a space in Stellar's congested lot and nearly into them if not for Johnny's quick reflexes. "Thanks," she croaked out, her face burning as red-hot as her fantasies. Somehow she'd dreamed all the way to Stellar and almost steered into a fender bender in the process.
She glanced over her shoulder, now even more embarrassed. "I don't know what I was thinking of... I meant to stop at the parking valet."
"No problem," he said. "Take the open spot right here."
His hand slipped away from hers but both the sensation of his touch and her self-consciousness lingered as they walked toward the restaurant. He held the door open for her and she brushed by him, raising a prickly set of goose bumps beneath the all-business fabric of her blue suit.
To remind herself that this was business, she took the lead at the reservations station, explaining to the inquiring hostess that they were just going into the lounge for a drink. It came as no surprise, though, that while she conducted this short transaction he went ahead and scored the last table in the expansive, but now standing-room-only bar. He was the type who would. With his arms stretched over the back of the cushions behind him, he appeared calm and relaxed as he watched her approach the far corner where he was waiting.
His gaze made her jittery again. As she threaded her way toward him, she couldn't help but wonder what he saw when he looked at her.
A responsible-looking woman, she hoped he was musing. Competent, qualified. Detail-oriented.
And that's what he'd continue to see, Tea told herself. Marching forward, she squared her shoulders and set her spine as straight as a debits column. He wouldn't shake her all-business demeanor again.
Still four tables away, he smiled at her. A lazy smile.
What's she wearing beneath that boring little suit? she thought she heard him say in her head.
His gaze flicked down to her legs.
And she's added to her armor with stockings now. What could she be trying so hard to hide?
Tea's stride hitched. She considered running back to her car. But then a white-shirted cocktail server strode up to the table. With her view of Johnny blocked, she shook her head, jarring loose the silly notion that she'd heard what he'd been thinking. That he'd been thinking anything the least bit personal about her.
This was business.
With that firmly in mind, she reached the chair across the table from him just as the waiter hurried off. "Pinot Grigio okay?" Johnny asked, his expression showing nothing more than friendly politeness. "The place is so crowded I was afraid he'd never make it back if I said I needed more time."
"Pinot Grigio's fine." She settled into her seat, then took a breath, paused.
His head tilted, blond hair brushing his collar. "Is something wrong?"
"No, nothing at all." Tea refused to be derailed by anything this time, so she hurried into the speech that she'd prepared. "I'd like to spend a few minutes acquainting you with my firm and my goals for your project. Then we can move on to your questions. Is that all right?"
He shrugged. "I have your firm's brochure. I don't think we need to go over that information again."
"Oh. Well." She hid her disappointment at losing the opportunity to speak aloud the impressive phrases she'd stockpiled. "Fresh outlook on mid-century modern," (never professionally designed in that style). " Exclusive attention from the design team," (she was the design team). " The firm's calendar adjusted to work with yours," (there was no job on her schedule as prestigious as this one). "I guess we can just go ahead with your questions, then."
There was another pause while the waiter delivered their drinks. Johnny took a swallow of his rum and Coke, then cocked an eyebrow her way. "Where were we again?"
Her wine was crisp and cold and if she wasn't careful, it would go right to her head. "I'm ready to answer any questions you might have about the project."
He waved a hand. "I trust your judgment on that. I have few worries as long as you don't go wildly over budget and don't - "
"Undersize the couches and the chairs," she finished for him.
He laughed. "Exactly. So you read minds?"
No! "No." She took another sip from her glass. "It's a common concern."
"What I would like to talk about - " He broke off as a commotion heightened the already loud level of noise in the bar. "Is that Melissa Banyon?"
Tea"a glanced over her shoulder and couldn't