Mr. Ashford?” Scott asked.

Ethan blinked, focusing on his assistant, who had just interrupted his musings.

“May I come in, sir?” Scott asked, with a big grin on his thin face.

“Yes, of course.” Ethan nodded, already intrigued by what his assistant had to say. His smiles were very rare as he seemed to always be afraid of Ethan’s opinion.

Scott entered the room and put the folder he was carrying in front of Ethan. “Sir, Mrs. Chanda, the pres—”

“I know who she is, Scott,” Ethan said impatiently. “What about her?”

“Sir, it’s wonderful. They have already created a new strategy for the contribution you wanted to make in India and China and she just called saying they are ready to discuss it with you. I took the liberty of scheduling them for Friday, at eleven, here, if it is okay with you, sir.”

“Good.” A smile spread over Ethan’s now permanently shaved face. He turned to his computer and quickly scanned his schedule for that day. Scott had already booked the hour. “I’m sure you made certain that Ms. Leibowitz is going to be at the meeting.”

“Mrs. Chanda said that Ms. Leibowitz is personally supervising this project. I think, sir, that we should plan a charity gala event to launch it. Maybe a black-tie ball. The Leibowitz Foundation and Ashford Steel together.”

“That has a nice ring to it, Scott. I’ll talk about it with Sophia. Please, make reservations for lunch after the meeting. At one o’clock. At L’Atelier. Inform Chef Olivier that I’ll be celebrating a business transaction and that I want the last table by the living wall. Scott, make sure that Sophia and I are both seated on the sofa. I don’t want a single table.”

“Sir, perhaps a restaurant with a private and cozy room?”

“Hmm. No, I don’t think so.” Ethan thinned his lips and shook his head. “Sophia is still with MacCraig. She wouldn’t like it. You can start planning the charity ball. Show me your ideas before the meeting so I can talk her into it.”

Scott put his narrow shoulders back and puffed his thin chest, proud of himself. “Yes, sir. I’ll make sure the Leibowitz and Ashford ball is as spectacular as the two people who name it.”

“Please inform Carter that I have scheduled a conference call with Mr. Chang from Ashford China at ten p.m. today, and that I’ll need him.”

“Yes, Mr. Ashford. I’ll stay later too, preparing everything for the ball.” Scott smiled inwardly. “Ah, and I have news. Good news. Ghost has already started to work on the Leibowitz network.”

Ethan smiled like a child that had been given a much wanted toy. “Good, Scott. Very good. Keep me informed, please.”

“Of course, Mr. Ashford.” There was no doubt in Scott’s mind that his boss’s weakness was Sophia Leibowitz. And to keep him pleased and the bonuses coming into his bank account, he would do everything. Anything.

* * *

No, Alistair, I can’t.” Sophia propped the handset between her cheek and her shoulder as she walked to her bookshelf looking for a book. “Not tonight.”

“Again?” I shouldn’t have told her. She is keeping me away. “Sophia, I miss you. Somewhere simple, something quick.”

It has been only two days. “Alistair, my dear…I’m tired. My day was just terrible. I got stuck in a huge traffic jam on the way back from Cambridge; Edward is still ill; and my computer crashed twice at the end of the day.” She singled out the book she was looking for and walked back to her desk. “I brought some work home, but Gabriela demanded my attention. I’m reviewing a pro bono case that Paul Evergreen discussed with me today.”

Almost the same excuse she used on Monday and yesterday. “Not even a quick dinner?”

“Hmm. Maybe later.” She put the call on speaker, opened the file she was working on and started to type. “And somewhere casual, I don’t feel like dressing up tonight.”

He breathed relieved at the other end of the line. “Anywhere would be great.”

She frowned and deleted an incoherent sentence she had just typed, absentmindedly agreeing, “Mm-hmm.”

Alistair looked at his watch in the dim light of his car. “In, let’s say…fifteen minutes?”

“Alistair Connor, I…” Giving up her work, she swiveled her chair. “Why don’t you have dinner here with me instead? In two and a half hours. It would give me time to finish the pro bono case and a quick shower.”

“Only if you wait for me to take your shower. I want to wash your back.”

“My back. Right,” she laughed. “While I would love to shower with you, I can’t spare the time, Handsome.”

You can’t spare me time… He frowned, worried and aggravated. “I’ll be there in two hours then.” He crossed his fingers before he asked, “Do you want to sleep with me tonight? Here?”

“I can’t. I had to cancel my fencing class today and I moved it to tomorrow morning. Why don’t you sleep here? I’ll make up for the lost shower. When you come for dinner, bring your clothes for tomorrow.”

He blew out an irritated breath. “See you later then.”

Alistair felt a strange and cold sensation fill him as he hung up the phone. He was sure Sophia wasn’t behaving normally. Fuck, Alistair Connor. You have just begun this relationship. Don’t rush things. You know what happens when you lose your mind over a woman.

He didn’t know why he was trying to fool himself. He was already head over heels with Sophia.

* * *

Alistair opened his apartment door and entered it with a heavy heart. He wanted to hear Sophia’s greeting and Gabriela’s laugh as he walked into the living room. He wanted them to live with him. He didn’t want to come back from work to a place devoid of warmth and love.

He was seeing his home with new eyes. It felt so cold and empty after Sophia’s cozy and colorful house. Where are the flowers? Where are the books forgotten on the floor for Sophia to pick up, flaunting that delicious butt in the air? Where’s the laughter?

He pushed his bedroom door open and his eyes searched for Nathalie’s plush pink elephant seated on the shelf beside her photo. Sophia would have been a great stepmother, Nathalie. You would have liked her.

He took a warm shower and dressed in loose gray jeans and a red-and-charcoal striped sweater.

Alistair stopped in the middle of his dressing room, studying his reflection in the full-length mirror for a moment, then abruptly walked out.

In his kitchen, he grabbed a large rubbish bag and walked back resolutely, opening the door on the left of his dressing room door. He looked at his collection for a second and then started shoving most of it into the bag, knotting it closed. He opened his apartment door and walked down the corridor, opened the garbage room and threw the plastic bag inside. He closed it with finality.

He returned to his apartment, washed his hands as relief flooded his heart. He looked at his watch. He had plenty of time.

He poured himself a shot of whisky and settled in his armchair with the wireless phone in his hand, dialing his father’s mobile number.

“Father? How are you? Can you spare me a few minutes?” He paused as he listened to his father’s greeting.

Alistair talked about banalities while he put his thoughts in order. Then, he gently probed his father for his impressions of Sophia. He exhaled as his father’s voice became lighter and happier as he told Alistair that he was enchanted with his girlfriend.

Alistair closed his eyes for a brief moment and hoped he was doing the right thing. He interrupted his father’s praises of Sophia and said, “Father, the thing is…it’s Alice’s birthday in two weeks and I’d like to have the whole family at Ells Hall. Not a party, really, more of a double celebration.”

He listened as his father asked what else there was to celebrate. “Well, since it’s a long weekend…” He cleared his throat, but his voice came out hoarse anyway, when he explained, “I’m going to propose to Sophia.”