“Okay. Tonight. I’ll be by around seven.”
He could hear the smile in her voice when she said, “Great.”
When they hung up, he rose from his desk chair and headed out of his office. They might come from two different worlds, but it didn’t matter. They weren’t working toward anything permanent. He wanted a simple, uncomplicated relationship. Someone to have fun with. Someone to talk to.
And he could see from their conversation at the restaurant, that was what she wanted, too. He might have a business to run, but she had a business to build. She needed something uncomplicated as much as he did.
The conversation through dinner was unlike any conversation they’d had before. Dominic talked about the work he had done that day and his plans for Manelli Holdings and how some things were working well while others weren’t. Not only did Audra understand everything he discussed, but she had valuable input. Suddenly she saw everything he’d seen all along. Even though their lives were worlds apart, professionally they were now in the same boat. And personally they clicked.
A band began playing in the corner of the large room and Dominic led her to the dance floor. He pulled her close, nestling her against him, and every worry Audra had about their potential life together flew out of her head. She’d never been this attracted to anyone before. Not even David. This was the man she was made to be with. She refused to think any further than today. Being held in his arms, so close she could feel his breathing, knowing he wanted her—her—was amazing.
They danced two songs without breaking apart even when the music ended. But just as the third song was about to begin, he glanced back at their table and then grinned at her.
“I see Andre has brought out dessert.”
She stepped close, wanting to dance again. “Not interested.”
“Come on. Please.” He pulled away, caught her hand and began dragging her toward their table. “I love cake.”
“Hey, I like cake, too, but—”
The area was dark, and a quick glance told Audra that while they danced, the table had been cleared of their dinner dishes, and a small white cake sat in the center, surround by candles in little red votive cups.
“What’s this?”
“Sit!” He pulled out her chair. “I have a little something for you.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, but sat as he had ordered. He handed a little jewelers box to her. Not ring size. A little bigger. Big enough that she wouldn’t get confused.
“A present?”
“Open it.”
She flipped the lid on the small square box and gasped when she saw the heart-shaped charm on a gold chain. She glanced up at him. “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s a locket.” He nodded at the box. “Open it.”
She pulled the necklace from the box and opened the locket to find pictures of Dominic and Joshua.
“You helped me find my way back to sanity with some pictures. I thought I could use pictures to show you how I feel about you.”
Connected. That was the first word that came to mind. Then family. He thought of her as family. A part of his life.
Her chest tightened. Butterflies took flight in her stomach. Happiness overwhelmed her. She loved him. He was good, kind, responsible, as perfect as the necklace he had given her. They were good for each other. They helped each other. And they were so attracted a mere kiss could melt her. She’d be a fool not to see what was going on between them. They were committing. They simply weren’t using a ring or a piece of paper.
“Here,” he said, removing the locket from the case and rising to walk behind her chair. He looped the chain around her neck and the heart fell with a soft plop on her chest.
He reached for her hand. “Let’s go home.”
Home. He’d said it that way because he knew she belonged with him, and now, with the locket, she did.
They spent the drive kissing in the backseat of his car and entered the foyer, laughing, snuggling. Before they’d reached the steps, her mother walked into the hall from the door behind the huge curving stairway, holding Joshua.
Snuggled against Dominic, undoubtedly looking like a woman who had been thoroughly kissed, Audra felt like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Her mother had seen her hundreds of times kissing David. Her mother also knew David had slept over at Audra’s apartment and that she’d stayed in his mansion, sailed with him for weekends and gone on vacations with him. Her mother wouldn’t condemn her for sleeping with someone.
But this was Dominic. Mary’s employer. And, technically, Audra was the daughter of Dominic’s hired help.
She casually straightened out of Dominic’s hold.