“It was my pleasure,” she replied. “Thanks for inviting me.” The dialog felt oddly formal after the intimate dance they’d shared. Patrick appeared to suppose so too, as a result of he flashed her a broader smile.

“In that case, maybe you’d accompany me on one other small process.”

“I’m certain I’d be completely happy to. What do you keep in mind?” Emma’s coronary heart fluttered, however she ignored it. This was no time to let her crush on Patrick develop.

“I’m planning to go to considered one of LWC’s galleries in Cincinnati over the weekend,” Patrick advised her. “It’s our latest gallery, and I haven’t seen it myself but. Maybe you’d accompany me and supply your opinion?”

“Cincinnati?” Emma bit her lip. “How do you propose to get there?”

“I’ll care for every little thing should you’d prefer to go.”

Emma barely hesitated. “I’d like to.”

That night time, as Emma lay in mattress and tried to sleep, reminiscences of dancing with Patrick stored floating by her thoughts. This was unhealthy information. She wanted to give attention to stealing Aurora, however Aleksander had been proper when he’d mentioned that she had began to love Patrick.

At this level, it was greater than “like.” And Emma’s emotions for Patrick have been solely rising stronger.

Round two a.m., with sleep nonetheless not on the horizon, Emma bought up and continued her work on the forgery. Identical to her emotions for Patrick, her appreciation of the portray grew with every second she spent on it.

This process was solely getting tougher.

After which Emma had an concept. A horrible, ill-advised concept, however as quickly because it got here into her thoughts, she couldn’t banish it. Maybe, in addition to fulfilling Aleksander’s request, she may use this forgery for her personal functions.

A ray of hope shone into Emma’s chest as she picked up her brush once more.

CHAPTER 10

PATRICK

Patrick knew he was making a mistake. He’d been careening down a nasty path because the second he invited Emma to the charity gala. No, that wasn’t true. He’d began down that path when he’d first seen Emma in the course of the orientation, wanting so stunning and so assured.

However at present his mistake was rising worse. He’d invited Emma to a tour of his gallery in Cincinnati, however what he hadn’t talked about was that it could be simply the 2 of them. He’d organized to have the gallery open after hours in order that they might have the entire place to themselves.

The considered time alone with Emma, away from work, was simply too compelling to go up.

When Patrick had held her in his arms on the gala, he’d been overcome with ideas of how it could really feel to carry her even nearer, to kiss her, to really feel her comfortable pores and skin in opposition to his. She’d seemed so beautiful in her gown, her darkish hair pulled again in a mass of beautiful curls, a naked trace of make-up accentuating her pure magnificence.

And he or she was interested in Patrick, too. He knew it from the best way she’d melted in opposition to him once they’d danced and the way deeply she’d blushed when he requested what she was fascinated with. It could be presumptuous to think about she was fascinated with him, however Patrick may hope.

Earlier than the gala, he had determined that Emma is likely to be value throwing his fastidiously developed priorities out the window. He was much more certain of that now. But he additionally knew that giving in to his attraction would have penalties.

Patrick didn’t care.

He cared even much less when Emma poked her head across the door of his workplace. He hadn’t seen her but that day, so he took a second to understand how beautiful she seemed in a pencil skirt and shirt.

“Hello, Patrick,” she mentioned. “I simply needed to verify what time we’re leaving at present.”

“Round six, if that works for you.”

“Sure. Thanks.” Emma smiled and commenced to vanish across the door.

“Only a second.” Patrick didn’t have anything to say, however he didn’t need her to go away simply but. “We’ll meet on the roof, okay?”

“On the roof?”

“We’ll go by helicopter.”

Emma’s brown eyes widened, and Patrick had a second of fear.

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