straightened up and took her hand to lead her out of the library.
“My clipboard,” she called out, trying to pull her hand away so she could grab her information.
“You won’t be using that tonight,” he said and pulled her back, tucking her hand into his bent arm. “Come along.”
“But, I need that to work,” she argued.
“You’re the hostess tonight,” he countered. “No clipboard.”
She wanted to argue more, to explain that her job was to hang in the background and oversee the evening but he wouldn’t let her go and George was already opening the front door to the first few guests. “Good evening, Senator,” Rachel said, stepping into professional mode, trying to pretend that Rais wasn’t there.
The evening continued on but each time Rachel tried to step away from R a is , he pulled her back by his side. She enjoyed his company, not having witnessed the humorous side of Rais but he was incredibly funny when he set his mind to charming people other than long haired, brunettes.
The evening was a fabulous success and Rachel was proud of how well the vendors operated. They had a few questions for her, which they whispered in her ear occasionally. But she was able to handle everything without a hitch.
The only problem was when the guests started to take their leave. She hadn’t minded being on Rais ’ arm while others were there to provide a buffer. But as soon as their numbers started to dwindle, her nervousness increased.
Very carefully, while he was discussing a project one of the senators wanted to build in Dunari , she slipped her hand from his arm and walked over to the door that led to the kitchens. “How are things in here?” she asked Lucy who was busy overseeing the cleanup from the caterers.
“Everything is just fine, Rachel. You did an excellent job and the food was delicious.”
Rachel walked over to Lana, the caterer who had handled everything. “Thank you so much Lana. This was a big night for me and you really pulled through.”
Lana reached up and gave Rachel a huge hug. “I’m so glad you trusted me with this job. I had a lot of fun.”
“And you’re an excell ent cook!” Ra chel came back.
Lana’s grin widened. “Why don’t you go relax ? You’ve been on your feet all afternoon. We’ll be finished here in about ten more minutes.”
“So soon?” Rachel asked, her voice breathy with nervousness.
“Sure! We’re fast! I h ave a fabulous staff who know how to get things done efficiently!”
With that, Lana almost danced off, excited that her first major party for a big client went so well. That left Rachel standing with Lucy who was huffing off to the dining room to start turning off lights.
Rachel stood in the kitchen alone, her eyes worriedly looking around, trying to find something to do. But everything was completely under control.
“I need to speak with you,” she heard Rais say right behind her.
She spun around, almost falling with the momentum but he caught her before anything embarrassing could happen. She thought he might just kiss her right there in the kitchen in front of Lucy and the whole catering staff. Thankfully, he dropped his hand and walked out of the area, assuming she would follow him.
Rachel glanced around, caught Lucy’s eyes and cringed when the motherly woman gave her a wink of encouragement. There was nothing to do but follow him. This was exactly what she’d been trying to avoid all evening. She couldn’t be alone with him, didn’t want to be alone with him.
“Rachel!”
His voice commanded and she actually jumped, startled by the tone.
He’d never spoken to her like that. With authority and…almost anger! She hadn’t done anything wrong except disobey what he told her to wear tonight. And she didn’t consider that to be blatant disobedience. Not that she even owed him obedience, she told herself angrily.
Shoving through the door, she
“My clipboard,” she called out, trying to pull her hand away so she could grab her information.
“You won’t be using that tonight,” he said and pulled her back, tucking her hand into his bent arm. “Come along.”
“But, I need that to work,” she argued.
“You’re the hostess tonight,” he countered. “No clipboard.”
She wanted to argue more, to explain that her job was to hang in the background and oversee the evening but he wouldn’t let her go and George was already opening the front door to the first few guests. “Good evening, Senator,” Rachel said, stepping into professional mode, trying to pretend that Rais wasn’t there.
The evening continued on but each time Rachel tried to step away from R a is , he pulled her back by his side. She enjoyed his company, not having witnessed the humorous side of Rais but he was incredibly funny when he set his mind to charming people other than long haired, brunettes.
The evening was a fabulous success and Rachel was proud of how well the vendors operated. They had a few questions for her, which they whispered in her ear occasionally. But she was able to handle everything without a hitch.
The only problem was when the guests started to take their leave. She hadn’t minded being on Rais ’ arm while others were there to provide a buffer. But as soon as their numbers started to dwindle, her nervousness increased.
Very carefully, while he was discussing a project one of the senators wanted to build in Dunari , she slipped her hand from his arm and walked over to the door that led to the kitchens. “How are things in here?” she asked Lucy who was busy overseeing the cleanup from the caterers.
“Everything is just fine, Rachel. You did an excellent job and the food was delicious.”
Rachel walked over to Lana, the caterer who had handled everything. “Thank you so much Lana. This was a big night for me and you really pulled through.”
Lana reached up and gave Rachel a huge hug. “I’m so glad you trusted me with this job. I had a lot of fun.”
“And you’re an excell ent cook!” Ra chel came back.
Lana’s grin widened. “Why don’t you go relax ? You’ve been on your feet all afternoon. We’ll be finished here in about ten more minutes.”
“So soon?” Rachel asked, her voice breathy with nervousness.
“Sure! We’re fast! I h ave a fabulous staff who know how to get things done efficiently!”
With that, Lana almost danced off, excited that her first major party for a big client went so well. That left Rachel standing with Lucy who was huffing off to the dining room to start turning off lights.
Rachel stood in the kitchen alone, her eyes worriedly looking around, trying to find something to do. But everything was completely under control.
“I need to speak with you,” she heard Rais say right behind her.
She spun around, almost falling with the momentum but he caught her before anything embarrassing could happen. She thought he might just kiss her right there in the kitchen in front of Lucy and the whole catering staff. Thankfully, he dropped his hand and walked out of the area, assuming she would follow him.
Rachel glanced around, caught Lucy’s eyes and cringed when the motherly woman gave her a wink of encouragement. There was nothing to do but follow him. This was exactly what she’d been trying to avoid all evening. She couldn’t be alone with him, didn’t want to be alone with him.
“Rachel!”
His voice commanded and she actually jumped, startled by the tone.
He’d never spoken to her like that. With authority and…almost anger! She hadn’t done anything wrong except disobey what he told her to wear tonight. And she didn’t consider that to be blatant disobedience. Not that she even owed him obedience, she told herself angrily.
Shoving through the door, she
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