Tea for Two

by Shelley Munro

  “But won’t everyone be at the sessions?”

  “Some of them are optional. From what I understand, a lot of business is done in between.”

  Hayley nodded, part of her excited even though nerves still bounced like dodgems inside her stomach.

  “Oh, here’s my boss come to check out my progress. He’s a doll giving me this chance. You’ll like him. Everyone does, despite his playboy status.” Suzie lifted her hand in a wave, and Hayley turned to look in the direction her friend indicated. Her sharp inhalation drew Suzie’s attention.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Uh, nothing.” Heck, everything was wrong. Sam. She’d guessed she might run into him and thought she’d prepared for the possibility. Wrong. Her mouth dried while an unfeminine sweat broke out on her palms. Hayley surreptitiously wiped her hands down her multi-colored skirt. Would he recognize her? She’d absolutely die if he said something to Suzie. And Suzie…Suzie would never let her hear the end of it.

  “Hi, Sam. I had a feeling you wouldn’t be able to resist coming to check out my first day,” Suzie said.

  “My afternoon is free, so I thought I’d offer my services. I’m yours to order around.” Sam wore blue jeans and another T-shirt. In deference to the heat of the day, he’d forgone his leather jacket. Hayley wanted to run and hide. She also wanted to run her hands over his muscled chest. Neither was an option. She stood firm and fixed a polite smile on her face.

  “You might regret the offer when I get out my whip,” Suzie said with a grin. “This is Madam Deveraux, our tea leaf reader. This is Sam Norville, the owner of Clarkson Enterprises.”

  “Ah, yes.” Sam smiled at her and extended his hand. “Madam, Suzie is very excited about adding you to her conference program. I have to admit her ideas for the entertainment are inspired.”

  His vibrancy caught her off guard, even though she’d already experienced his personality and charm firsthand. His sexy smile made her melt inside like chocolate on a hot day. Easy to recall what his touch did to her, how it made her ache with longing. Hayley steeled herself for the quick punch of pleasure she knew would come when they touched. Their palms met in a polite handshake and she barely restrained her gasp of shock. She hadn’t remembered the potency being quite so strong. She was not attracted to him. She was not!

  A romantic friendship has much in common with a business, her mother always said. Slow and steady brings success, not showy shock tactics, which was why impulsiveness wasn’t in her vocabulary anymore. Or, it wasn’t supposed to be. She’d slipped during the previous weekend. It couldn’t happen again.

  “Thank you very much. I’m pleased to meet you,” Hayley said, watching him closely for any signs of recognition. Her breath eased out after long seconds when he didn’t cry imposter, but the knot of tension in her stomach remained. Thank goodness she’d taken the time to get into full costume and makeup before arriving.

  “What would you like me to do?” Sam asked, speaking to Suzie.

  Suzie pulled several sheets of paper from the clipboard she carried and handed them to Sam. “Can you check on the dinner stuff for me? I want to make sure they’ve organized the special vegetarian meals.”

  “No problem. I’ll do that now.” He turned to Hayley. “You know I can’t go around calling you Madam. What’s your real name?”

  “Harriet,” Hayley said before Suzie could answer.

  Suzie sent her a strange look, but Hayley just stared back, praying fervently that her friend wouldn’t dob her in.

  “I was just about to show Harriet her station,” Suzie said, stressing the name Harriet a bit much for Hayley’s liking. Oh, boy. Tangled webs indeed. “Catch you later, Sam.”

  A flicker of apprehension coursed through Hayley. She’d always used the name Helen in her dealings with fete and fair organizers. Suzie would wonder why she’d suddenly changed. Hayley chewed on her bottom lip, the ground beneath her feet feeling decidedly shaky.

  Suzie grasped her arm and towed her into a room decked out like a big circus tent. “Harriet?” she hissed in an undertone.

  “I…ah…felt like a change.” Weak, Hayley. Very weak. “Ah, do you think people will want to drink tea? Won’t they want to relax and have an alcoholic beverage?” Change of subject. Well done, Hayley.

  “I thought of that. During the day they’re more likely to drink tea, but I’ve organized several people to have their leaves read during the evening to give you a steady stream of customers. I think if people see others having their cups read, they’ll want to have theirs read as well. I’ve also kept your area open so others can watch. And I’ve made provisions for private readings should the need arise. Here you go.” She waved her hand at a small area at the side of the room, demarcated by lots of green plants and a white trellis and vines. A small wrought-iron table with two matching chairs sat in semi-privacy. “Look okay?”

  “It looks great. You’ve done a wonderful job.” The profusion of plants gave the illusion of privacy despite the openness of the area. Bright red cushions on the chairs along with a bright red sun umbrella gave the area a café feel.

  “Great. I’ve got to go. I have a million more things to do and check off my list. If there’s anything you need, shout out and one of my team will organize it for you.” With a quick hug, Suzie hurried off, leaving Hayley staring after her.

  “Oh, the tangled webs we weave,” she muttered, prowling around her allocated area.

  “Problem?” Sam appeared from around the corner, a quizzical grin curling across his sensual lips. The playboy at his most flirtatious. His eyes raked boldly over her form, bringing a rash of self-consciousness. Suddenly she wanted a veil to cover both face and body. Heat suffused her in a wave while she valiantly aimed for inner calm. Oh, boy. Reap what you sow. He’d recognized her. She’d known it was only a matter of time before someone penetrated her disguise. A knot formed in her throat while she stared at him, heart thumping in alarm. To her dismay, desire shot through her, a pervading weakness. Maybe her mother was right about her character flaw leading her into trouble.

  “Problem?” he prompted again. Although he didn’t wink or smile, he still had a flirtatious air about him.

  “Um, I wondered about a helper. Who is going to make the tea? It would be more efficient if I had someone to help.”

  “Makes sense,” he said. “I’ll check with Suzie. Anything else?”

  “Could I check the tea leaves I’ll be using?” Maybe if she stuck to business, she’d stay out of trouble.

  His brows shot up toward his hairline. “The customer is providing the tea. It’s one of their products.” He stopped short of calling her crazy, but she could tell he was thinking it.

  “The tea leaves need to be a certain size. If the leaves are too big or too small, it will mean my readings aren’t accurate.”

  “We can’t have that. How about we do a test run to make sure everything goes smoothly? You can read my fortune or whatever it is you do. Why?” His head cocked to the side and he wore that flirting-but-not-flirting look again. It sparkled in his brown eyes and made Hayley’s stomach lurch with familiar nerves. “Do you have a problem with that?” He sauntered over to a pile of boxes and ripped one open.

  “Of course not,” Hayley said hurriedly, but she lied. She almost touched the tip of her nose to test its size. With the number of fibs she was spouting, a rapidly growing nose wouldn’t surprise her in the slightest. Pinocchio-r-us. Although she didn’t look directly at Sam, she was ultra aware of him, his masculinity. It didn’t help that she knew what he looked like without clothes, how his hair would feel if she happened to trail her fingers through his silky locks. She knew what it felt like when he thrust into her, filling her totally, and driving her rapidly to pleasure. Hayley suppressed a shiver of pure lust. Barely. “Can I help you?” Please say no. Please say no.

  “Sure. You can help me unpack and that way you can organize everything exactly the way you want it.”

  Hayley’s shoulders slumped momen
tarily. She turned away, determined to act with a professional mien and not let her mind or eyes wander to his world-class rear end.

  The wretched man whistled while he unpacked the tea. It was difficult to keep a smile at bay, difficult to maintain an emotional distance, especially when he grinned at her in that way. Charming. Boyish. Very sexy. And the idea of reading his tea leaves…

  “The cups are in the boxes sitting just inside the door.” Sam picked up one of the biggest. His biceps bulged and his muscles flexed beneath the white T-shirt. Awareness flooded her body and she quickly averted her eyes. She’d never get through this gig if she let herself ogle him whenever the urge struck. Hayley grabbed one of the boxes and toted it over to where Sam stood near a sideboard. She set the box down and pulled the flaps open.

  Work. She’d concentrate on her job as Madam Deveraux and, once the conference ended, she’d keep well away from Sam Norville and temptation.

  Sam felt the woman’s gaze on his back. The knowledge of her interest seeped through his body until he started to think about sex. He snorted inwardly when his cock stirred, pushing against the fly of his jeans. Hardly the appropriate thing for work. He unpacked a stack of saucers and placed them on the sideboard. There was something seriously wrong with his family’s insistence on the existence of love at first sight. If what they believed was true, he wouldn’t want to take a second look at Harriet, because he was hung up on the runaway Helen. As it was, he wanted to take a third and fourth look at the sexy tea-leaf reader. Yep, seriously flawed.

  When Suzie had shown him her conference proposal, he’d expected an older woman with maybe a few scarves and a voluminous shawl. This sexy siren was totally unexpected, with her low-cut turquoise top clinging to spectacular curves and the hip-hugging multi-colored skirt. The black heels she wore did things to her long legs and he had trouble keeping his eyes off. Funny, normally he was a breast man, but the shapely legs and the sway of her curvy rump made him long to touch. He strode across to the door to grab another box, returned to the sideboard and ripped open the flaps.

  It just went to prove his family members were certified nutcases, and yanking his chain. He was wise to their tricks. They wanted him to settle down and were being real subtle about it. He glanced up to find Harriet looking at him again. He winked and took delight in the blush that crawled into her golden cheeks.

  “Cups and saucers,” he said, biting back a grin. “Where do you want them?”

  “Are you flirting with me, Mr. Norville?”

  “Sure am. Is there a reason I shouldn’t?”

  “I’m here to do a job, Mr. Norville, not provide entertainment for you.”

  Her prissy tone intrigued him, since it was at odds with her sultry appearance. “Force of habit,” he said. “I’ll try to control it.”

  Harriet nodded and seemed relieved. “See you do.” She flicked a lock of curly hair off her face. The jangle of her bracelets reminded him of the gold charm bracelet he’d found in his bed after Helen had done her disappearing act a week ago. A modern-day Cinderella who had left him a bracelet instead of a shoe. A grin bloomed inside when he recalled the lacy panties he’d also discovered on his bedroom floor. He’d asked around amongst his workers about a woman named Helen, but no one recalled anyone of that name. Actually, he hadn’t asked Suzie yet. She seemed to know everyone. He made a mental note to check with her later.

  “How long have you read tea leaves?” If he couldn’t flirt, he could find out about her, learn what made her tick. He reached past her and caught a whiff of vanilla. Instantly his cock jerked, his mind darting back to Helen. She’d smelled of wildflowers. Damn, the woman haunted him, pushing into his thoughts at all times of the day.

  “That’s a nice perfume you’re wearing.” Maybe if he kept her talking, she wouldn’t notice his erection, and he’d stop thinking about Helen—the one who got away. “What is it?”

  “I use a vanilla-scented shower gel and body lotion.”

  Oh, yeah. Now he’d done it. A vision of this sultry stunner standing under the shower, water cascading over her delicious curves popped into his mind. Sam bit back a groan of frustration. He was twenty-eight years old, dammit. In full control of his body. “I like it,” he said.

  “Thank you.” A cup and saucer clattered when she arranged it on the table. She grabbed the cup before it tipped and jumped onto the floor. When she reached for more cups, they shook with a subtle rattle.

  Sam studied her closely when she wasn’t looking. What did she have to be nervous about? “I don’t bite, you know.”

  Her head jerked up and her golden eyes settled on him. “But you keep looking at me as if you’d like to bite. It’s making me nervous.”

  Sam chuckled, but didn’t deny her accusation. “You must have men looking at you all the time.”

  She tossed her head. “No, not really.”

  “What, men don’t hit on you?”

  “No,” she said firmly and reached for the next box of cups.

  Intriguing, and he didn’t believe it for a moment. The woman oozed sex appeal. But her words and bearing told him she believed men didn’t look at her. “Are you married?”

  “No.”

  “Are you engaged or going out with anyone?”

  “No.” She stilled, sending him a wary look.

  “So, you’re a free woman?”

  “Yes. I mean, no.” The guarded expression on her face deepened, and she chewed briefly on her bottom lip, leaving it bright red and moist. “I don’t mix my business and private lives,” she finished in what he’d come to think of as her prim voice.

  “There you are, Sam. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

  Sam groaned inwardly. Great. Just great. Melissa Cartwright, a director of Wainwright Teas, had a thing for him and nothing he did or said seemed to distract the woman from her goal. She had her sights fixed firmly on marriage, which was part of the reason he’d decided to delegate this particular conference to Suzie. That, and the fact he considered his employee ready for the responsibility. Melissa was nice enough, but not his type. Hell, he didn’t have a type, which was part of his problem according to his family.

  “Melissa, this is my girlfriend, Harriet.” Sam worked with the tools he had at hand. He stepped close to Harriet and slipped his arm around her slender waist. “Harriet, this is Melissa Cartwright, one of the directors of Wainwright Teas.” He felt Harriet tense and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Please save me,” he pleaded in a whisper intended only for her. “I’ll owe you big time.” Huh! Throwing himself at the mercy of strange women was becoming a habit. Probably time for him to think up a new strategy or he’d land in big trouble.

  “Only if you stop flirting with me,” she whispered back fiercely.

  “Deal.” He’d renegotiate later. After all, flirting came as naturally to him as breathing.

  The gypsy pulled away from him and smiled at Melissa, extending her hand. “I’m pleased to meet you, and I’m really looking forward to the conference.”

  A small frown appeared between Melissa’s eyes. She shook hands with Harriet, but didn’t look pleased. “Oh,” she said. “The conference is only for people in the industry.”

  “Melissa, Harriet is working at the conference. She reads tea leaves.” Sam stepped close to Harriet, unable to resist touching her again. He tugged her against his side.

  “That’s right,” Harriet said, tensing at his touch. “I’m really excited about working for you, Ms. Cartwright.”

  The woman shrugged. “Personally I think it sounds like a load of rubbish, but my brother okayed the conference program.” She sauntered away, uncaring about her rudeness.

  Harriet stood stiffly at his side, staring after Melissa. “I should be used to that sort of a reaction, but most of the people I come into contact with are at fetes and fairs. They’re there to have a good time and come to me because they want to.”

  “The conference attendees will be no different from your usual customers,” Sam said,
seeking to reassure her. He’d felt her slight tremble and gave her a light squeeze of reassurance. Or at least he’d intended keeping it casual. Once he’d touched her, he didn’t want to let go. Her vanilla scent filled each breath, making him think of taking greater liberties. He went with instinct, a small voice at the back of his mind urging him to kiss her and disprove the family tradition of love at first sight. He’d beat the odds with Helen, even if thoughts of her did keep popping into his head at odd moments. No love at first sight for him.

  “I’m going to kiss you now,” he said. “Melissa is still watching us from the doorway.” Sam didn’t give her a chance to protest, merely turned her into his arms and lowered his head to claim her lips. It was like coming home. The taste of her and the feel of her breasts brushing against his chest. Their lips slid together like old friends, tongues tangling lazily and breath mingling. She didn’t fight him, letting him kiss her as he wanted. His heart thundered against his ribs and instantly, he wanted more of this intriguing woman. Maybe the gossip columnists had it right. He really was a serial playboy, because he wanted to strip off her clothes and drag his mouth over the silky soft skin of her breasts, her belly. Sam wanted to taste her and do a whole lot more.

  “Ah-um!” A sharp cough behind tore them apart, ripping through the sensual haze. “Boss, you’re meant to be working, not seducing the staff.” Easy to see Suzie’s curiosity. It sizzled through her, and he noticed the quick inquisitive look she sent Harriet.

  “I was saving him from Melissa.” Harriet must have realized she was still touching him, because she sprang away like a startled rabbit, her breasts heaving beneath her tight blouse while she struggled for composure.

  Personally he liked her in this flustered state and resolved to make it happen again. After all, she’d disproved the love at first sight thing with a mere kiss. He was a healthy male who appreciated a pretty woman. His family was wrong and he would tell them so. Again.

  “I passed Melissa down in the bar a few minutes ago,” Suzie said, the sound of laughter throbbing through her voice.