Free One Hot Winter's Night by Serenity Woods Page B

glaring either. His gaze slid over to Heath. “I heard you call Cat by her full title earlier. How did you find out about her?”
    “I Googled her.”
    Alexander raised an eyebrow. “Is that what they call it nowadays?”
    Her cheeks grew warm. He’d obviously realised she’d slept with Heath. She’d never discussed the fact that she was a virgin with Alexander, but he was aware of her lack of social life and had come to accept that she never got involved with anyone. The thought that he knew she’d gone to bed with the guy she was sitting next to made her unusually self-conscious.
    Heath just smiled, leaning back in his chair, relaxed. “She’s splashed all over the Internet, sir. You can’t be that successful an archaeologist and not be available in the public domain. It was hardly rocket science.”
    She looked at Heath and then glanced over at Alexander. Her eyes narrowed. In spite of Heath’s relaxed pose, there was some undercurrent here, something she wasn’t picking up on. What had she missed?
    Sayed finished off his drink, smiling at her. “My dear, would you care for one last dance before I have to leave?”
    “Of course, that would be lovely. A complete dance. To a whole song.” She shot a warning glance at Heath, who merely raised his eyebrows at the silent reprimand.
    Sayed stood and offered her his hand, and she slipped hers into it. He led her toward the dance floor. Someone had dimmed the lights, and there were already several couples waltzing around the wooden floor.
    “Can you waltz?” he asked, turning her into his arms.
    “As long as you don’t do any fancy steps.”
    He grinned, and they began to twirl. Luckily, it was a slow beat, and Cat relaxed in his arms once she realised she wasn’t going to fall flat on her face and make a fool of herself.
    “We should talk business,” he said.
    “Of course.”
    “We were interrupted last time.”
    “Um, yes, sorry about that.”
    Sayed glanced across to their table. “He doesn’t take his eyes off you.”
    “I know. He’s very rude. Please ignore him.”
    Sayed gave a short laugh and brought his gaze back to her. He looked at her thoughtfully. “We both know I am going to sell the figurine to you.”
    “Do we?”
    “My dear, it is a splendid piece and I am not a Philistine. It belongs in a museum, and you know I hold the British Museum above all others.”
    She smiled. “That is a very wise choice.”
    “So now we come to the matter of payment.”
    “Yes.”
    He studied her with his dark eyes. “I think you need to make a choice.”
    “Between?”
    “Don’t mock me, my dear. I am well aware he has already propositioned you.”
    Her cheeks grew hot, but she tossed back her long hair and met his gaze openly. “I want that figurine. The sale is everything, Sayed, you know me.”
    “Are you sure?”
    Unbidden, Heath’s words to her echoed in her head: As many orgasms as we can cram into one night… Oh, damn the man. Why the hell had he said that? She glanced across the room at him, staring as she saw his seat empty. As Sayed turned her around the dance floor, she twisted her head, trying to spot Heath. Damn it. Had he left?
    She finally saw him talking to a young Egyptian man on the other side of the room. He was deep in conversation, but his gaze was still fixed on her. Relief washed over her at the thought that he hadn’t disappeared.
    Sayed turned her, and she stumbled, her concentration broken. He stopped dancing. “I think I have my answer.”
    They stood in the middle of the dance floor as the other couples waltzed around them. She stared at him, mouth open, speechless for once. He smiled and touched her cheek. “Do not look so alarmed, my beautiful Cat.”
    She blinked and made herself snap out of it. “I think you’ve misunderstood, Sayed. I really do want that figurine.”
    He shook his head. “You have the money, I know. I would not come between lovers.”
    “Lovers? There’s no love involved, believe me,