not seem to find a clever way to do it. “Well, that's that.”
“Right.” She leaped to her feet as though the chair in which she had been sitting had been wired for electricity and someone had just flipped the switch. “I'll look forward to working with you. I'm sure you'll find Right Touch will suit all your catering needs.”
“Needs.” He had a lot of them, he though wistfully. So many needs. Odd that he hadn't realized how strong those needs were until this moment.
“I trust you'll be satisfied,” she added earnestly.
“Satisfied. Yes. That would be nice.”
“I will personally do my best to see that you don't regret this decision.” She put out her hand.
He got to his feet and closed his fingers around hers. Tightly. “I'm sure I won't.” He stared down into her eyes. After a moment he felt her fingers wriggle like so many trapped birds. He realized he'd been holding her hand for a long time.
She smiled very brightly as she tried to tug her fingers free. “Good-bye.”
Reluctantly he let go of her hand. “Good-bye, Desdemona.”
She bolted for the door, her copy of the contract clutched in her small fist.
Stark watched the door close behind her.
Perfect.
Juliet, Kirsten, and Henry were waiting for Desdemona two hours later when she sailed triumphantly back through the alley entrance of Right Touch.
“Did you get the contract?” Juliet demanded.
“I got it.” Desdemona waved the contract in the air. “My friends, this is the beginning of a beautiful business relationship. Once the word gets out that we are the exclusive caterers for Stark Security Systems, we will be unstoppable. Companies all over town will be begging for our services.”
Kirsten laughed. “Enough about the business side of this. I've got a more interesting question. Was Pamela Bedford right?”
“About what?” Desdemona regarded the contract in her hand with smug delight.
“Does Stark really wear jeans and running shoes to the office?”
“Yes, he does.” Desdemona studied Stark's signature at the bottom of the precious contract. It was a big, bold, utterly masculine signature. “And a cute little plastic pocket protector.”
Henry put a hand to his heart and groaned. “How can you work for someone who wears a nerd pack?”
Desdemona fixed everyone present with a steely glare. “I want to make something very clear here. There will be no nerd-bashing allowed. Stark is now a valued client. As such, unless he turns out to be a mass-murderer, he can do no wrong. Understood?”
Henry saluted smartly. “Understood, oh great, exalted leader.”
Kirsten laughed. “Got it.”
Juliet smiled, but her expression turned speculative. “Understood.”
“Excellent.” Desdemona swung around on her heel. “If anyone needs me, I'll be in my office admiring my new contract with Stark Security Systems.” And thinking about the deeply disturbing sensation she had experienced when she had seen him again that afternoon .
Desdemona had a full measure of the Wainwright intuition. She could feel it humming inside herself at that very moment. This second encounter with Stark had been no accident. A Wainwright knew the hand of destiny when she saw it in action.
Two weeks ago when she had first met Stark she had wondered about what might have happened had they come together in another place and another time.
Now she would have a chance to find out.
4
T wo weeks later Stark stood with Dane McCallum and surveyed the lively crowd of people gathered in his living room. A sense of relief flooded through him. No one looked bored or uncomfortable. His guests appeared to be enjoying themselves. The food was terrific, and the service was flawless.
This was the first event that Right Touch had orchestrated for Stark Security Systems since Stark had signed the contract with Desdemona.
The cocktail party and buffet tonight followed a day-long seminar on corporate security issues that Stark Security Systems had put on
“Right.” She leaped to her feet as though the chair in which she had been sitting had been wired for electricity and someone had just flipped the switch. “I'll look forward to working with you. I'm sure you'll find Right Touch will suit all your catering needs.”
“Needs.” He had a lot of them, he though wistfully. So many needs. Odd that he hadn't realized how strong those needs were until this moment.
“I trust you'll be satisfied,” she added earnestly.
“Satisfied. Yes. That would be nice.”
“I will personally do my best to see that you don't regret this decision.” She put out her hand.
He got to his feet and closed his fingers around hers. Tightly. “I'm sure I won't.” He stared down into her eyes. After a moment he felt her fingers wriggle like so many trapped birds. He realized he'd been holding her hand for a long time.
She smiled very brightly as she tried to tug her fingers free. “Good-bye.”
Reluctantly he let go of her hand. “Good-bye, Desdemona.”
She bolted for the door, her copy of the contract clutched in her small fist.
Stark watched the door close behind her.
Perfect.
Juliet, Kirsten, and Henry were waiting for Desdemona two hours later when she sailed triumphantly back through the alley entrance of Right Touch.
“Did you get the contract?” Juliet demanded.
“I got it.” Desdemona waved the contract in the air. “My friends, this is the beginning of a beautiful business relationship. Once the word gets out that we are the exclusive caterers for Stark Security Systems, we will be unstoppable. Companies all over town will be begging for our services.”
Kirsten laughed. “Enough about the business side of this. I've got a more interesting question. Was Pamela Bedford right?”
“About what?” Desdemona regarded the contract in her hand with smug delight.
“Does Stark really wear jeans and running shoes to the office?”
“Yes, he does.” Desdemona studied Stark's signature at the bottom of the precious contract. It was a big, bold, utterly masculine signature. “And a cute little plastic pocket protector.”
Henry put a hand to his heart and groaned. “How can you work for someone who wears a nerd pack?”
Desdemona fixed everyone present with a steely glare. “I want to make something very clear here. There will be no nerd-bashing allowed. Stark is now a valued client. As such, unless he turns out to be a mass-murderer, he can do no wrong. Understood?”
Henry saluted smartly. “Understood, oh great, exalted leader.”
Kirsten laughed. “Got it.”
Juliet smiled, but her expression turned speculative. “Understood.”
“Excellent.” Desdemona swung around on her heel. “If anyone needs me, I'll be in my office admiring my new contract with Stark Security Systems.” And thinking about the deeply disturbing sensation she had experienced when she had seen him again that afternoon .
Desdemona had a full measure of the Wainwright intuition. She could feel it humming inside herself at that very moment. This second encounter with Stark had been no accident. A Wainwright knew the hand of destiny when she saw it in action.
Two weeks ago when she had first met Stark she had wondered about what might have happened had they come together in another place and another time.
Now she would have a chance to find out.
4
T wo weeks later Stark stood with Dane McCallum and surveyed the lively crowd of people gathered in his living room. A sense of relief flooded through him. No one looked bored or uncomfortable. His guests appeared to be enjoying themselves. The food was terrific, and the service was flawless.
This was the first event that Right Touch had orchestrated for Stark Security Systems since Stark had signed the contract with Desdemona.
The cocktail party and buffet tonight followed a day-long seminar on corporate security issues that Stark Security Systems had put on
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