revitalize them. Grennady sounds like the perfect choice to me.â
âWhere are your offices?â Julia asked.
âManhattan,â Winslow answered for Dean. âHis employees fight to get into the city, then theyâre in a high pressure situation trying to fix or finish a product thatâs obviously in trouble, then they fight to get back home.â He caught Deanâs gaze. âNo rest for these guys and gals.â
Dean recognized a criticism when he got one, but he smiled at Winslow. âThatâs certainly an interesting observation.â
âThatâs not an observation. Itâs a fact.â Winslow clasped Deanâs shoulder. âYou know what? A few of my associates and I are having lunch tomorrow. Itâs our little Christmas celebration. Iâd love to have you and Kristen join us.â
âOh, well...â Dean fumbled for an excuse, but his mind went blank. He couldnât ask Kristen to stay another day, could he?
âOh, come on. You want to miss the chance to talk to CEOs for some of the biggest companies in the city?â Winslow winked at Kristen. âIf nothing else, you should want to show Kristen off.â
Kristen laughed. âIt sounds fun.â
Considering Kristenâs response approval of a sort and not wanting to miss the opportunity, Dean said, âHave your staff send me the restaurant name and time.â
Osmond slapped him on the back. âYou bet.â
As he and his wife walked away, Dean turned to Kristen. âIf you only answered that way to be polite, I can show up alone. Itâs not a big deal.â
But Kristen glanced behind her, watching Winslow and his wife mingle into the crowd. âHeâs pretty influential?â
âHe is the definition of influential . If you look in the dictionary, his picture would be beside the word influential .â
âThen we should go.â
âSeriously? You donât mind staying in New York another day?â
She laughed lightly. âTomorrowâs Saturday. Itâs fine.â She frowned. âExcept.â She looked up and into his eyes again. âWill I be able to wear the black pants and white blouse I flew over in?â
Regret surged through him that heâd put her in an uncomfortable position. Luckily, he could fix it. âWeâll get you new clothes.â
âStella?â
âNo, this time Iâll take you. Weâll have breakfast, then go back to the boutique where you got this gown.â
âOkay.â
She was such a good sport that he almost felt guilty taking advantage of her. Except he needed her. And she was a good sport. âI swear tomorrow at three youâll be on your way to the airport, and in the air headed for Grennady by five.â
But the assurance that heâd get her home the next day didnât stop the nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Their deal wasnât balanced now, and he hated owing someone.
CHAPTER FIVE
T HE NEXT MORNING , Kristen woke, showered and dressed in her simple white blouse and black pants. Sheâd carefully hung them the day before so they werenât wrinkled, but this was day two of wearing the same clothes, and she had to wear these home. She might have to rinse out her blouse when she returned.
As she stepped into the sitting room of her suite, her hotel phone rang.
Confused, she picked it up and cautiously said, âHello?â
âItâs Dean. Iâm in the hotel dining room. Iâve ordered coffee. Come down when youâre ready.â
The sound of his voice made her heart light, but she squelched the silly feeling that had started the night before by reminding herself that sheâd fallen desperately in love with Brad, a man who had also used her. Sheâd ended up hurt and disillusioned. Just because Dean was coming right out and telling her he was using her, it only made him marginally better than Brad. Or maybe not better.
Kristina Ludwig
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