by Debra Webb
“I’m sorry. I was out.” Her gaze riveted to the garment clutched in his hand.
He frowned at the idea of what she probably thought. “This is for Suzy, Dan’s wife,” he explained quickly, too quickly. Why was he explaining himself at all?
“Oh.” Those pretty blue eyes lifted to meet his. “But, she’s pregnant.”
Jake nodded like an idiot. “Well, she... ah... she’s been feeling a little unattractive lately and Dan wants to surprise her with some after-baby lingerie.” Damn. That sounded even lamer than his last comment.
She didn’t look convinced. “That’s very thoughtful of him.” She backed away a step. “I really have to get going.” She waved her bag. “I’m all done here.”
Jake’s mouth went desert dry at the thought of what Merri might have in that bag. The urge to snatch it from her and peek inside was almost overwhelming.
“Nice to see you again, Jake.” She backed up another step.
“Wait,” he said without really knowing how he would explain his request. When she hesitated he went for broke. “I really could use some help picking out the rest of this stuff.” He dragged the list from his pocket and held it out to her. “I’ve never done this sort of thing before.”
She accepted the wrinkled piece of paper and glanced over it. “Dan didn’t want to do this himself?” she asked skeptically.
He leaned closer, close enough to get a whiff of her sweet scent. His tense muscles hardened. “His wife has a friend who works here.” He gestured toward the sales counter. “Dan was afraid she’d give his surprise away.”
Merri’s expression relaxed and she actually smiled.
Jake’s chest swelled with something like pride or appreciation. She was so beautiful it made him ache to look at her.
She adjusted the strap of her black leather purse on one shoulder and looped her shopping bag over the other. “Let’s get started then,” she suggested with another angelic smile.
The next thirty minutes were pure torture. Just watching the way Merri touched the exquisite fabric made Jake imagine her hands on his skin. The glee with which she selected the sexy garments made him want to buy her one of everything in the shop.
Finally, when the final selections were made, she turned to him and smiled. “Suzy’s going to love this,” she murmured for Jake’s ears only. She smoothed her palm over the silk robe once more before the clerk folded it and put it into the box. “The emerald will look great with her fair skin and red hair.”
Jake was too busy thinking how terrific that shade of azure blue they had considered first would look on Merri. It would complement the clear, sky blue of her eyes, the creamy porcelain of her skin, and all that lustrous blond hair flowing over her slender shoulders.
“If you’ll take your purchases over to the other counter,” the clerk offered, “you can have them gift wrapped, sir.”
Jake nodded. “Good idea.” He smiled at Merri. “Do you mind taking them over? I have one more thing to do and then I’ll catch up with you.”
“Sure.” Merri accepted the two white boxes and strode away.
Jake watched. A new wave of arousal washed over him. His gaze roved from those perfect little ankles, up long, toned legs, to the cutest heart-shaped rear end he had ever seen. He cursed himself under his breath. How would he ever gain control over his love life again?
“Was there something else you needed, sir?” the clerk inquired, breaking the trance Jake had fallen into.
He dragged his attention to the brunette in the silver bra and matching panties and forced a smile. It was bad when he had to make himself smile at a nearly naked woman. He cleared his throat, and his mind. He had to snap out of it once and for all.
“Yes,” he finally managed. “I’d like that same outfit in the blue.” He gestured toward the rack with the lingerie in azure. “Same size,” he said before she could ask.
The clerk gave him a knowing smile. “Smart move,” she told him.
Then why was it that his every thought, every move, felt helpless rather than smart? Jake quickly jotted his address down. “I’d like it gift-wrapped and delivered to this address, please.”
“Will that be cash or charge, sir?” She beamed, obviously thrilled at the double sale.
~*~
Meredith kept her distance as Jake walked her to her car. He had insisted on doing so. Why was she allowing this to happen? She had already decided that she wouldn’t see him again. She glanced at the perfect lines and angles of his profile as they walked the last few steps to her rented car. Her stomach did a quivering little dip. Could she find nothing at all wrong with the man?
He opened the driver’s side door and gave her a smile that made her traitorous heart skip two beats. “Thanks for helping me out back there. It was a little intimidating.”
Meredith tossed her purse and her shopping bag into the car, then stepped into the space created by the open door. “I’m sure any of the ladies who worked there would have been only too glad to assist you,” she said, then wished she could bite off her tongue.
That sounded jealous even to her.
Jake only gifted her with that crooked grin that made her tingle from head to toe. “That was the intimidating part.”
She frowned. “Don’t tell me a big tough guy like you is afraid of an attractive woman in her undies.” There had to be another explanation. The clerks’ costumes were supposed to attract young, single men to the shop, entice them to buy something to please their sweethearts and get a cheap thrill in the process. Surely Jake wasn’t immune to the marketing scheme.
He looked away, a hint of color high on his cheeks. “I guess I’m a little more old-fashioned than I thought.” He paused. “I felt embarrassed... for them.”
Meredith snapped her mouth shut the instant she realized it was open. This was the man who made her want to jump his bones with a mere look? The one who had all but made love to her on a table just forty-eight hours ago? The serious look in his dark eyes told her he was telling the truth.
“I know that sounds pretty lame.” He shrugged one broad shoulder. “I mean it’s not like I haven’t had...” The statement trailed off. “You know, plenty of relationships.” He shifted, studied the shopping bag in his hand a moment, then met her gaze once more. “I should go before I say something else completely unsmooth.”
Meredith smiled reassuringly. “What you said wasn’t lame or unsmooth. It was very sweet. I don’t know many guys who would admit to being uncomfortable in a store full of barely dressed females.”
He plowed the fingers of his free hand through his hair, tousling it and making Meredith want to reach up and smooth it down again. His gaze settled on hers and her breath caught at the emotion she saw there.
“What are you doing to me, Merri Lang?” He searched her eyes, then studied her lips. She trembled. “I can’t seem to think straight anymore.”
She told herself to go... to get into the car and drive away, but she couldn’t move. She could only stare into those mesmerizing eyes of his.
He touched her cheek, traced the line of her jaw, then tunneled his fingers into the hair at her nape. “Why can’t I think about anything but you? Why can’t I do or say anything right when I’m with you?” he murmured just before his mouth descended upon hers.
The touch of his lips was so tender, so sweet, Meredith felt her knees go weak beneath her. The bag he’d been holding plunked to the asphalt and the fingers of his other hand threaded into her hair as he deepened the kiss. Pleasure shot through her when his tongue swirled around her own. Unable to think, she let her arms circle his shoulders, her fingers plunged into his thick, silky hair. Her body yearned to meld with his, but the car door stood between them like a protective wall. Yet that barrier could not restrain their mutual desire, hot and fierce. Fire flashed through her, warming her skin, melting her insides.
“Merri,” he whispered against her lips, “I have to go.”
His words were a plea rather than a statement. “Th
en go,” she whispered.
He drew back just far enough to look into her eyes, but Meredith wanted nothing more than to pull him back down to her yearning lips.
“Have dinner with me tomorrow night,” he asked breathlessly. “We’ll get all dressed up and I’ll take you to the classiest place in town. Please,” he added when she didn’t respond at once.
“Jake, I—”
“Don’t say no.” He smiled and dragged his thumb over her lower lip. “It’s the least I can do after all your help.”
Meredith closed her eyes and shook her head. She had to say no. “I’m sorry, Jake.” She opened her eyes and met his crestfallen expression. “When we’re together, it’s too... intense. I don’t know how to handle it.”
He nodded resignedly, then beamed a heart-stopping smile at her. “You’re right. But if we were surrounded by people, like in the shop just now, what can go wrong?” Anticipation danced in his eyes. “Have dinner with me, Merri. It’ll be very public and very crowded.”
She sighed. He was right. They had both behaved with restraint in the lingerie shop. Going out to dinner would give her an opportunity—without real risk—of exploring all these feelings in a safe setting.
All she had to do was ensure that they were never alone.
“All right.”
“I’ll pick you up at seven.”
Before Meredith could say goodbye, he snagged his shopping bag and hustled down the sidewalk to his own car. Watching him walk away sent a little quickening through her. Dinner would be fine. There would be a room full of people with a dinner table between them.
What could go wrong?
Chapter Five
“I can’t believe you forgot about the Landry dinner party tonight,” Dan grumbled. “You know how important his business is to our future in Atlanta. Don’t even think about trying to reschedule.” He paced the opposite direction, turned sharply and retraced his steps. “You gotta think with your brain, not your—”
Jake glared at him.
“Hormones,” Dan finished.
Jake dropped his head against the back of his chair. Dan was right. He couldn’t possibly skip out on the Landry dinner. He would simply have to ask Merri if going to dinner at George Landry’s Bel Aire mansion was acceptable, instead of the restaurant he’d had in mind. Otherwise he and Merri would have to reschedule their evening together. That thought made Jake as apprehensive as hell. He didn’t want to go another twenty-four hours without seeing her.
No way.
“Don’t sweat it,” he promised. “I’ll just take Merri to the dinner party, that’s all.” He shrugged. “I don’t see why she’d mind.”
Dan cleared his throat a little too loudly. A sure sign he had something he wanted to say, but was reluctant to begin.
“Don’t be bashful, spit it out.” Jake wasn’t going to like it.
“Are you sure you can be in the same room with Merri and... well, you know, not lose control?”
Jake scowled. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Dan placed his hands flat on Jake’s desk and leaned toward him. “You told me yourself that you can’t seem to stay in control of your actions when you’re with Merri. Hell, man, think about last Saturday. The two of you couldn’t keep your hands off each other. Landry might not appreciate that you’ve been bitten by the love bug the way I do.”
Jake pushed to his feet and leaned forward, matching Dan’s stance. “Have I fired you this week?”
Dan’s brow furrowed in concentration. “No,” he finally said.
“Good,” Jake snapped. “You’re fired.” He turned his back on his friend and stared out the window.
“You won’t have to fire me if we don’t land this deal,” Dan reminded him. He went around the desk to stand next to Jake and stare out the window at the construction they had already completed. “We’ve got too much invested in this to risk any wrong moves.”
Jake rubbed his face. Weary of the subject. “I know what’s at stake.” He sighed. “I’m not going to do anything to screw it up.”
Dan whacked him on the back and offered a satisfied smile. “You can always take Merri out to dinner tomorrow night.”
Jake scowled at him. “I’m taking her tonight. Christ, what are you so worried about? We’ll be surrounded by more than a dozen people. It’s not like we’re uncivilized animals,” he added hotly.
Dan’s smile drooped into a frown. “We’re doomed.”
~*~
Meredith studied Jake’s intent profile as he drove along the dark, quiet street that would take them to the posh Bel Aire estate of George Landry. She had no clue who the man was, but Shelley knew him, at least by reputation. The richest of the rich, she’d said. Once Meredith had let that little announcement sink in, the entire afternoon had been spent in choosing just the right dress for the occasion. By the time six-thirty rolled around, Meredith had felt like an abused fashion model.
She glanced down at her simple black sheath. At last she had gotten her way on the dress. Though short and sleeveless, it was conservative enough for her to feel comfortable. The upswept hairstyle was agreeable as well. But the shoes were not what Meredith would have chosen. Black stiletto heels that made walking precarious at best. How did women do it? This man-hunting business was a great deal more troublesome than she had imagined.
Her gaze slipped back to the driver. A little hitch disrupted her breathing. He was so incredibly handsome. She kept remembering how embarrassed and out of sorts he’d been at the lingerie shop. Every sales clerk there had gone out of her way to smile at him. The thought that he’d suffered what could be called severe discomfort to help out his friend made her feel all warm and soft inside. The memory of his sweet kiss when he’d walked her to her car stoked that warmth to a red-hot blaze.
Jake was sweet, kind, considerate, and completely amazing to look at. Why hadn’t some woman snagged him already? The thought was followed immediately with a slashing jab of jealousy. Meredith closed her eyes and leaned back against her seat. This wasn’t possible. How could she feel so strongly for a man she barely knew? How could she know with such certainty that she could spend the rest of her life just being with him?
Her eyes opened wide and her heart pounded. This was it: the pivotal moment when a woman knew she might fall deeply in love with a man. Though she had never experienced this particular emotion before, Meredith recognized it with complete clarity. She could love Jake very easily. The two of them were poised on a precipice, both ready to fall with the slightest push or loss of balance.
She swallowed hard. But it was wrong.
Everything Jake believed about her was a lie. Their whole relationship was nothing but one fabrication on top of the other. Her scientific, logical nature wouldn’t let her forget that. But she had to see this through. How could she come this far and run away? She couldn’t. She had to follow the basic instincts that were urging her toward impulses she had never felt before.
Although she had to draw the line at a certain point: their relationship could not be consummated. It would be wrong. She wouldn’t hurt Jake like that. And she wasn’t even sure her own heart could take getting that close to the man. He already had her thinking about the future—a future with him in it. Which was impossible, and she fully understood that cold hard fact. Jake would despise her if he ever found out the truth. No matter how much she cared about him, it wouldn’t change the way he would perceive her purely selfish motivation.
“This is it,” he said softly, drawing her attention from her worrisome thoughts. “The Landry house.”
More like a mansion, she thought. They drove through the grand gate and down the long, curving drive that culminated in a large circle around an elaborate fountain, allowing a full view of the estate. Whatever Mr. Landry did for a living, he was obviously very successful.
Jake parked and a valet opened his door. He handed over his keys, thanked the man and hurried to Meredith’s side of the vehicle. When he took her hand to
help her from her seat, electricity coursed between them. She recognized the startled look in Jake’s eyes as mirroring her own.
She drew in a deep, calming breath and produced a smile. “Thank you.” When his palm flattened at the small of her back another tiny gasp tightened her throat. The slightest innocent touch from the man shook her completely. Meredith was certain she would never grow accustomed to it—not even if she spent a dozen lifetimes in Jake’s company.
But a few weeks was all they would ever have. Gloom draped her like a cold, wet blanket. When her research was complete and she returned to New York, she would never see Jake again. The prospect made her want to weep. She blinked back the abrupt emotion and forced herself to take in her surroundings as they climbed the spectacular steps leading to the double entry doors.
Jake paused at the door and turned to her, his warm hand resting at her waist. “Before we go in,” he said in that deep husky baritone that sent shivers of awareness up her spine, “I wanted to tell you how glad I am that you agreed to come with me tonight.” He drew her closer, his strong fingers sinking into her flesh through the silk of her dress. “I couldn’t have waited another day to see you,” he added in a gentle whisper.
Something warm and sweet soared inside her chest at his words. Before she could stop herself, Meredith reached up and stroked his chiseled jaw. “You never cease to amaze me, Jake Brandon.” She smiled wistfully. “Don’t ever change.” Some woman was going to be extremely happy with him as a life mate one day. Sadness enveloped her once more. If only—Meredith halted that line of thinking.
Jake deserved someone special... but it wouldn’t be her.
Everything about her—the way she looked, the name she used—everything was a deception.
But she ached to make it real.
~*~
He couldn’t have stopped his body’s sway into hers if his life had depended upon it. Jake touched his lips to hers and closed his eyes at the burst of feelings that exploded inside him like fireworks on the Fourth of July. Dan’s words rang inside his head and Jake drew back before all good sense deserted him. Her eyes were still closed, her full, pink lips still slightly parted. He recognized, without a doubt, at that precise moment that he felt things for this woman he had never felt for any other. She made him yearn for something he couldn’t quite label... something that felt entirely too much like forever. The thought should scare the hell out of him, but ironically it didn’t.