Scent of a Woman by Joanne Rock

on her strapless purple sheath dress. She’d removed the matching shrug that went with the dress when it came time to dance.

    “Uh, oh. What exactly did the papers say? It can’t be so bad it makes you blush.” Adam released her hand to tip her chin up and study her face.

    “No,” she denied quickly, forcing her thoughts back to her latest conversation with Marcel, in which he’d reiterated his plea to sell off the business while warning her away from Adam at the same time. “It isn’t all that bad, considering your position with your company. You’ve probably heard most of the rumors already anyhow.”

    She took his hand in hers again, resuming their dance posture where the boundaries between them were fixed, even if they were…tantalizing.

    “But they bother you?” He twirled her past an older couple who ran a small fragrance company outside Paris. Danielle remembered her mother once told her the pair could be seen all around the city every spring, holding hands and walking the streets like new lovers.

    Danielle had never forgotten that story, her own wistful heart longing to find that kind of happiness.

    “They don’t bother me.” She shrugged as she kept step with him, not sure how to explain her relationship with her stern brother. “But they bother Marcel, and that will cause me a bit of grief this week until I can return home with my heart unscathed and my perfume recipes still a secret. I guess I have not learned how to shut him out of my private life when our business worlds are so intertwined.”

    The band finished the tune, and Adam and Danielle clapped their appreciation. Her hip remained warm from his touch even though he had released her. As the band started a lively salsa, Adam gestured toward the exit and she nodded, ready for a little air after the dancing and the time spent making small talk with business associates. Dancing with Adam had been her only chance to let her guard down since she’d arrived. She signaled him to wait as she retrieved her shrug and handbag.

    “Earlier today I would have told you my brother and I have a great working relationship,” Adam said as they headed out to the deck. The scents of the afternoon air rode the breeze and lifted Danielle’s hair from her warm neck, refreshing her skin and her spirits.

    “But not now?” she asked, curious about Adam’s family.

    “I never thought the day would come when I would say my brother was more driven than me, but after talking to him on the phone I realized he is. I might be quicker to make work a competition, but even though Joe is quieter about his commitment to the business, he has a fierce streak in him that demands the company succeed.”

    “Does that bother you?” She wasn’t sure what to make of his subdued tone. “I know it can be difficult for a family to be in business together.”

    A bar was set up on the outdoor deck and a smattering of people were taking in the fresh air. Paper lanterns had been strung overhead, creating a party atmosphere, even though they hadn’t been lit yet. From this distance, the sound of music from the Civitavecchia port drifted on the air, the water amplifying the sounds between the ship and the shore.

    “It doesn’t bother me. But it makes me realize he’s going to have plans for the company after our father retires, even if he’s been downplaying his interest in the top spot.” He nodded to one of the officers strolling through the party before he turned to look out over the water.

    Danielle admired how quickly he’d made friends on board, a testament to his warm nature and interest in others. She liked that about Adam.

    “Did you hope to take charge once your father leaves?” She knew that kind of promotion would mean she’d never see him again even professionally. The CEO of Burns Inc. wouldn’t spend his time wooing accounts for one of his companies, even if Prestige Scents continued to be one of the biggest assets in the family