“As well as could be expected.”
“I heard Macon showed up.”
Levi snorted. “Jackass. He’s a talented son of a bitch, though. Can’t get rid of him.” He glanced down at her. “You’re here late.”
“Another last-minute change. The team wants a spa morning tomorrow.”
Levi shook his head. “Count me out.”
“Oh no. If I’m getting wrangled into going, you are too. The translator they brought is flying with another employee to a meeting in L.A. and won’t be available.”
“So get another translator.”
“Why? I’m here and I have a bathing suit.” She pulled out her keys and clicked the fob. “Though I doubt a bathing suit will be required. People in other countries sauna in the buff.” She grinned, clearly having lost her mind. Working long hours had her teasing her boss at midnight.
Placing a hand on her shoulder, he stopped her from entering the car. “Hell no. No naked spa day with a bunch of horny businessmen.”
She laughed. “I was only joking. They’ll probably wear bathing suits. Maybe. And if they don’t, I doubt nudity is a big deal for them. Americans are the only ones hung up on it.”
Levi turned and started walking in the opposite direction—to his car, presumably. “I’ll be there. And wear a damned bathing suit,” he called.
Chapter 11
Emily hada ton of phone calls to make today, but throwing on a bathing suit and going for a sauna while translating? Not a bad way to pass the morning. One of these days, she was going to take full advantage of the five-star spa experience at Club Tahoe.
By the time she had changed and entered the circular stone sauna that could hold two dozen of their guests, the men and few women were already lazing behind steam clouds.
“An-nyeong-ha-seyo,”she said, and smiled at the group.
Hushed greetings floated back to her.
At first people were quiet, likely taking a moment to relax, but once the main client entered—some gazillionaire from Silicon Valley—chatter in the sauna picked up. Most Shin Electronics employees communicated very well in English. A few times they looked to Emily for translation, but otherwise, she was able to relax while they conducted business.
About halfway through the meeting, Levi made good on his promise and entered the room. In a towel. With his chest bared.
GoodLord.
Emily’s mind went blank. She fidgeted until she realized the CEO of one of the American companies wanted her to translateaccumulated depreciationinto Korean.
She rattled off a translation, and glanced back at Levi. There was naked man chest, and then there was Levi’s naked chest. He obviously worked out. A lot. But the man was simply built in all the right proportions. And he had that muscle that cut in at his hip and dipped beneath the towel, wreaking havoc on her imagination.
This was torture. She needed to get out of here before she did something embarrassing, like rip off his towel. Or fondle his chest. What was she thinking, inviting him?
Emily glanced up from Levi’s chest and caught him staring at her.
She froze.
Levi’s gaze dipped and touched her shoulders, her breasts, on down to her waist, where a white towel was draped over her lap. Despite her teasing, she hadn’t really planned on going naked. She wore a basic black one-piece. But that gaze of his eyes felt like skin on skin. He smiled. Not long, but long enough.
She shivered. And attempted to listen to the businessmen, when, in fact, all of her attention was on the man across from her, who seemed less like a CEO in this moment, and more like the rugged ex-firefighter who could throw hapless maidens over his broad shoulders.
It wasn’t until Levi excused himself minutes later that Emily caught her breath again.
She stayed in the sauna until the businessmen left to prepare for their afternoon meetings. Then she showered and changed. But her pulse had yet to calm after the moment that had passed with Levi.
Emily had shamelessly lusted after Levi Cade since she started working at Club Tahoe, but for the first time, she sawhisattraction forher.
Had he stopped by to make sure she was okay? She’d teased him last night about the sauna meeting and the naked stuff, but she really didn’t think he’d make an appearance. It wasn’t necessary. So if he didn’t need to be there, why had he come?
