“You never wanted to do hotel management?” he asked, knowing her father, Robert Dare, was a hotel magnate.
She shook her head. “That part of the family business isn’t for me.”
The elevator came to a stop and they stepped into the lobby. He strode past the doorman and led her outside. It was late in the day, almost early evening. The sun had begun dipping behind the buildings, putting a lighter chill in the air.
Ethan caught sight of Mason waiting at the curb, and he paused, not wanting an audience when he said goodbye.
He turned to Sienna to find her waiting, her face turned up to his. “Take care, Sienna. Have a good life.”
Dramatic but true. He wouldn’t be seeing her again.
Her smile was forced, but he gave her credit, she didn’t hesitate. “Bye, Ethan. Be happy.”
He wondered if she knew how difficult that emotion was for him to accomplish. Yet in the short time he’d spent with her, he’d been happy. Go figure. A twenty-three-year-old woman had come close to changing his perspective on life after over a year of banging his head against the same brick wall of misery.
She looked up at him expectantly, but he knew better than to kiss her, implying an intimacy that meant something more than what he’d promised or intended.
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, then walked her to the car, unexpected feelings of regret and disappointment tugging at him as he watched the limo take her away.
Chapter Four
Not far from the old Thunder Football Stadium sat the new Thunder Stadium, a glorious, state-of-the-art ode to a team Miami loved. Sienna drove into the old place, where the offices still were, checked in with security, and made her way to Ian’s office. She hadn’t been summoned, not exactly, but he had called and informed her he’d cleared his morning schedule for an hour so he could hear all about her weekend in Manhattan.
Not all about her weekend, she thought, unable to hold back the blush that arose at inopportune moments any time she even thought about Ethan and the hours they’d shared. Her body certainly remembered. She was sore in places she normally never thought about, and she couldn’t say she had an ounce of remorse. Except maybe for that lame goodbye.
She wished she’d grabbed him and kissed him the way she’d wanted to instead of letting him get away with a light peck on the forehead like she was someone dear to him. Not someone he’d not only been intimate with but rocked the bedframe with. She might not have much – read any – experience with actual sex, but even she knew what they shared had been spectacular.
She parked her car, pulled on the best neutral face she could muster, and headed to Ian’s office. His secretary told her to go on in, so she knocked once and opened the door, not realizing he was on the phone.
He gestured for her to come in and take a seat.
“Well, I’m glad the weekend worked out for you, too. Yes, I agree. She’s intelligent and intuitive,” Ian said to the person on the phone, giving Sienna a wink as he spoke.
Her stomach flipped over as she realized he must be speaking to Ethan. “Yes. Yes, I agree. Hands-on is always a good thing. I’ll consider it,” he said, his gaze never leaving hers. “Thanks again for looking out for her.”
Sienna did her best not to wince. Ian might just blow a gasket if he knew how much looking … and touching Ethan had actually done.
“Yes. I’ll be in touch about the specs and schematics. I have to go. I have an appointment. Goodbye.” Ian hung up the phone and met Sienna’s gaze. “Well, you made quite an impression.”
Forcing a smile, she somehow maintained both her dignity and composure. “I did my best to represent you. Although… I didn’t think you’d be checking up on me with Ethan Knight.” She raised her eyebrows at her brother, who liked to have a hand in all his siblings’ lives, full and otherwise.
Ian sat on the edge of his desk. “Actually, Ethan called me. He wanted to make sure you had a good weekend that was productive and helpful in making a decision about your future.”
Hmm. That was interesting. So it wasn’t out of sight, out of mind as she’d assumed. At least she’d had some kind of impact on her host.
She cleared her throat. “While touring Manhattan, we talked a lot about what the program offered, and it’s honestly just as I thought.”
“Meaning?” Ian asked.
“It’s more school. Paperwork. Studying. I feel like I’m ready to be out in the world doing things. Making an impact.”
He chuckled, probably at her enthusiasm. “Understood. Listen, I have to go over to the construction site … otherwise known as the new stadium to be. Want to join me?” he offered.