her own schedule. She had last minute inspections at his house and was going out to supervise all of the last minute setups. Everything needed to be finished and in place by five o’clock, she’d told everyone so she could go to her father’s place and get herself ready.
“I have meetings downtown,” he commented, walking to her closet and pulling out a suit. He winked at her as she blinked at his use of her space.
She was so surprised, and that silly, bubbly feeling in her stomach started up again as she thought of how domestic the two of them seemed to be right now. Waking up, showering, getting dressed…it was nice, she thought.
“Coffee?” she asked and added a bit of mascara to her lashes, then tossed all her makeup into a bag to take with her for the night.
“Please. Are you ready to go?” he asked, coming out of her bedroom after her, straightening his tie which he’d just knotted into a perfect knot.
She looked around, glancing at the boxes that she’d set on the sofa earlier. “I think so,” she replied warily.
“What are you wearing?” he asked, noting the boxes and her nervous glance back to him.
She bit her lip, trying to make up her mind. “I’ll wear the black lace tonight,” she said softly and was rewarded by his triumphant grin.
“Does this mean I can send you other presents and you’ll accept them more easily?”
“No!” she replied firmly, shaking her head. Give him and inch and he would take a mile, she thought with exasperation.
“Why not? If it gives me pleasure, would you deny me that?”
She laughed as she poured him a cup of coffee into a travel mug. “I think you get too much pleasure as it is,” she replied, refusing to give in on this issue.
He accepted the coffee but blocked her way. “You know, you’re going to have to give in on some of the things I give you.”
She laughed and leaned back against her counter, holding her own coffee out to the side. “And why would I do that? I think I prefer keeping you on your toes.”
He leaned forward, forcing her to lean back slightly. “I will win this one, Rachel. You will eventually be dressed only in the clothes I have bought for you and draped in jewels that I have given you. And you will love every moment of it.”
“Will I?” she asked sarcastically. “I don’t think so. I prefer being independent.”
He looked down at her carefully, trying to calculate a way to get her to give in to his preferences. “And what if you were in a position in my government that would require you to be dressed in a certain way?”
She considered that carefully. “First of all, I wouldn’t accept a position in your government,” she replied. “That wouldn’t be very ethical. I’m already having a problem because we’re lovers and you’re also a client. My boss is concerned as well,” she said as a side issue. “But regardless of that, I wouldn’t feel comfortable accepting gifts from a man.”
He grinned as if he had a secret. “You’re going to get over that pretty quickly.” He took her hand and lifted it to his mouth to kiss her knuckles. “Your helicopter awaits,” he said and pulled her out the door. “I heard that you weren’t utilizing that this past week. Would you explain why?”
She grabbed her purse, her notes and the bag she’d been packing all week in preparation for this weekend. “I need those boxes,” she said, pulling against his hand.
He opened the door and took her bag off of her shoulder, handing it to a man who was already standing outside of her apartment door.
Rachel glanced back, grabbing the bag because she thought it was falling off of her shoulder. When she saw the strange man with the dark, bulky suit, she stumbled slightly, only catching herself when she quickly put her foot behind her. The man looked vaguely familiar but she was late and had to grab the boxes.
“Gerard will get that, Rachel,” Rais admonished patiently.
She glanced up at him, at the guard then back to Rais. “I don’t…”
“Come along,” he said and took her hand once again. The guard waited until they were out the door before entering the apartment to pick up the boxes. A moment later, he had the boxes in his arms and was following both of them down the hallway.
The only uncomfortable moment was when she passed by her neighbor’s