Not much time? She raised an eyebrow at that, but played along. “No. Not nearly.” That seemed to please him as he moved from the bedroom back to the suite.
“I return in October, but I understand your business is complete here in New York in September? Where do you go then?”
If she said she didn’t know, Rori knew what he would say. He would invite her to France to stay in one of his homes. That shouldn’t have panicked her, but it did and she quickly said, “I will take a short trip with my mother. But following that, perhaps we can see where our calendars align.”
“Indeed,” he agreed, then stepped in one last time. “Well, my beautiful Aurora. For now I bid you farewell. And I hope that when we next meet you will allow me to take you to a jewelry store to choose you a ring that befits you.” He didn’t wait for an answer before once again bringing their lips together in a sensual goodbye kiss.
“Until we meet again, my sweet,” he said, and let himself out.
Rori watched him go. And even after the door shut behind him, she stared at the spot.
The man who was a perfect match for her on paper had just proposed to her. And she hadn’t said yes. Just three months ago she would have signed on the dotted line with Anton in a heartbeat, just like she had agreed to do with Luke before things went south.
This was all Mike’s fault. Somehow, without ever actually touching her, he had imprinted himself on her psyche. Nobody else kissed right. No one else smelled right. When she took the arm of a man like Anton, she found his arm unsubstantial and lacking compared to Mike’s muscular frame.
Yes, Rori had been out with her share of men since arriving in New York, but all she saw while she was with them were all the ways they weren’t Mike.
What the hell was she supposed to do about that?
Chapter 42
He actually called the next day. Rori had not seen that one coming. She’d given Mike every reason to believe that she’d slept with Anton the night before, and the next day he was acting like everything was normal. No tension in his voice, nothing.
“Hey,” Mike said when she picked up her phone. “So I just got this email from some guy named Fredrik that my room fell through for my New York visit next month.”
Rori bit her lip, glad he couldn’t see her face while she lied. She’d made a decision earlier that day. One that involved her seducing Mike when he came to film her exhibit. She wanted him, and was certain he felt the same way. If she was going to have a future with Anton, she needed to get Mike Cannon out of her system. Fredrik had been more than willing to help her give them ample opportunity to fall onto a mattress together.
“Yeah. I’m sorry about that. I got the same message, but the good news is that the flat I’m subletting is a two bedroom. If we can’t find anything else in the area then you can just use my spare room.”
“Oh, okay,” he said, relief obvious in his voice. “That might be perfect, actually. It definitely makes communication easier.”
Communication… among other things. “Plus we’ll both be so busy. It’s not like you’ll be spending much time at the flat.”
“True,” he said, then breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay, well that’s a load off. We’re good for next month then?”
“If that works for you, then yeah.”
“Yep. That works. Glad I don’t have to stress about that anymore. It might have killed my buzz tonight.”
“Oh, that’s right,” Rori said, as if just remembering his plans for that night. “It’s your celebration night, right? Your loans are officially paid off?”
“I sent the check in last week and it posted. I’m officially debt free!”
Rori grinned, proud of him. “That’s amazing, Mike. Congrats!”
“Thanks. We’re hosting the party here in about an hour. Should be pretty memorable.”
“I’ll bet.”
“Bummer you couldn’t show,” he said, sounding like he meant it. “That would be awesome.”
“And maybe a little awkward with Luke and Kris there.”
He laughed. “Nah. They’re happily engaged now. The wedding is going down on New Year’s Eve in Hawaii. It’s all set. Another working vacation for me. I might just get spoiled with gigs like this.”
“You deserve it,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound too doting.