confirmation enough that she’d accomplished whatever it was she’d set out to do. He’d always figured she was smart, but tonight had proved that she had nerves of steel, plus a wicked sense of humor. His heart beat faster as he envisioned the turn their relationship was going to take. He loved clever women almost as much as he loved money, and Emily was the smartest he’d seen. From here on out, things were most certainly going to get interesting!
Emily took one last bite of the chocolate caramel pecan pie in front of her and regretfully set her fork on the side of the plate. This dessert was so good it was almost sinful, but she’d had enough. One more bite and she’d explode. No wonder the menu listed the serving portions as either a half or whole slice. A half slice had been enough to send her taste buds into raptures, but a whole one would probably have raised her sugar levels into the comatose range! She savored the last vestiges of chocolate in her mouth, then sipped her coffee.
Today had certainly been unusual. First, there was the incident with the cheater at the Golden Temple, then the call about starting work, and finally Glen’s warning that someone was watching her. She stared at the crumbs on the silver-rimmed dessert plate and mashed them with her fork. Glen’s remark flashed through her brain like a flashing neon sign, and she wondered if he’d been teasing, getting back at her for lying about having plans. She knew from their verbal sparring that he possessed a quick wit and a sharp sense of humor. That, more than anything else, set him apart from most men she knew.
That rat was probably having a good laugh right now, wondering if she was looking over her shoulder for the cops! Well, if he was trying to get her attention, he’d certainly done it, although she intended to see that he was paid back in kind. One-upmanship was one of the few adult games she enjoyed—and was good at. Oh yes, the man would definitely pay.
After signaling for her bill, she left the waiter a generous tip and exited the restaurant. A soft breeze tickled her skin when she stepped outside, reminding her of the awesome power of nature. The desert might be hotter than hell during the day, but at night it took on a life of its own.
She drove home with her windows open, savoring the drop in temperature and, once she left the strip, the clear night sky. A sleek white limousine slid to a halt behind her in the parking lot, and Kate emerged from the passenger section. Dressed in a strapless sapphire blue gown with a pleated bodice, the woman looked like a queen. Her long blonde hair was twisted into a bun on the top of her head and two corkscrew curls framed each side of her face. A sapphire pendant rimmed in silver hung at the base of her neck, suspended on a strand of diamonds the size of English peas, and a deep blue sequined purse and see-through sandals completed her outfit.
Feeling definitely grubby in her tee shirt and slacks, Emily joined Kate on the walkway. “Nice dress.”
“Thanks,” Kate said as she reached up to remove the pins holding her hair in place. Shaking the long tresses free, she massaged the top of her scalp. “This is my favorite dress. I wear it every chance I can.”
“It’s certainly beautiful,” Emily agreed, fingering the gauzy material. “You look like a fairy princess.”
“Nothing so glamorous, I’m afraid,” Kate answered with a wry grin. “Just a long, boring dinner for a visiting dignitary." She patted Emily’s arm. “Let me give you a piece of advice. If anybody offers to take you to a formal dinner for a visiting ambassador, tell them no. With a capital ‘N’!” She laughed heartily as she accompanied Emily on the walkway. “All the ambassador did was talk about how great a war hero he was and how his wife didn’t understand him.”
Emily snickered, and Kate continued, “If he’d been young and good looking, I might have been amused. But this guy was short,
Emily took one last bite of the chocolate caramel pecan pie in front of her and regretfully set her fork on the side of the plate. This dessert was so good it was almost sinful, but she’d had enough. One more bite and she’d explode. No wonder the menu listed the serving portions as either a half or whole slice. A half slice had been enough to send her taste buds into raptures, but a whole one would probably have raised her sugar levels into the comatose range! She savored the last vestiges of chocolate in her mouth, then sipped her coffee.
Today had certainly been unusual. First, there was the incident with the cheater at the Golden Temple, then the call about starting work, and finally Glen’s warning that someone was watching her. She stared at the crumbs on the silver-rimmed dessert plate and mashed them with her fork. Glen’s remark flashed through her brain like a flashing neon sign, and she wondered if he’d been teasing, getting back at her for lying about having plans. She knew from their verbal sparring that he possessed a quick wit and a sharp sense of humor. That, more than anything else, set him apart from most men she knew.
That rat was probably having a good laugh right now, wondering if she was looking over her shoulder for the cops! Well, if he was trying to get her attention, he’d certainly done it, although she intended to see that he was paid back in kind. One-upmanship was one of the few adult games she enjoyed—and was good at. Oh yes, the man would definitely pay.
After signaling for her bill, she left the waiter a generous tip and exited the restaurant. A soft breeze tickled her skin when she stepped outside, reminding her of the awesome power of nature. The desert might be hotter than hell during the day, but at night it took on a life of its own.
She drove home with her windows open, savoring the drop in temperature and, once she left the strip, the clear night sky. A sleek white limousine slid to a halt behind her in the parking lot, and Kate emerged from the passenger section. Dressed in a strapless sapphire blue gown with a pleated bodice, the woman looked like a queen. Her long blonde hair was twisted into a bun on the top of her head and two corkscrew curls framed each side of her face. A sapphire pendant rimmed in silver hung at the base of her neck, suspended on a strand of diamonds the size of English peas, and a deep blue sequined purse and see-through sandals completed her outfit.
Feeling definitely grubby in her tee shirt and slacks, Emily joined Kate on the walkway. “Nice dress.”
“Thanks,” Kate said as she reached up to remove the pins holding her hair in place. Shaking the long tresses free, she massaged the top of her scalp. “This is my favorite dress. I wear it every chance I can.”
“It’s certainly beautiful,” Emily agreed, fingering the gauzy material. “You look like a fairy princess.”
“Nothing so glamorous, I’m afraid,” Kate answered with a wry grin. “Just a long, boring dinner for a visiting dignitary." She patted Emily’s arm. “Let me give you a piece of advice. If anybody offers to take you to a formal dinner for a visiting ambassador, tell them no. With a capital ‘N’!” She laughed heartily as she accompanied Emily on the walkway. “All the ambassador did was talk about how great a war hero he was and how his wife didn’t understand him.”
Emily snickered, and Kate continued, “If he’d been young and good looking, I might have been amused. But this guy was short,
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