The Heart Wants What It Wants

But she hadn’t succeeded in blocking out the unsettling feeling of having those blue eyes trained on her, looking through her as if he could see everything about her – and he liked what he saw.

In her dreams, she saw him, handsome, strong, that smile tugging up the corners of his lips, his eyes on her as if she was all he needed or wanted. Diana woke up many times, very disturbed, quite hot and really bothered. Every time she fell back asleep, she was back in those dreams of him.

She didn’t wake up feeling rested and fresh. She woke up feeling like she’d been tossed around all night, like a rag doll.

She hated the thought of going down to the conference hall where they had those booths…

It was with trepidation that she turned her phone back on, and she saw the messages coming through. She had missed a lot of calls – a lot of them. She’d responded to her boss and her colleagues on email, so the calls were…

Three from George.

Four from her mother, oh no. Oh no, not her mother. She’d missed her mother’s calls, she was really in for it now.

That was a disaster.

Diana quickly called her mother back, as she got dressed.

“Well! Well, if I hadn’t been able to get in touch with Alex, I would have thought that you were dead! You didn’t charge your phone! How many times have I told you, Diana, that you need to keep your phone charged!”

“I… I’m sorry, mama. I’m really sorry. I…”

“Do you think it will help if you say you’re sorry, when you’re lying in a ditch somewhere, bleeding out after having been knifed by some gang?”

“What?”

“You don’t know what the world is like still, young woman! You are supposed to be responsible! You are supposed to keep your phone on!”

“I know, mama. I’m sorry.”

“As if it’s not enough that I’m worrying day and night about what Vicky might be up to, I have to worry about you lying in a ditch somewhere!”

“You don’t, mama. I promise, you don’t. It’s fine. I’m fine. Alex told you that I was fine, didn’t she? I was talking to her on Skype. You know, I showed you how to use Skype, you could try that.”

“I don’t need any of that newfangled stuff if you’ll just keep your phone on, girl!”

Diana sighed and nodded along until her mother ran out of steam, and finally, she hung up, leaving Diana late.

“Sh*t,” she muttered, and she hurried down. Now she’d have to rush through setup.

Diana found her booth quickly enough and set up efficiently. At least this part of it, she knew. She’d spent some time looking up specific things that might come in handy, or might be discussed and she knew the law, at the very least. She knew…

“Hello, Diana.”

She went completely still when she heard the voice behind her. She didn’t want to turn around. She really didn’t want to turn around. She didn’t…

She didn’t have a choice.

“Hello, George.”

“You blew me off last night.”

Diana shrugged.

“You played me for a fool yesterday. I’d say we’re even, wouldn’t you?”

“Is that what you think I did?”

Diana frowned.

Damn him, why did he have to look so good? He was dressed casually, she supposed, because he wasn’t wearing a tie, but in that gorgeous pale blue shirt and dark grey blazer, with the matching trousers, he looked better than any man had any right to look. His hair was neat, but she could see that there was just a touch of something unruly about it.

He looked fresh, vital, and so very virile.

Why was she even thinking about how virile he was?

“What?”

“Did you think I was playing you for a fool? I thought I was taking a lovely woman with a very fresh perspective out for lunch. And making plans to take her out for dinner.”

“You didn’t tell me who you were and let me go on and on about the boring speeches and the keynote address and everything.”

He grinned. As illegal as the eyes, she decided.

“Maybe that was a little mean, but I wasn’t sure when I could tell you who I was after you started. I thought you recognized me, to be honest. I’m usually recognized.”

“Well, I didn’t have the slightest clue who you were. My best friend had to google you for me. You’ve had your joke, Mr. Hemsworth. Now please let me do my job, and let’s go our separate ways.”

He smiled at her again, and she felt like a fly caught in a spider’s web.

“You are very unusual, Diana.”

“I’m not. I’m just not technologically informed.”

“No, that’s not it. You are unusual. That’s why you caught my eye. A beautiful face, an intriguing mind, and a willingness to experience new things, taking pleasure in simple things – pure pleasure. I didn’t spend time with you for a joke. It’s a lot of time to waste for a petty joke, isn’t it? I spent time with you because you interest me. You still interest me. And I still want to take you out to dinner.”

“I… what?”

“You owe me a dinner date. I’d had it all planned and you stood me up. I could have found you, I knew you were staying here, but I didn’t. You changed your mind, I thought.”

“You thought I would go out to dinner with you after that?”

“I wanted to take you out to dinner after you’d insulted me very thoroughly, Diana.”

“I…”

Diana trailed off, not sure of what to say. Unwillingly, she had to admit that that was a good point. And she had been a coward. She’d just turned her phone off and hidden like a coward.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

That grin widened, and those eyes sparkled.

“That’s a good beginning. But you owe me a dinner.”

“I… I don’t…”

“Tonight, then.”

“I’m flying out tonight. I’m not staying tomorrow. My flight is already booked.”

“Flying where?”

“San Francisco.”

There, that was an excellent excuse. Nobody could possibly say it wasn’t. Then why did she feel such regret?

“I’ll give you a lift.’

“A what?”

“It looks like we’re headed the same way, so I’ll give you a lift. So you don’t have to worry about missing your flight.”

“What? No, that’s… That’s ridiculous.”

“Do you think so? I think it’s perfectly reasonable. I have plenty of room on my chartered flight. That’s one of the perks of chartering. Somebody else who needs to travel will get your seat. Everybody will be happy. And so will you, Diana. I promise, you will be far more comfortable.”

“But… But I couldn’t possibly!”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll have Charlie handle the details.”

“Charlie?”

“My assistant. Give her your flight details and she’ll cancel your ticket, and get a refund for you.”

Diana shook her head.

“I can do that myself.”

“Well, if you insist. Then it’s decided – I’ll have you to myself tonight. For dinner.”

Diana had to lean against the table to keep her legs from giving away. Have her to himself – what did he have planned?

“I… I don’t know.”

“Do you want to have dinner with me, Diana?”

Those eyes. What were they, some strange kind of truth laser?

She was the one who was supposed to have a truth lasso. She was Diana.

“I do,” she found herself saying, because she couldn’t seem to lie to him.

“Wonderful. I want to have dinner with you, too. This time, I will find you if you turn your phone off. If you change your mind, Diana, you’ll have to tell me so. Don’t hide, this time.”

“I won’t,” muttered Diana.

“Well, then, I’ll see you later,” said George, and he walked away, leaving Diana a melting puddle of confused need.

It took her too long before her heart stopped racing and settled back into her. Her mouth still felt dry. She wasn’t sure if her voice still worked.