Just Deserts - Brenda Jackson [35]
Seeing the hulking NFL fullback so tongue-tied, Tristan thought it best to initiate introductions. But Danielle, being the effervescent and vivacious PR person that she was, stepped forward and extended her hand.
“Mr. Craven, I’m Danielle Timmons and this is my partner—”
“I know who you are, Ms. Timmons,” Craven said, cutting in and taking the hand she offered. “I remember you well as a fashion model. We met once, years ago, at a party in New York.”
The bright smile on Danielle’s face turned into an apologetic one. “Sorry, I don’t remember. As a model I met so many people….”
The man finally released her hand, nodded and said, “That’s understandable, but I do miss your face on magazines now.”
Tristan thought it was time he introduced himself. Obviously Craven was taken with Danielle. “And I’m Tristan Adams, Danielle’s business partner.”
Maybe it was the way he had cut in to introduce himself, Tristan thought. Or maybe it was the look in his eye that said there was more to his and Danielle’s relationship than business. Regardless of the reason, Tristan knew the exact moment Simon Craven picked up on it.
“Mr. Adams, I’m sorry about that,” Craven said, giving him a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I truly didn’t mean to overlook you, but I was just taken aback when I walked in and saw Dani Timmons sitting in my living room.”
“I understand. So we won’t take up too much of your time, we would like to go ahead and discuss our interest in Shipping Source.”
“Certainly, and I hope the two of you don’t mind that I’ve asked the company’s attorney to attend so he can answer any questions you might have. I have very little dealings with my father’s company.”
“No, we don’t mind,” Tristan said, glancing at Danielle for affirmation. When she nodded in agreement, Tristan said to the man, “You have a beautiful home.”
“Thank you.” Craven looked at Danielle again before returning his gaze to Tristan. “And you, Mr. Adams, have a beautiful business partner.”
“I think the meeting went well.” Danielle threw her jacket across a chair when they returned to their hotel room. She tried brushing aside the thought that Tristan had been pretty quiet on the car ride from Simon Craven’s home.
Tristan sat on the sofa and grabbed the remote. “Yes, things started going well once Craven and his attorney finally got down to business. I don’t know which of them was worse. You’d think they’d never seen a beautiful woman before.”
Danielle appreciated the compliment, but couldn’t ignore the irritation in Tristan’s voice. “I thought they were just being nice.”
He rolled his eyes. “Dani, Ray Stewart was coming on to you.”
She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. “No, he wasn’t.”
“Yes, he was.”
Sighing deeply, she crossed the room and sat beside Tristan on the sofa. “Okay, and what if he was, Tristan? Why are you making such a big deal out of it?”
“I’m not.”
She gave him an odd look. “Aren’t you?”
Instead of giving her an answer, he stood and walked over to the window. Was he making a big deal out of it? He knew why it had bothered him when those two men had openly flirted with her. It was because he loved her.
But she didn’t know that. She had enough on her plate without him overloading her with his emotions. Just because he was feeling them didn’t mean he should expect her to feel them, too. In her eyes they were friends who were also bed partners.
“Tristan?”
He inhaled deeply as he turned to her. She looked as sexy as any one woman could look. Nothing detracted from her sexiness. Not even the frown on her face. It was a frown he’d put there.
He walked back over to her, took her hand and pulled her up and into his arms. “You’re right. It’s no big deal.”
“No, it must have been a big deal to you,” she said. “Those men flirted with me and it bothered you. Men have flirted with me before around you. Why is it bothering you now? Is it because we’ve slept together? Is that what