was a lovely evening.” Turning, she slid into her car and drove away.
He stood there, held immobile by sudden confusion. Had those been tears in her eyes?
chapter six
Four days wasn’t nearly long enough to forget her embarrassing response to Logan’s kiss. Why did McDougal & Bond have to be so prompt with the contract? Diana stood in her closet fretting as she studied her array of power suits. The voice of the morning news anchor droned on from her bedroom television. At least she had managed to get away before she started to cry.
Stop overreacting. The kiss didn’t mean anything. It was a normal ending to a pleasant evening out.
Yeah, right. One thing was certain. There’d be no sexual encounters permitted today. He’d probably crossed her off his list after she made a fool of herself when he kissed her, but she wasn’t taking any chances. She reached for the most severe, least attractive suit she owned, an oatmeal-beige tweed that made her skin look muddy and her eyes dull, like she hadn’t slept. Well, she hadn’t—worrying about today had kept her awake. May as well go with it.
She could still feel the comforting warmth of his arms—how her heart filled up and spilled over in response to the gentleness he’d shown. She’d felt so abandoned and alone when he let her go. It meant nothing to him, but I practically fell apart. Why didn’t the ground just swallow her up?
Don’t be an idiot, Diana. You’re making an I-beam out of a ten-penny nail. She pulled on a white cotton blouse with a prim neckline. She’d better remember it hadn’t been a big deal to him. Otherwise she was sure to embarrass herself today.
She knew she was prone to over-reacting. Her mother’s voice played in her head—‘Must you always be so excessively dramatic?’ Turning her back on the voice and her anxious thoughts, Diana walked back into the bathroom and ran her fingers over the soft grey travertine tile. The cool texture was calming and the floral scent that lingered in the room soothed her. She reached for her hairbrush, resolutely turning the na gging voice off the way she always had—by focusing on her work.
The arrangements for Logan’s purchase of her company were rather complex, because the situation was unusual. I want to get to the lawyers’ office early and double check the wording of the contract with Gavin Bond. I want it clear that I have the freedom to step in any time the profit line is in jeopardy. If only her hands would stop shaking.
This is just another business meeting. Nothing more. She finished pinning her hair up in its neat twist, picked up her slim black briefcase from the hall, and walked out the door.
In downtown York, Logan parked his SUV a block away from the law offices. He tilted the mirror to face him, straightened his tie, and ran a hand over his hair. Today was the day. In a few hours, he would have a company of his own—if Diana Carmichael was to be trusted. Stepping out of the vehicle, he swung the door shut and scanned the exterior of the well-used Jeep. Logan nodded at the Cherokee. I’ll probably keep you for old time’s sake even after I’m rich. He patted the fender of the battered SUV, then turned and stepped along the street, past the silver Lexus parked in front of McDougal & Bond’s renovated brick building. Diana’s car.
He wrinkled his brow. She had him puzzled. Was the skittishness an act, or was it real? And why was she willing to gamble her money on his ability to make Lennox a market leader? Mind you, he knew he could do that, but what motivated her support? There was something going on that he was missing. He had to keep reminding himself she was dange rous. A woman with power was always dangerous. Did she plan to somehow steal his process? She knew a lot more about the ins and outs of pultrusion manufacture than he’d anticipated. She even understood the chemistry of it. When he pitched the idea to her, she picked his brain pretty
He stood there, held immobile by sudden confusion. Had those been tears in her eyes?
chapter six
Four days wasn’t nearly long enough to forget her embarrassing response to Logan’s kiss. Why did McDougal & Bond have to be so prompt with the contract? Diana stood in her closet fretting as she studied her array of power suits. The voice of the morning news anchor droned on from her bedroom television. At least she had managed to get away before she started to cry.
Stop overreacting. The kiss didn’t mean anything. It was a normal ending to a pleasant evening out.
Yeah, right. One thing was certain. There’d be no sexual encounters permitted today. He’d probably crossed her off his list after she made a fool of herself when he kissed her, but she wasn’t taking any chances. She reached for the most severe, least attractive suit she owned, an oatmeal-beige tweed that made her skin look muddy and her eyes dull, like she hadn’t slept. Well, she hadn’t—worrying about today had kept her awake. May as well go with it.
She could still feel the comforting warmth of his arms—how her heart filled up and spilled over in response to the gentleness he’d shown. She’d felt so abandoned and alone when he let her go. It meant nothing to him, but I practically fell apart. Why didn’t the ground just swallow her up?
Don’t be an idiot, Diana. You’re making an I-beam out of a ten-penny nail. She pulled on a white cotton blouse with a prim neckline. She’d better remember it hadn’t been a big deal to him. Otherwise she was sure to embarrass herself today.
She knew she was prone to over-reacting. Her mother’s voice played in her head—‘Must you always be so excessively dramatic?’ Turning her back on the voice and her anxious thoughts, Diana walked back into the bathroom and ran her fingers over the soft grey travertine tile. The cool texture was calming and the floral scent that lingered in the room soothed her. She reached for her hairbrush, resolutely turning the na gging voice off the way she always had—by focusing on her work.
The arrangements for Logan’s purchase of her company were rather complex, because the situation was unusual. I want to get to the lawyers’ office early and double check the wording of the contract with Gavin Bond. I want it clear that I have the freedom to step in any time the profit line is in jeopardy. If only her hands would stop shaking.
This is just another business meeting. Nothing more. She finished pinning her hair up in its neat twist, picked up her slim black briefcase from the hall, and walked out the door.
In downtown York, Logan parked his SUV a block away from the law offices. He tilted the mirror to face him, straightened his tie, and ran a hand over his hair. Today was the day. In a few hours, he would have a company of his own—if Diana Carmichael was to be trusted. Stepping out of the vehicle, he swung the door shut and scanned the exterior of the well-used Jeep. Logan nodded at the Cherokee. I’ll probably keep you for old time’s sake even after I’m rich. He patted the fender of the battered SUV, then turned and stepped along the street, past the silver Lexus parked in front of McDougal & Bond’s renovated brick building. Diana’s car.
He wrinkled his brow. She had him puzzled. Was the skittishness an act, or was it real? And why was she willing to gamble her money on his ability to make Lennox a market leader? Mind you, he knew he could do that, but what motivated her support? There was something going on that he was missing. He had to keep reminding himself she was dange rous. A woman with power was always dangerous. Did she plan to somehow steal his process? She knew a lot more about the ins and outs of pultrusion manufacture than he’d anticipated. She even understood the chemistry of it. When he pitched the idea to her, she picked his brain pretty
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