Chapter 6


    She’d been careful not to ask for promises Zephyr might break, or makemitments she wasn’t


    ready for.


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    But she’de to realize over the past six weeks—while subsisting on phone calls, texts, instant


    messaging and e-mail—that emotions didn’t abide by agreements, verbal or otherwise. That refusing to


    make a vow didn’t stop her heart from craving the security that promise implied. Nor did it stop her from


    living like she’d made her own promises.


    She’d missed Zephyr more than she’d thought possible and wanted nothing more right now than to


    wrap herself up in him and soak in his essence.


    He seemed to want the same thing. He hadn’t stopped touching her since they left the airport. He’did


    his hand over hers between gear changes in the car and he’d kept his arm around her waist all the way


    to the room.


    He opened the door with a flourish. “Here we are.”


    The suite reflected the minimalist décor from downstairs, but its spaciousness spoke of the ultimate in


    luxury. “This ce is bigger than my apartment.”


    “My closet is bigger than your t,” he said, sounding unimpressed.


    She grimaced at the truth of his words, but the curve of her lips morphed into a smile from the heat


    burning in his brown eyes.


    From the feel of his arousal when he’d first hugged and kissed her hello, and the sexual need


    intensifying his features then and now, she expected to be taken against the door with a minimum of


    forey.


    But that didn’t happen. He set her cases aside and then lifted her right into his arms, high against his


    chest, in a move that made her feel cherished rather than just wanted.


    She quickly banished that thought even as her gasp of surprise escaped her. “Going he-man on me?”


    “Spoiling you more like.”


    “Oh, really? I could get used to this,” she teased.


    He didn’t bother with a reply, but didn’t look too fazed at the prospect. So not good for the odd blips of


    emotion that had been pestering hertely. But that was one thing she could say about Zephyr Nikos,


    whether it be in his role as friend, boss or bed partner, the man did not stint on his generosity.


    Despite his obvious desire, rather than showing mass amounts of impatience, heid her gently on the


    big bed and seemed determined to reacquaint himself with every facet of her body. He drove her crazy


    with reticence while pumping her for information on her time away from him.


    After he asked yet another question about her experience in the Midwest decorating the interior for a


    new office building, sheughed. “We spoke every day, Zephyr. I can’t think of anything I didn’t already


    tell you.”


    The gorgeous tycoon actually looked like he might be blushing, his dark eyes reflecting chagrin. “I was


    just curious.”


    “You know what I do on a job. I’ve done it for Stamos and Nikos Enterprises often enough.”


    “Did you like the Midwest better than Seattle?” he asked with what she thought was entirely mistimed


    curiosity.


    “Are you kidding?”


    His expression said clearly he wasn’t.


    “I love Seattle. The energy in the city is amazing.” And he was there.


    “That’s good to know.”


    Suddenly, all his questions started to make sense. “You heard.”


    Chapter Two


    ZEPHYR tried to look innocent.


    “How? Who told you?”


    “Does it matter? Information is more lucrative than tinum in my business.”


    “Did you seriously think Pearson Property Developments could offer me a better situation than your


    company already has done?”


    “Money isn’t your only consideration, it isn’t even your main one, or you would have epted my job


    offer by now.”


    It was true. She would make a lot more money working for him as an employee whose overheads were


    absorbed by thepany rather than as a fledgling design business that sucked up the vast majority of


    the not-insubstantial fees charged to her clients.


    “So, you thought I might like the Midwest enough to take Pearson’s job offer?” She couldn’t imagine it


    and disbelief colored her voice.


    “They didn’t just offer you a job.”


    “No, they also offered a contract for several projects they have in the pipeline over the next two years.”


    While still leaving her an independent operator, the offer would provide the kind of security most up-


    anding designers dreamed about.


    If living in andlocked state without a single authentic Vietnamese or Thai restaurant was what she


    wanted. It wasn’t. She was too fond of the diversified and active culture of Seattle.


    “I’ve gotten too spoiled to big-city living. The only Thai restaurant I found was run by a man named


    Arnie who thinks a good curryes with corn-on-the-cob.”