It was clear that staying away from each other the last three weeks had achieved none of the clarity and purpose they’d both sought. If anything, the attraction bit harder, the hunger sharper.
It was also clear that she’d overreacted to the HR director’s call and possibly made her work situation worse.
But she was sure she hadn’t imagined the cynical looks between her colleagues when all her suggestions on the various stages of the opening night for Pantelides WDC had been accepted without question. Pleased that she was being valued as a hard-working member, she’d put forward more suggestions.
It was why she’d begun questioning herself, and the call coming so close to that had made her storm from the rooftop pool with every intention of confronting Ari and taking him to task.
Of course it had nothing to do with the fact that she’d been unable to stop thinking about the man since Miami; she had found herself growing curiously bereft with his continued absence and the fact that her body seemed to have pulsed to life the moment she’d found out he was back.
She was here to do a job. She seriously needed to focus on that and nothing else.
Let’s move on...
Pursing her lips, she pulled off her sarong. Ari was annoyingly right.
They had two weeks before this spectacular hotel set in the heart of America’s political and cultural capital opened.
The hotel itself was a jaw-dropping architectural masterpiece, and fully expected to achieve six-star status within the next few weeks. They’d already hosted the industry critics, who’d since given glowing reviews.
With prime views of the Lincoln Memorial and Capitol Hill, the mid-twentieth-century building had been given a multi-million-dollar facelift that had seen it propelled to the realms of untold luxury and decadence.
Marble, slate and gleaming glass were softened by hues of eye-catching red-and-gold furniture and art that captured the imagination, and the five top-class restaurants were already booked well into the new year.
Regardless of her own shaky issues, Perla was hugely excited to be working on the hotel opening.
After showering and slipping on her bathrobe, she ordered room service and pulled open her laptop. Her research into the Washington scene had thrown up a few ideas for the opening. She’d already secured the jazz quartet said to be a favourite of the President to her list and confirmed the special tour of the Smithsonian and the White House for the VIP guests who would be staying overnight. Her idea of a midnight cruise on the Pantelides yacht had also been greeted with enthusiasm.
Feeling her confidence return, she pulled up the details of Oktoberfest on a whim, then immediately discarded it. Somehow she didn’t think beer-drinking went well with Ari’s vision for his hotel.
But there was nothing wrong with checking it out for herself while she was here. Something to do to take her mind off the fact that Ari was once again within seeing and touching distance...and the knowledge that her pulse skittered every time she admitted that fact.
Her doorbell ringing brought welcome relief from her thoughts. The scent of the grilled chicken and salad made her stomach growl and reminded her she hadn’t eaten since a hastily snatched bagel and coffee first thing this morning.
Ravenous, she ate much faster than she should have, a fact she berated herself for when she bolted out of her chair, rushed to the bathroom and emptied the contents of her stomach a mere hour later.
* * *
‘Are you all right? You look a bit peaky.’
Susan, the assistant concierge, peered at her as Perla waited for the list and notes she’d typed up last night to finish printing.
Perla nodded absently and smoothed her hand down her black skirt and matching silk shirt she’d worn for the meeting with Ari and the rest of the key hotel staff.
Glancing down at herself, she wondered if she’d made the right choice. The shirt hadn’t felt this tight across the bust when she’d picked it as part of her work wardrobe a month ago. The gaping between the top buttons had forced her to leave the first and second buttons open and she questioned now whether she shouldn’t have changed her outfit altogether.
But after waking up twice more to throw up, she’d eventually fallen into a deep sleep and missed her alarm.
Which was why she was hopelessly late—
‘Do you intend to join us for this meeting, Perla?’
Ari stood behind her, tall, imposing, gorgeous beyond words. In the morning sun, the sprinkling of grey at his temples highlighted the sculpted perfection of his face. But it was his unique hazel eyes that made her belly spasm with heat and a whole load of lust.