Emily’s breathing kicked up again, her blood racing.
Hopefully Ron couldn’t tell. “I think she’s interested also.”
“Wow.” Ron looked suddenly serious, an
unusual expression for him. She’d learned over the years his approach to
dealing with almost everything in life was with humor liberally laced with
sarcasm. “That’s kind of serious. Derian Winfield isn’t exactly known for
serious.”
“If you mean she has a reputation for being a
player, I know that,” Emily said. “But she’s not the person the media makes her
out to be. She’s kind and generous and sensitive.”
“Oh.”
“What?”
“You’ve got a thing for her. I mean, beyond
the she’s hot
kind of thing.”
Emily made an exasperated sound. “Just
because I happen to like someone, and find them attractive, and…” She caught
her breath as she heard herself denying again. That wasn’t her. “Actually,
you’re right. I have a big thing for her. She’s gorgeous and sexy and pretty
much wonderful.”
“Well,” Ron said with finality, “then I think
you should drag her off somewhere and have your way with her. Because I’ve
never heard you say that about anyone before, and opportunity doesn’t usually
knock twice.”
“You know, Ron, everything isn’t about sex.”
“Of course it is, when everything is said and
done. Okay sure, maybe you won’t have sex with your best friend, but when you
start thinking about your best friend as being attractive and gorgeous and wonderful
and sexy, they’re not your best friend anymore. They’re something else
altogether. And, opposite side of the coin, you know, someone doesn’t have to
be your best friend to have really hot, satisfying sex with them.”
“I don’t think of her as my best friend,”
Emily said. “Actually, I think of you as my best friend and I’ve never wanted
to have sex—”
“Okay, let’s not go there,” Ron said,
grinning.
“If she’s here, Ron,” Emily said, decidedly not going to discuss
sex with Derian with anyone, “it might not mean anything at all. She’s never
been interested in the business. It’s possible she just came on an errand for
Henrietta.”
“You think you can find out?”
“I’m not going to use my relationship with
her to get insider information. If she’s here for anything other than a brief
visit, I’m sure we’ll all find out at the same time.”
“You know, sometimes you’re absolutely no
fun.”
“You might be right.” Emily grinned. “But
sometimes, I am.”
“Well I know one thing,” Ron said, rising and
starting for the door. “Things would be a hell of a lot better around here if
she stayed.”
He slipped out the door and Emily leaned back
in her chair and closed her eyes. Derian couldn’t be planning to get involved
at the agency, could she? As much as she wanted to see Donatella dethroned, she
wasn’t at all sure she wanted to see Derian in Henrietta’s place. If she and
Derian had to work together, she wasn’t sure their personal relationship could
go any further. For the first time in her life, her professional goals ran
smack up against her personal ones. She’d never had to choose between her goals
and her desires, and she wasn’t sure what she would do if she had to.