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.‘Again?’ He pinched his brows together in concern.Was she ill? When he looked carefully he realised she did seem a bit paler than usual.‘What, is there a limit on bathroom breaks or something?’ she said, jokily, although the wild look in her eyes told him to back off.He didn’t want to though, not until he was sure she was okay.‘No, of course not.’ He was concerned to see she was trembling.‘I’ll come with you,’ he said, gesturing out of the bar.She twitched her eyebrow into an expression that said Why would you want to visit the ladies’ toilet with me?‘Not to the bathroom,’ he clarified with a grin.‘Just out of here.’* * *Lula walked quickly out of the bar with Tristan hot on her heels.She needed some head space, away from all these people.It was great they all seemed to want to talk to her, but her reserves for intelligent banter were quickly depleting and she could only stand there mute for so long, allowing Tristan to lead the conversation, before it began to look like she wasn’t making an effort.And it wasn’t just the fact she felt she was making a mess of selling herself and the station, but that she was doing it standing next to a man who only had to glance her way to turn her brain to jelly.She was finding it virtually impossible to concentrate without being distracted by Tristan’s intoxicating scent and the sexual magnetism that seemed to roll off him in waves.Her body actually felt feverish with arousal.She must be coming across as a real idiot tonight and she really didn’t want him to think badly of her.She made her way down the corridor towards the bathrooms with Tristan one step behind, her body burning with awareness of his presence in the cool quiet.‘See you in a sec,’ she said, pushing the door open and striding inside before he could answer her.Pressing her forehead against the cold glass of the full-length mirror next to the sinks, she took some deep breaths, willing her mind to clear and her heart-rate to slow down.This was torture.Added to the strain of dealing with being around Tristan, the event itself was bringing back memories of the awful parties her parents used to hold where she was expected to circulate, making witty, intelligent conversation with their friends, when all she wanted to do was run away and hide.She used to feel physically sick before them—and sometimes tried to convince her parents that she actually was ill.They never let her off them though.Apparently they thought it was imperative for her to learn how to act in polite company.She’d never been able to get it right, always managing to say the wrong thing to someone and chastising herself for days, or sometimes weeks, afterwards.This networking thing was bringing back all those old feelings of insecurity she’d fought to get past.‘Are you okay? You looked like you were about to pass out in there,’ he said as soon as she exited the bathrooms and found him leaning against the wall, waiting for her.‘I’m fine.’He put a hand on her arm to stop her walking past him and as she turned to face him, he gave her a puzzled look.‘Are you sure?’His concern seemed to make everything so much worse.She threw up her hands, humiliation making her face burn.‘What do you want from me, Tristan? I said I’m okay.Let’s just get back in there and get this thing over with.’He gave her a puzzled grimace.‘You make it sound like a trial.’Her gaze slid away from his.‘Well, it is a bit, isn’t it? Having to make small talk with all those people, hoping they’ll throw some benevolence our way.It just makes me uncomfortable, that’s all.’‘I would have thought you’d enjoy being lauded as one of the brightest and best presenters in the land.’She looked directly at him now.‘Yeah, well, you don’t know me, do you?’Damn him.Even the crinkles at the corners of his eyes when he frowned were sexy.‘Lula, what’s going on?’‘What do you mean?’‘I mean why are you acting like I’ve killed your kitten? I know things have been awkward between us, but I don’t think I deserve this sort of treatment.’Her shoulders slumped as all the misplaced anger rushed out of her.He had a point, she was taking out her frustration on him and it wasn’t fair.In fact it was downright unprofessional.‘You’re right.I’m sorry.’They heard voices coming from the other end of the corridor and she straightened her posture, steeling herself for making more polite conversation.Tristan tore his troubled gaze away from her to scan the corridor.‘Quick, let’s nip in here.’ He strode forwards a couple paces and pulled open a door to their right, ushering her in [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]