Dear Mister Summers

eighteen

On Monday afternoon, Andin had gotten back from lunch a little later than usual. She and Damon had a lunch date and they had gone to a place a bit far from her office. She had expected her boss to still be outside and was surprised when she entered her own office and saw a shadow on the glass between her room and that of Sebastian. She walked across and opened the door only to find him at the office and he was not alone. Standing closely next to him with her thin arms around his neck as if she had just pulled her back from the passionate kiss they were exchanging was none other than London Starr. It seemed somehow London had managed to drag Sebastian back to her bed or the other way around.

Andin swallowed the bitter anger she felt on her tongue and greeted them.

"Hi there, Ann Deen! I have just signed my contract. It seems that I could not get away from him," said London, turning back to Sebastian when she said the last sentence. "Your magnet is positively vigorous, Sebastian."

Andin smiled politely and swallowed any annoyance she had. "I'm glad to be keeping you with us, London," she said, ignoring Sebastian's sardonic glance. "I expected you to arrive later in the evening."

"I managed to talk Sebastian into buying me lunch," London said, pulling down her skimpy sweater. The jeans she was wearing were far too tight, but her slender body had an aggressively sensual sway as she sauntered to the door. "See you, Sebastian," she said, waving as she departed.

Sebastian leaned back against his desk, eyeing his secretary with curiosity. "It is a pity truly that all our talents are not as easy to handle as London."

"Yet you manage to handle most of them," answered Andin pointedly.

He made a wry face. "Is that sarcasm, I hear, Miss Williams?" Under his thick, dark lashes his eyes observed her thoughtfully. "Did you enjoy your lunch?"

"I did, Sir. Thank you. My apologies for coming back a bit late."

He waved his hand nonchalantly. "No worries."

"Is there anything you need me to handle urgently, Sir?" Nervously Andin passed her tongue over her lips. Looking up, she saw the narrow, shrewd eyes fixed on her.

His hand picked up a binder, and he dropped his gaze as he started to read the content. "What time is the flight tomorrow?" he asked about the impromptu trip to Europe that they had to make tomorrow. He had informed her this morning and Andin had spent the entire morning to afternoon making arrangements.

"Eight o'clock," she informed him.

"I will pick you up at six thirty then," he said. "How about the accommodations?"

"I have made all the arrangements," she answered politely.

The dark blue eyes mocked her. "Of course you have. You are as efficient as ever, Miss Williams."

"Is there anything else you would like to know, Sir?" She refrained her tongue from saying something sarcastic, infuriated by his expression and tone.

"No. You may leave," he answered without sparing her a glance.

* * * * * * *

After Washington D.C.'s intermittent sunshine and rain, Trapani, Sicily looked so unreal and beautiful — just like a colored postcard. The streets lined with palm trees whose leaves were green and lustrous, the hotels dazzling white and glinting in the sun, the layered rows of houses softly washed in pastel colors, over all of the town the brilliant azure sky making it look more like a film set than anything Andin could remember.

They drove from the airport in a hired car which she had booked from Rome. Sebastian knew the route well from previous visits, his long hands capable on the wheel, his hard profile abstracted in thought.