The Tycoon's Seduction Plan Page 0,31

sense that he was just as into their relationship as she was at this point in time.

She heard his deep sigh from the other end and her mind focused on his voice, trying to determine what was wrong. “I have to go out of town for a couple of days.”

Of all the things she’d been expecting, that wasn’t one of them. That news instantly deflated her. “Oh.” She tried to think of whatever would be the polite and politically correct comment to say during an affair when one’s lover told her he would be away. But she couldn’t think. The disappointment was crushing her. Her brain was telling her to be sophisticated and act like she didn’t really care. But her heart, a part of her body which she’d been hoping had been safe during this adventure, started worrying. “Where are you going? Not that it’s any business of mine,” she said quickly, afraid she was coming across as needy. That was the last thing she wanted him to think of her. She wouldn’t be a clinging vine and suffocate him with her needs. She’d never been like that before, but somehow, the idea of not seeing him made her whole world cloud up.

He chuckled at her quick reply which quickly eased some of Lana’s anxiety. “Lana, by now you have every right to ask where I’m going. I have a meeting in London early in the morning. I’d take you with me but I’ll have meetings on the flight on the way over and I’m afraid you’ll be bored.”

She couldn’t help feeling sad that she wouldn’t see him but she tried to be upbeat about it. “Well, I’ll see you when you get back, right? I mean, its only for a couple of days, won’t it?” she said, when what she really wanted to say was a plea to take her with him, uncaring of the boredom as long as she could be with him, smile at him across the room and snuggle up to him at night while they slept. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept alone and the idea held absolutely no appeal. All those women who rejoiced when their husbands or significant others went away and they got the whole bed

to themselves were crazy. But then, when she and Victor slept, there was very little space taken up. They slept entwined in each other’s arms and each time she moved, it woke Victor up, which he then woke her up to make love to her…Lana had to stop that memory. It was depressing her, knowing that he wouldn’t be next to her for the next few nights.

Biting her lip, she wished she could tell him that she would miss him and that she hoped he’d hurry back. But she kept those words unspoken, knowing they weren’t what he wanted to hear. She had to be sophisticated about this, not be a clinging vine who needed to see him all the time. He would probably hate that, she thought.

She heard the resignation and frustration in his voice and it warmed her heart. Maybe he was feeling just a little of what she was feeling right now. That made her feel slightly better although she knew that Victor’s emotions weren’t as into this relationship as much as hers was. It still helped, although only a little. “Right. And maybe even less than that if everything goes well. I’m trying to move some meetings up so I can get through the negotiations more quickly. Will you miss me?” he asked.

His question eased some of the sadness she’d started feeling at his news. If he wanted her to miss him, that meant that he wanted her to care, even if it was just a little, didn’t it? She smiled even though he couldn’t see her. “Yes. I definitely will.”

“Good. I’ll see you Friday night, okay?”

She smiled at the comment, curling up in her chair as if he were right here with her. “It’s a date.”

He rung off and Lana sagged into her chair. She stared at the computer and the cold coffee beside it and lost all her inspiration. Whatever idea she’d been trying to build was gone now after his phone call.

She stood up and started stretching, thinking all she needed to do was to get back in the groove. She stretched, did several sit ups and then went back to her computer. But it was no use. She just couldn’t get back into the scene. She