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it on,” she teased.
    “Oh really?”
    She nodded, lowering her lashes. “Really.”
    “That should be something to see.” He hit his forehead with the heel of his hand. “I forgot. I’ll never get the opportunity to see it because you’re only here for the dinner.”
    She sobered quickly. She knew she wouldn’t see Martin again until Brittany’s wedding. Brittany and Jon were to be married on September twenty-eighth, and that was four weeks away.
    “I’ll see you at the wedding,” she reminded him.
    He studied her face thoughtfully for a moment. “I suppose I’ll have to wait until
then
, won’t I?”
    Parris saw an open invitation smoldering in the depths of his eyes, and decided to ignore it. “Yes, Martin,” she whispered.
    His jaw tightened noticeably. He had to find out what it was about her that drew him to her.
    Brittany was right. Parris was not like the women he usually dated. They were older and appeared much more worldly than the woman sitting next to him. And more likely than not they were the sisters, cousins, nieces, and a few of them, daughters of business associates.
    “Is this your first time meeting Jon?” Martin asked.
    “Yes, even though I feel as if I’ve known him as long as Brittany has. Brittany and I keep in touch by phone.”
    “Where do you live?”
    “West Palm Beach.”
    “That’s only…”
    “I know,” she cut in. “It’s only a few miles away, but I don’t have much time for visiting friends. My job takes me out of the state for at least twenty days each month.”
    And when she returned home it was to a furnished studio apartment. She sold her car because it sat in her landlady’s garagefor four months without her moving it. Now, whenever she needed to go somewhere she called a car service.
    “What do you decorate?”
    “Corporate offices. I select everything: desks, chairs, tables, lighting and accessories.”
    He registered the breathless quality of her voice and the excitement lighting up her eyes as she spoke. Like him, she enjoyed her career.
    “Do you like the traveling?” he questioned.
    “It depends on the place and the time of the year,” she replied honestly. “Hawaii is always nice, as is Puerto Rico. Arizona and Nevada in the summer are always brutal, but staying in the best hotels with all of the amenities makes up for it.”
    Martin waited while a waiter removed their dishes before serving the next course. He was fascinated with Parris. She was different from the other women because she had talent to go along with her perfect face and body. It was the first time he discovered all three components in one woman.
    “Take me, for instance,” he said, resuming their conversation. “You seem to know about my line of business. How would you decorate an executive office for me?”
    “It’s not that easy.” She gave him a warm smile. “Your executive style must harmonize with the image of your company while it lets you show your individuality. It must set you off but not dominate you, reflect you but not overpower you.”
    “How do you determine an office’s personality?”
    “I work from an executive’s professional dossier.”
    “How do you feel about awards and personal photographs?”
    “A profusion of family photographs may transmit too much intimacy; however a wall full of diplomas and awards signals insecurity to more people than it impresses.”
    Martin was impressed with Parris and her intelligence.
    “How did you get your job?”
    “I was recruited after I graduated. One of my professors worked for the architectural and design firm, so I suppose you can say that I had an in.”
    “Where do you see yourself in relation to the firm in another ten years?” It was a question he asked the many applicants who applied to ColeDiz for even fewer coveted positions in his family-owned company.
    Parris reached for a water goblet and took a sip of water. She placed the goblet down beside the glass of wine. She knew where she wanted to be