CHAPTER 11

         His entire magnificent being was exuding power, sex appeal, and greatness. There was this aura of… dominance that was drawing her like a magnet towards Lance every time they met.

          Annalise stood there, watching him in absolute girly delight. Every part of him was pure perfection and she was such in awe. Lance waved his hand at her, inviting her to join him, even if he was still on the phone.

          She woke up from her daydreaming and started walking towards him, a bit embarrassed to have been caught staring. Annalise crossed the street, hugging her work bag between her arm and her side.

          Lance ended the phone call and watched her approach, checking her out from head to toe with an odd gleaming in his eyes that Annalise had never seen before. His features relaxed into a smile as she drew abreast of him.

“Right on time… I like this very much, especially in a woman.”

          Annalise nodded, not wanting to betray how out of breath she was from running towards their encounter point.

“Listen, I discovered this Italian little place a few months ago and it became my favorite,” Lance said as he gestured toward a nice bistro. “I hope it’s alright with you…”

“It is. I like Italian food,” Annalise added in a small voice.

          They entered and Lance held out his arm for her to precede him to the table far back in the room. Annalise sat, grateful to give her feet some well-deserved rest, and placed her work bag beside her chair. He took his seat across from her and motioned for the waiter.

“Would you like some wine?” Lance asked Annalise when the waiter approached.

“No, I have to go back to the office after our lunch. So, no wine for me. But I would love a glass of water, thank you.”

          Lance relayed his request and then looked over at Annalise. She was fidgeting, and not looking at him for more than a few seconds, a clear sign that inside she was a total mess. He smiled slightly.    

“Would you calm down, please?” he told her slowly, pointing at the fact that Annalise was clenching and unclenching her small fists.

          She smiled nervously.

“Sorry…” Annalise whispered and hid her hands under the table.

“It’s okay… I just want you to relax, that’s all,” Lance added in a soothing voice. “So, Anna… I’ve asked you to join me for lunch today because… well, I wanted to tell you in person that something came up and I wouldn’t be in town for our meeting on Friday.”

“Oh… Okay...”

          Annalise nodded then reached down for her work bag. She took out a file filled with documents and put it in front of him.

“Well, if you have five minutes, I brought everything with me. I have here all my research and…”

“This isn’t the reason why I invited you to have lunch with me, Anna,” Lance said slowly.

          He leaned towards her, reached over, and circled Annalise’s wrist with his fingers. She gazed at him without blinking or breathing.

“I would still like to see you on Friday, as I previously decided… But we have to do it in another location.”

          Hearing his words made her even more confused. It must have shown because Annalise saw amusement twinkling in his eyes while a smile appeared on his sexy lips. 

“There is another reason why I summoned you here on such short notice, so let me come straight to the point.”

          His fingers were still around her wrist, but their grip was a little softer, and his thumb moved idly over her pulse point. Annalise was sure her pulse was racing under his apparently innocent touch. It probably felt like a train under his fingers.

          Still, she didn’t move. She didn’t even breathe. His touch… Annalise wanted to preserve for eternity the marvelous sensation of his soft fingers over her skin. Did Lance have any idea just how totally devastating his effect on her was?

“I have to attend a wedding this weekend.”

          Annalise could swear she saw the disgust on his face right after he said those words.

“It wasn’t my intention to go, but it’s a family matter… Well, it’s my… my brother’s wedding. This whole event would take place at Cape Cod. I’m to be there Thursday evening, and that’s the reason I can’t make it to our Friday meeting.”

“Oh… I understand,” she whispered and nodded. “No problem, we can reschedule at your convenience. You let me know when you have some free time on your hands.”

“As I’ve said, Anna, I don’t want to lose our Friday lunch date. That’s why I would like for you to join me on this trip as my plus-one.”

          What? Did she hear him right?

          Join Lance Hamilton at his brother’s wedding as his plus-one?

          Before she could call back the reaction, her eyes widened and she quickly pulled her hand from his. Annalise put it in her lap and covered it with her other hand, wanting to preserve the warm sensation of his fingers over her skin.

          Lance put up his hand in an impatient gesture then lowered it and started playing with the empty glass in front of him. He seemed almost uneasy. Annalise raised her head, curious now as to what he would say next.

“Listen, Anna… My schedule is quite busy. I need to move on with this new campaign and I have to do it as quickly as possible. I don’t have time to waste anymore. If you come with me, I could participate in this wedding and I could also listen to your ideas. Trust me when I say I know that it’s not the right event to talk about business. I would rather be somewhere else if I could.”

          Though it certainly wasn’t voiced as a threat, it was certainly implied. So, what Lance was saying was that if she went with him, he would listen to her pitch. That the time was now or never... That there was no other choice than to go with him on this trip. If she didn’t, he might not have time for her when he returned.

          Worry got into her. Annalise squeezed her eyes and put a hand over her stomach. Going with him to such an important and public event seemed entirely too personal, too intimate even if the purpose was merely business.

          Not to mention it was hard enough to battle her attraction for him in a business setting… But something as intimate as a wedding?

“How long would we be… away?”

          The question came out more like a squeak than a concise, professional question. She sounded like a scared little girl facing the big bad wolf, even if the wolf in front of her was so gorgeous and yummy. It was all she could do not to put her head on the table and bang it against a few times.

“We would fly out Thursday evening. Rehearsal and dinner on Friday, wedding Saturday with the reception to follow, and since it will likely go well into the night, we would return Sunday.”

          Okay, so she would miss just one day of work. No one but Elaine would even need to know, and her boss certainly would keep this to herself. She didn’t know why she hadn’t immediately agreed. There was too much at stake, so Annalise realized that she couldn’t afford to stay behind.

          Lance was calling the shots and he knew it very well. Still, she hesitated a little. Okay, so maybe he did have the power in his hand, but it didn’t hurt him to think otherwise. Just for a couple of seconds more.

“Alright,” she said in the most normal tone she could manage.

          Did Lance expect her to attend the entire event?

          It certainly sounded as though Lance did by the way he outlined the list of festivities. Annalise supposed it would be rude to tag along and lurk in the shadows waiting for her appointed time. Or maybe Lance envisioned having her follow him around everywhere so he could fit in snatches of conversation when possible.

“Very well… Ehm… I would be happy to cover all your expenses for the trip,” Lance said looking straight into her eyes.

          Startled, Annalise glanced up.

“God, no!” she exclaimed so loudly that a few people turned their heads and looked at her.

          Annalise shook her head and this time her tone was almost a whisper.

“I mean… no, thank you. I can manage just fine. But… Hmm… You will need to tell me the appropriate dress code for this wedding.”    

“I’m sure anything to do with Guinevere Olsen will be formal,” Lance replied with a sardonic smile. “Quite formal with lots and lots of glitter.”

          His eyes slid sensuously over her features and then lower until she felt her skin blushing under his fiery gaze.

“I think anything you choose to wear will be absolutely stunning. For example, the dress you wore the other night, at the party, could be just right for this occasion. It was perfection on you.”

          The blush climbed higher and she prayed her cheeks didn’t look like twin torches.

“I’m sure I can find something else more sparkly and… glamorous. I have a thing or two suited for the event in my closet,” she said lightly. “We girls, do like the opportunity to play dress up.”

“I can’t wait, Anna,” Lance added and a malicious spark appeared in his eyes.

          The waiter returned with the wine and the water, and Annalise latched gratefully onto the glass. Her hands shook. Annalise was sure if she stood, she’d go down like a brick. She’d break an ankle trying to stay up on these ridiculous heels.

“I will call you later in the week with the flight arrangements. We will be taking my private jet.”

          Annalise swallowed and nodded, then realized that he would need her cellphone number, not the office number. She frowned, opened her bag, and looked for her business card. With a groan, she realized that she was out of it.

          Great!

          At this point, quite impatiently, Annalise tore a piece of paper off a notepad and took out her pen. Dropping the bag again, she put the paper on the table and hastily scribbled her home and cellphone number, then passed it across the table to Lance.

          He took it, studied it a moment then carefully folded it and tucked it away in the breast pocket of his jacket. The waiter approached with menus and Lance looked at Annalise for her order. She took a salad and Lance ordered a steak.

          After the waiter was gone, Lance stared at her, with an inquisitive expression. Annalise inclined her head, prepared for his question, but Lance shook his head and said nothing. He just seemed to study Annalise as if he wanted to uncover all her deep, dark secrets.

          After a while, Lance leaned back on his chair, with a satisfied smile on his lips. His eyes were glinting with triumph. 

          ‘I think this wedding is going to turn out to be enjoyable after all,’ Lance thought while the waiter was preparing their table for lunch.