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drawn to Crosse International.”
    “What do you mean?” he asked as they boarded the elevator.
    “The ambience. A modern feel in a traditional setting. You know, kind of a comfortable chic.”
    Rick simply nodded and she wondered if he was even listening. Except for business, he’d kept conversation between them to a minimum ever since the embrace on the flight to New York.
    Savannah closed her eyes and sighed at the thought of stretching out in a bed. She was so ready for some alone time.
    “It reminds me of the store back home,” she muttered.
    “What does?” Rick held the elevator door for her to exit.
    “The hotel. Oh, we’re right here.” Savannah had never been so happy to reach a destination. She slid her key card into the slot. “See you in the morning.”
    As she closed her bedroom door, she almost had herself convinced she was pleased by his impersonal attitude.
    Almost.
    So call her crazy. She wanted to have her cake and to eat it, too. Working so closely with Rick these last few days had twisted her emotions in a knot. His drive and dedication challenged her while his intelligence and dry sense of humor made the long hours speed by.
    Not to mention every little touch tested her ability to remain unaffected, from the accidental brush of skin against skin to the warmth of his breath on her cheek as they bent over the proposed contract.
    All in all, her feelings for him weren’t as easy to ignore as she’d hoped. And the awareness growing between them buzzed like static in the air.
    But if he could pretend indifference to the passionate kiss they’d shared, so could she.
    Right.
     
    Savannah slept like the dead, waking only when her alarm went off. She showered and dressed in her navy suit with the gold scoop-neck blouse. She wanted to look good and the outfit made her feel confident and professional.
    When she entered the parlor suite connecting her room to Rick’s, she found him already sitting at the dining table reading the paper. He’d ordered coffee along with an array of muffins, yogurt and fruit.
    “Good morning,” he greeted her, his glance up from the paper slightly leery as if he feared what she might say, or perhaps it was that she might start chattering.
    He needn’t worry; she liked to ease her way into the day. After helping herself to coffee and fruit, she took a discarded section of his paper and enjoyed the quiet and the view.
    Having the meeting with Crosse in the hotel was convenient, allowing them to leave their room at ten to ten and simply ride the elevator down. But that was the end of her peaceful morning.
    The meeting was the crash and burn they had narrowly missed the day before, or it would be if Savannah didn’t act fast.
    True to form, Rick masterfully presented the numbers and projections, but his confidence and all-business approach came across as arrogant. Albert Crosse, a fit man in his early sixties, flanked by his two sons, listened but seemed restless. And the more Rick pushed, the further apart the two got.
    She tried to catch Rick’s eye more than once, but he ignored her, so she took matters into her own hands.
    “Mr. Crosse.” She spoke into a tense silence. “I was wondering which property you would suggest for the joint venture?”
    Rick shot her a repressive glance. “Ms. Jones, this isn’t the time—”
    “Please.” Crosse waved Rick off. “I don’t mind, though you must remember to call me Albert.”
    “Of course, Albert.”
    Short and compact, Crosse exuded a charm and charisma that exceeded his stature. His presence demanded attention, and, though his sons were present, it was obvious Crosse ruled.
    He leaned forward and clasped his hands on the table. “Actually, I believe this property would be spot-on for your purposes. This location runs at seventy-five percent or more capacity for most of the year. We’ve already converted first-level offices into retail space and have leases with a full-service day spa and a coffeehouse. There