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The pictures didn’t do hiave a definitive thud He was taller than he see a suit, but with such a casual flair she wasn’t sure it actually could be called a suit at all Black trousers and shoes and a white shirt, open at the collar, with a black jacket worn carelessly over top The unbuttoned collar revealed a slice of tanned skin and she saw his hand tuck into his trouser pocket just before she lifted her eyes to his face
She’d been caught assessing His twinkling eyes told her so and the crooked, cocky saze skittered away
“Ms Ross, the acting er, I presume?”
She wet her lips and pasted on a snore the heat that blossomed anew in her face at the sound of his smooth, rich voice She extended her hand “Yes Welcome to the Bow Valley Inn”
“You mean the Fiori Cascade”
Mari went cold Of course She’d received the otten it in her nervousness She looked up at Luca’s ry with her for the slip
She pulled her hand out of his, atte to keep the polite turn of her lips in place “Yes, of course Old habits” She gestured to a s area “Come in and sit down I’ll ask Becky for some refreshment”
“Why don’t we go to the lounge, instead?” He raised one eyebrow at her “I passed one as I caive e will be much more intimate, don’t you think?”
Mari’s hand froze on the handset of the phone This wasn’t what she’d planned Her pulse drummed at the word “intinature scones, followed by a brief presentation of what she considered the Inn’s finest points and sorades She’d spent hours getting it the way she wanted—flawless And with an appropriate amount of distance between them
“Is so, Ms Ross?”
She rubbed her lips together “No, not at all” Her voice ca her lips in a sain “Coffee in the Athabasca Room would be fine” She’d simply have to remember what she’d put in her report and
“I look forward to hearing your ideas Perhaps you’d takeher exit first His voice was s to keep her shoulders down She could do this She wasn’t used to thinking on her feet, but she could do it She’d just ignore what she knew about his reputation Or the fact that he fairly exuded char
The lounge was nearly e Two other couples sat at tables, sipping fro quietly Mari led hi on one of the backed stools,sure there were several inches between them Luca took the seat next to her and the scent of his expensive cologne reached her nose There was nothe confident ease hich he carried hiue Not that she was looking She wasn’t even close to looking, not when the very thought of any physical contact with a man sent chills down her spine
“This an, focusing on her job, determined he see the Inn…the Cascade…at its best The way she was turned, she could look out over the hotel front grounds and down over the valley, the turquoise-blue of the Bow River a shining snake through the gold and green hues of autumn “And our coffee is superior We import it from—”
“The scenery is spectacular” He interrupted her and she realized that he wasn’t looking at the view at all, but at her Nerves tumbled in her stomach and her voice trailed off, unsure of how to continue He e, like he seemed to expect
Mari turned back to the bar and put her hand on the coffeepot that was set out It didn’t matter This was her job and she wanted to keep it Wanted itelse in the world