"I'm not repeating myself," he muttered impatiently.

"Right, appearances," I muttered back.

Caine walked me to my room even though his was a couple of floors above mine. Once inside my perfectly lovely deluxe room, I spun around to face him. He lowered my bag to the floor by the television cabinet. "The dinner with Farrah Rochdale and Lewis Sheen is in the hotel restaurant," I reminded him. "At seven o' clock."

He gave me a tight nod and started to back out of the room. "I'll collect you at six fifty."

A few seconds later he was gone and I could breathe properly again. I sank onto the beautiful bed and kicked off my heels. As I stared at the door, a feeling of melancholy began to bring me down. I fought to keep it at bay.

I just had to make it through dinner this evening and then tomorrow we were on that plane back to Boston. It was safer somehow in Boston. I could hold it together. Here, in close quarters with him, I was constantly reminded of the possibility between us, and Caine's stubborn-ass refusal to see what might have been.

Promptly at six fifty I opened my hotel room door to Caine and I had to quickly look at my feet to hide my reaction to his appearance. He'd shaved off his scruff-the clean-shaven look was as hot as the unshaven look-and he was dressed in a light gray slim-fit three-piece suit.

"Ready?"

I nodded and closed the door behind me, following him as he started walking down the hall. He made no comment on my appearance and I tried not to let that sting.

Of course it did.

I'd dressed carefully in a simple but sexy little black dress. It had a high neck, it was sleeveless, and it came to a few inches above my knee. It also hugged my body like a second skin. I'd whipped out the Louboutins I'd gotten for free at a magazine shoot a couple of years ago. For once I left my hair loose and wavy. It wasn't Caine's preferred style, but I was feeling rebellious.

In the restaurant we were led over to a table where a thirtysomething woman and her fortysomething colleague sat. Farrah Rochdale was CEO of Rochdale Financial Management, and Lewis Sheen was her CFO. The company had started up two generations before, but when it had finally made it into Farrah's hands it was struggling to draw in new clientele despite having helped some of the country's fastest-growing businesses in the past. Caine's company came along to save a company they believed could do well again. They brought Rochdale under their umbrella and injected money and influence into the business. It was now thriving as one of the West Coast's foremost financial management groups as part of Carraway Holdings.

However, Farrah had requested a face-to-face meeting with Caine to discuss something of importance that would affect the company.

I didn't know what to expect of the meeting or what was going on. I just knew I hadn't expected Farrah Rochdale to be so young or attractive. She and Lewis stood up at our approach and I noted how tall she was. Her auburn hair was twisted up in a stylish knot and she was dressed in a gorgeous lilac wraparound dress that showcased her phenomenal figure. Farrah stepped forward to receive a familiar kiss on the cheek from Caine before he offered his hand to her CFO.

"This is my PA, Alexa," he introduced me, and I shook Farrah's hand first, feeling the burn of her curiosity on my face.

With much relief I let go of her hand and turned to Lewis. He smiled and took my hand, but instead of shaking it he brought it to his lips in an old-fashioned gesture that I found charming.

"Shall we sit?" Caine pulled my seat out for me and Lewis gently released my hand.

I wasn't surprised by Caine's gentlemanly gesture. We were in public and one of the many things Caine did that was pure class was that he always pulled out my chair for me at business meetings. Moreover, he waited until I was seated before he sat, and if I stood up to leave for any reason he always stood up too.

Lewis followed suit with his CEO's chair, and once Farrah and I were seated, the guys settled down beside us. I sat directly across from Farrah and had Caine on my left and Lewis on my right, and I could feel Farrah's gaze on me as I looked at my menu.

It wasn't until after we'd ordered that Caine relaxed back in his chair and asked Farrah, "So, what's the problem?"

She released a heavy sigh. "I want to step down."

Caine frowned. "Why on earth would you do that?"

"Caine." Farrah sat forward, her tone suggesting familiarity between them, "You know I never wanted to take over my family's company."

I found myself scrutinizing Caine's response to her and felt a burn of discomfort in my chest at his own familiarity with her. "And yet you fought so hard for it?"

There was definitely something there between them.

I couldn't put my finger on it, yet I just knew. It was in the way they looked at each other. In their soft tones.

She smiled. "I didn't want the company, but I also didn't want my grandfather's legacy to die. My own father worked himself into an early grave for the company. I couldn't just let it all be for nothing. But now it's time for me to move on."

Caine was silent upon this declaration. The starters arrived before he could say anything and we'd just begun eating when he stopped. "You realize that my board of directors will have strong opinions on who your successor should be?"

Farrah rewarded him with an intimate smile and I swallowed past a lump of jealousy in my throat. Yup. They'd definitely been together. "Yes, which is why I asked you here. The company is called Carraway Financial Holdings. You have a strong influence, and I know you'll take my recommendation to heart."

Caine gave nothing away. He flicked a glance at Lewis Sheen. "You want Lewis to take over."

Farrah smiled at her CFO. "He knows the company better than anyone. He knows where we were and where we're going."

"And I care what happens to the company," Lewis added. "Which is a rare commodity in an employee of modern business."

Caine stared at him a few moments. "I agree."

Farrah and Lewis seemed to deflate with relief. "Thank you, Caine."

"Don't thank me yet. I can only do so much."

She smiled gratefully at him. "I know exactly what you're capable of."

I tried to act normally after that, but it was hard. My skin felt like it was on fire and I just wanted to be anywhere but sitting at that table with Caine and his ex-lover.

They discussed Lewis's possible takeover for a while until the conversation turned to what Farrah intended to move on to, and while she told Caine about the job offer she'd received in the finance department of a major fashion line in New York, Lewis attempted to engage me in conversation. I tried my best to concentrate, but it was difficult when I wanted to be as far from the table as possible.

After we'd finished eating and Caine, Farrah, and I had ordered coffees, Lewis stood up. "I apologize, but I promised my wife I wouldn't be late home tonight." He smiled down at me. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Alexa." He held out his hand to Caine. "As always, a delight, Mr. Carraway. Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with us, and for appreciating what I can bring to the table." He nodded at Farrah. "We'll talk soon."

We bade him good-bye and I sank deeper into my chair, wishing I had an excuse to leave too. I did not want to be the third wheel in this situation.

However, Farrah seemed to have forgotten my existence. I didn't think it was deliberate. I think she was just that smitten with Caine.

She hogged the conversation, turning it personal as she brought up a number of dinner parties they'd attended together. Although Caine was his usual difficult-to-read self, he did seem marginally more relaxed around her and I almost hated her for that. The only thing that made watching her stroke his arm and laugh about the good old times together was the fact that she didn't make Caine laugh and he rarely smiled.

That would have killed me if she'd managed that feat.

The flirting, though, was enough to do some serious damage. The truth was I didn't even know why I was there in the first place. Caine didn't need me here for this and he certainly didn't need me there to witness him flirt with a woman who was obviously an old flame.

I didn't want to watch them rekindle something.

My stomach was sick. I wanted a stiff drink, far away from him.

I stood up abruptly and a bewildered Caine got to his feet too. "If you'll excuse me I think I'll call it a night."

He frowned but nodded.

I nodded at Farrah. "It was a pleasure to meet you." Fucking lie!

She bestowed upon me a vague smile. "You too."

Without sparing Caine another glance, I walked out of the restaurant and headed through the hotel to the bar. I found an empty stool at the bar and settled in.

The young bartender smiled at me. "What can I get you, madam?"

Ugh, when did I become a "madam"? Just one more thing a drink would help me forget about. "Glenlivet on the rocks."

The bartender didn't even blink at my order and he was back a few seconds later with the drink. I took a sip, letting the heat of the scotch slide down my throat and spread out across my chest. I instantly felt a little more relaxed.

For a while I sat there, nursing my scotch and playing around with my cell. Rachel had sent me a picture of Maisy sitting on her husband Jeff's back. Jeff was flat out on his stomach on the floor, and his hands had been tied behind his back.

Your kid worries me, I texted in return.

A few seconds later my cell pinged. I know, right? It's hilarious.

I grimaced and shoved my phone in my purse. To Rachel, Maisy was hilarious. To the rest of us she was a demon child.

"Can I get you another?"

Surprised by the closeness of the voice, I felt my body give a little jerk. A young guy in a suit was sliding onto the stool beside me. I took him in, feeling a little buzzed. He was attractive and there was a sparkle of good humor in his eyes that I liked.

What the hell?

"You may."

He grinned. "What'll it be?" I told him, and his grin widened. "Scotch?"

I smiled unhappily. "I'm drowning my sorrows."

The guy waved down the bartender and ordered two whiskies. When his attention returned to me, he said, "Why is a pretty thing like you drowning your sorrows?"

I made a face.

He laughed. "What?"

"Pretty thing? Really?"

"I just say it like I see it." He held out his hand. "I'm Barry."

I took his hand. "Alexa."

"So, Alexa, I'll ask again ... why are you drowning your sorrows?"

Wrapping my hand around the glass of scotch the bartender put in front of me, I tilted my head in a coy gesture. "Guess."

"Hmm ... career troubles?"

I snapped my fingers and pointed to him. "Bingo."

Barry smiled and leaned closer. "Well, why don't we see how long it takes me to make you forget about your troubles?"

"What the hell? I've got nothing to lose. Give it your best shot, Barry."

And he did.

We talked about music and movies, and I argued fervently in favor of the Red Sox while he argued for the Mariners, and we did it in a flirty, suggestive way that soothed the wounds to my feminine vanity. We didn't discuss anything serious and for a little while it was wonderful to be buzzed, relaxed, and admired.

I didn't know how long we'd been sitting there, but my second scotch was nearly finished and I was thinking it was time for another when Barry suddenly slid his hand along my thigh.

"Why don't we take this up to your room?"

Looking down at his hand on my leg, I had to admit that there was a part of me that actually thought about it. I wanted to forget what it felt like to feel Caine all around me, and surely the old adage was true-the best way to get over someone was to get under someone new. With the scotch hot in my blood, that suddenly sounded like very good advice.

"Or better yet, why don't you remove your hand before I break it?"

The breath went out of my body at the menacing voice.

I stared up at Caine, who towered over us, his dark gaze scorching Barry.

Barry flushed and started a stumbling slide from his stool. "Sorry," he mumbled.

He scampered off before I could do anything to stop him. Not that I wanted to now-there was nothing more unattractive than a scaredy-cat. Although ... taking in the look on Caine's face, I couldn't imagine many men wouldn't find him intimidating. "What was that?"

The muscle was working overtime in his clenched jaw. It took him a few seconds to manage to utter the words, "That was me stopping you from making a drunken mistake. A mistake you'll regret in the morning." His warm hand wrapped around my elbow and he gently guided me off the stool. "Let's get you to your room."

I jerked out of his hold, infuriated by his high-handedness. "What? You're done ignoring me while you flirt with Farrah Rochdale so you thought you'd come spoil my fun?"

Caine's features hardened, but he didn't answer. Instead he gripped my elbow again and began striding through the bar.

There was nothing I could do. If I attempted to stop him I'd just make a scene, and despite what he thought, I was buzzed, not drunk.

He manhandled me into the elevator. "I wasn't ignoring you. You were ignoring me."

The elevator began to rise. "Oh yes, of course. How silly of me. I was the one to blame when you were flirting with another woman right in front of me merely days after we had sex."

"Not that it's any of your business, but Farrah and I are just old friends. I never mix business with pleasure."

I shot him a look. "I know from personal experience that's not true."

Color appeared high on his cheekbones. "Usua-"

The abrupt halt of the elevator and its doors opening cut him off. I hurried out, hoping he wouldn't follow.

I had no such luck. Caine caught up to me and grabbed my arm again.

"I'm perfectly capable of making it to my room."

Instead of listening to me, he took my purse out of my hand and raked through it for the room key.

"I'm not drunk," I insisted.