And when they’d finished most of the meal, he took the boxes out of her hands, dumping everything into the kitchen trashcan, then coming back to bed and making love to her again. With the robe. He really liked the robe.
As she curled up in his arms, he thought about leaving, about adhering to her boundaries. “Do you want me to go?” he asked as her lashes fluttered against the pale skin of her cheeks.
“Please stay,” she pled, yawning. “You feel good.”
Luke listened to her sleep, her breath tickling his chest. Only when her breath calmed to a steady rhythm did he allow himself to succumb to sleep as well.
Chapter 9
Naya took a deep breath and forced herself to enter the ballroom. Another charity event. Another room filled with people. Not just people, she reminded herself. Potential clients. These were all people who had lived in Seattle for a long time and might be interested in a new home, larger or smaller, or they might have a friend who was moving to the area. She wanted to make sure they remembered her name.
Game face on!
She stepped through the entrance and accepted a glass of champagne from one of the solicitous waiters. One moment, she was alone, wondering where she could get a drink and the next moment, she was almost surrounded by waiters in black jackets carrying silver trays filled with sparkling wine.
“Thank you,” she smiled to the nearest one, unaware of the furious looks from the other waiters. She’d told Luke that she was coming to this event. He would be here too, she knew that. It was part of the world in which they worked. And he would be here for the same reason, trying to get Steele Industries in the minds of potential buyers. They wouldn’t be competing for the same clients, but it would still be an interesting night. Initially, he’d suggested he would pick her up for the event.
Boy, he hadn’t been happy about it when she’d declined, reminding him about their rules. She didn’t want to be seen on Luke’s arm. Not at this kind of an event. And definitely not in a restaurant or bar. She wanted to be able to survive the aftermath of their affair with as few questions from her co-workers as possible.
The blonde woman from the seminar that first time she’d met Luke sauntered into the room and Naya cringed.
“No magnificent Steele brother on your arm tonight?” she smirked.
Naya looked up at the woman, astonished by her vicious tone. She’d never experienced such blatant rudeness before. “I didn’t know that it was any business of yours who I attend the various functions with,” Naya replied with as much professionalism as possible. “I don’t even know your name.”
The blonde offered her hand, but it was a lame effort. She was already looking around at the crowd. “Tanya,” she offered out.
Naya shook the woman’s weak hand and pulled away quickly. “Pleased to meet you, Tanya. I’m…”
The blonde turned her body, definitely snubbing Naya in the most obvious way. “I know who you are. Naya Jefferson. You’re the competition.”
Naya almost laughed. “I doubt we work the same neighborhoods.”
Tanya sneered. “You were seen around town with Luke Steele. Are you trying to convince me that you aren’t trying to get the man into bed?”
Naya’s mouth fell open. “Umm…well,” she wasn’t sure what to say. Was she trying? Nope.
“See?” Tanya smirked. “You’re the competition. I have no interest in being a real estate agent. I only got my license so that I had an excuse to attend these shindigs and meet the appropriate people around town.”
Naya stared up at the beautiful, tall, blonde woman. “You aren’t an agent?”
The woman scoffed. “Well, I sell homes occasionally. But no. I don’t want to do this stupid stuff for the rest of my life.” She glanced to the right and her whole demeanor changed. “I have bigger plans. My fish are the wealthy sharks of this world.” She squared her shoulders and glanced down at Naya. “Stay out of my way, little girl. I’m warning you, I don’t play nicely with others in the sandbox.”
A moment later, she moved off, a bright smile on her nude colored lips.