He frowns. “When will I see you again?”
“Mr. Dimitriou is just going to brief you, so you won’t need me for that. I’ll see you for lunch with Carl at the Golden Orchid restaurant. It’s on the third floor.”
“Fine. I better go get some food then,” he says standing up. Before I can do anything, he bends down and brushes his lips against mine. As if we are a couple. As if that is the most natural thing in the world for him to do. I watch his tall imposing figure stride away, my heart hammering in my chest.
Chapter 8
Jade
Upstairs in the printing room, I meet another one of the speaker’s PA. A sweet local woman called Anong. She too, is preparing hard copies of the presentation to be handed to the attendees of her boss’s talk. She hands me a green and white box. It says Tiffy on the outside and is written in English on one site. It’s a Thai version of Acetominophen. They are very effective and in less than twenty minutes, my headache is gone. I tell her that I need to pop down to the hotel’s boutique to buy a suit for a lunch meeting.
“No. No,” she says shaking her hand. “Hotel boutique very expensive. Come with me I show you very good shop,” she offers.
I look at her doubtfully. “How far away is it?”
“Next door. You will like.” She nods vigorously.
I grin at her. “Okay.”
The shop turns out to be the gift that keeps on giving. It is one of those amazing little places that sells knock-off designer gear for one tenth of the price in other shops. I have heard of these secret places where you could go and get tailored suits for fifty American dollars. Like a kid in a sweet shop, I buy dresses, pant-suits, skirts, tops, jackets, shoes, bags and scarves. In less than an hour, I max out both my credit cards and leave carrying six bags of stuff for me. I even got a gorgeous silk suit for Emma. It’s one of those classic #sorrynotsorry moments. I’ve blown six months of wages, but heck, I won’t have to shop for the next five years!
After running up to my room to change, I come down in a fitted red suit to meet Luke and Carl Magnus for lunch at the Golden Orchid. I’m ten minutes early, so I walk into the restaurant, hoping that the men aren’t here yet. I want a few minutes to compose myself. Get a handle on whatever is happening between us. Things are quickly spiraling out of control with Luke. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but this isn’t who I am. I never leap before I look. I need something to clutch to right now, when my whole damn world feels like it’s been turned upside down.
But of course, both Luke and Carl Magnus are already at the table.
Carl is one of our major Swedish clients. Though I’ve never met him in person before, I’ve spoken to him on the phone a few times and I’ve seen pictures of him before. They don’t do him justice. He’s a hellva lot better looking in person.
His Viking heritage is clear. He’s a big man, about the size of Luke, but with broader shoulders. Long blond hair frames his rugged face. Despite the tailored suit he’s wearing, he looks about two seconds from tearing his clothes off and charging into battle.
I perceive all this in a distant way, because even though he’s startlingly handsome with beautiful grass-green eyes, he’s just not my type. And even if he were, my heart doesn’t have room in it for anyone else but Luke. I’ve spent the last two months falling for my boss, and the last twenty-four hours have been the culmination of all those feelings.
Luke notices me first. His blue eyes shine at me like a beacon, dimming everything else in the dining room. I can’t look away from him. His eyes devour me. Then he smiles and his crooked smile makes my heart flutter.
Like a proper gentlemen, both men stand as I approach.
Carl’s eyes move appreciatively over my body. “Miss Jade Emerson. In the flesh,” he says softly. His voice is deep, warm and accented.
I smile politely. “Mr. Magnus.”
I reach out my hand for a handshake, but he ignores it and sweeps me into a hug. The unexpected familiarity, so unlike the exceptionally polite and distant way the Japanese clients greeted me last night, startles me, but Carl is an important client.
“I can’t breathe,” I say breathlessly.
Carl laughs and puts me down. Then he kisses me on one cheek, and then the other. It’s an oddly delicate greeting after the bear hug, but he’s European. I assume it’s how they do things over there.
“My apologies, Jade,” he says. “Can I call you, Jade?”