth...
Emily glared at her reflection.
“Stop it,” she said sharply.
What Jake did with women was none of her concern. She worked for him, that was all. Besides, she had Thad to think about now. There wasn’t a woman alive who wouldn’t sigh at her good fortune. Thad was handsome. He was interesting. He was famous enough so that women shot her envious little glances when they’d had supper last night...
But he wasn’t Jake.
Emily frowned.
No. He wasn’t Jake, and a good thing, too. Thad was a gentleman. He’d never hold her prisoner in a public elevator, kiss her until she was breathless, press her back against the wall and touch her until she was mindless with need...
Just thinking about it made her head swim.
Maybe some women liked that approach but she wasn’t one of them. She’d never fantasized about being conquered. Why would she? An intelligent woman wanted time to think, to make informed, clearly planned choices. Thad was a man who’d give her that time. No sudden moves, with Thad. No hot, demanding kisses. Just reason, and a careful telegraphing of his intentions, the way it had been last night.
Thad wouldn’t overwhelm her senses, as Jake did. He wouldn’t drive all rational thought from her head.
Emily lifted her chin and eyed herself in the mirror again.
She was really looking forward to tonight. Too bad she hadn’t told Thad she needed time to change. Well, it wasn’t too late to do a little touch-up. She pulled off the hair clip, fluffed her hair. Then she opened her jacket, undid a couple of blouse buttons. She hiked up her skirt, too.
It had worked last night. She’d proven she could get attention from men. But she didn’t want attention from men, she wanted it from Jake...
Emily blinked. She pulled her hair back into its clip, buttoned her blouse, closed the jacket and rolled down the waistband of her skirt.