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you feel for me is really love after the same amount of time?”
“Oh Lugal…” she sighed. “I love you so much it hurts.”
“Yes, I know.” He patted her back a she snuggled against him.
Samantha’s tears turned to laughter. “We have to work on that ego of yours.”
180
Samantha and Her Genie
“I think not. You love me the way I am. I am the perfect man for you.”
“What are we going to do?” she asked, just above a whisper. “I mean, when you
have to…”
“Shhh,” he coaxed, smoothing her hair again. “We will not focus on the time when
we must part. Instead, we will focus on filling each moment of our time together,
however short, with as much life and love as possible.” He held her at arm’s length and
smiled down at her. “We will create happy memories to last dozens of lifetimes. Now
no more tears. We will have dinner, then you will go to sleep and rest while I watch
over you.”
Samantha yawned, feeling safe, protected, loved and utterly, supremely happy.
“That sounds heavenly. I do need to get some sleep because I have to be at work at
eight tomorrow morning.” She groaned. “Oh hell, I forgot all about that.” She studied
Lugal’s face as her thoughts raced. “If I leave you here alone tomorrow, will you
promise me you’ll be careful not to get into any trouble?”
“You disparage me with your unfounded fears.” Lugal scoffed. “I am a grown man,
Samantha. A leader of armies. I think you can be assured that I can manage to care for
myself without incident.”
Samantha didn’t even want to contemplate what could conceivably happen. But she
sure as hell couldn’t take Lugal with her to TBT. “You can’t leave the house. You have
to stay here. You can watch TV and use the computer until I get home. I’m just working
until twelve, so I’ll only be gone a few hours. There’s plenty of food in the house, so
that’s no problem. Oh, and absolutely no saber usage, got that?” She poked his chest.
“You have my word that I shall be prudent, Samantha. What I do not understand is
why you must go to this job. Once your wishes are granted, you will not need Bunny
Turner or her business. You will own Henley House and your own successful
business.”
“I need to go through my office and gather all the special materials I created so I can
take them home. Otherwise, Bunny will confiscate them and use them as her own.”
“What kind of materials? Do you speak of fabrics you have sewn? Garments to
wear at work?”
“Hah! I’m lucky if I can stitch on a button. Class materials I designed for my own
use because I never felt comfortable with the hard sell corporate stuff TBT provided. All
they care about is selling their foods, supplements, CDs and pricey contract extensions.
That attitude is reflected in all the company materials. I need to get my notebooks,
posters and audio-visual stuff out of there before anyone finds out I’m quitting.”
“I understand.”
“I really want to have a chance to say goodbye to all my clients too. They’re all very
special to me, Lugal. Dear, wonderful people. They depend on me. I don’t want to just
disappear from their lives without an explanation.” She frowned at the painful twinge
deep inside. “Damn, it’s going to be hard to leave them—and I know it’ll be hard for
them too. Like I’m abandoning them.”
181
Daisy Dexter Dobbs
“Can you not explain to them about your three wishes and tell them to become
clients at your own business, Beyond the Scale?”
Samantha smiled as the name of her future company spilled from his lips. “You
remembered.”
“I would never forget something of such great importance to you, Samantha.”
“Oh lordy,” she sighed, “you certainly are a keeper, Lugal. One in a million.”
He nodded in agreement. “Indeed I am.”
“And don’t forget modest.” Samantha tugged his head down to plant a kiss on his
chin. “I’ll explain to my clients that I’m leaving to open my own business, but I have to
be careful. I don’t want anyone at TBT thinking I’m trying to harvest their clients. That
wouldn’t be right.”
“TBT will be losing an honorable, caring weight-loss counselor.”
“Thanks. After I talk to them, I’ll turn in my resignation. I’ll give a two-week notice,
but from past experience when others left the company, they’ll probably tell me to leave
right away. Then they’ll have someone watch over me to make sure I don’t take any
company property with me.”
“They are mistrustful.” Lugal nodded. “Yes, it is a good plan to take your materials
out of there before you resign.”
“You’re absolutely positive that my wishes will come true once I make them, right?
There won’t be any glitches?”
“There is no doubt whatsoever. Put your trust in me, Samantha. I would not lead
you astray.”
“How can I not trust the man I love? The man who loves me?” She beamed a bright
grin, feeling so giddy it was as if she’d downed an entire bottle of champagne. “Okay,
after I get home tomorrow I’ll make the first two of my wishes. Once everything is in
place I’ll tell Rosie I want her to come to work for me. She’ll be top dog, right under
me.” She thumbed her chest and grinned. “I’m the head honcho.”
She laughed when she caught the perplexed look on Lugal’s face. “I’m definitely
going to have to clue you in on current vernacular.”
“I would appreciate that.” He smoothed his thumb along her bottom lip before
pressing a sweet kiss there. “It would save me from Googling all the gibberish you
speak.” His warm smile was charming and appealing, just like the rest of him.
Samantha’s cell phone rang. Reluctantly, she broke away from Lugal’s embrace and
walked to the counter, newly aware that she was standing stark naked in her kitchen.
Rosie’s number appeared on the readout. [ Pobierz caÅ‚ość w formacie PDF ]