An Offer He Cant Refuse - By Christie Ridgway Page 0,27

did the tiny hairs on her skin spring high in belated warning.

She pushed her hand between them and broke free. "What was that?" she demanded. It wasn't a kiss, she decided, aware of her unruly hair, her unbuttoned blouse, the morning air cool on her wet lips. It was some sort of locker-room spell handed down from athlete to athlete to ensnare women who wanted to stay well clear of wanton passion. "What was that?"

"Lightning bolt," he murmured, shaking his head.

"Mistake."

Johnny raised dark blond eyebrows. Even the ends of his eyebrow hairs were tipped with gold. "You're sure about that?"

"Of course I'm sure. It's the job I'm looking for, Johnny." Her business, her work, the Caruso name that she wanted so much to make over would be here long after the fizzle and pop of one spectacular kiss - not to mention the man - was gone. "I don't want to ruin that."

He froze. "The job."

"That's why you stopped by, isn't it? To discuss the job? We left that unfinished last night."

There was a pause, then he nodded. "You're right, there's a lot unfinished around here. A lot unfinished between us, too." He stood to pace away from her, running his fingers through his hair.

Tea watched him in growing dismay. Eve would know what to do now, she thought. Eve would know how to pretend that kiss had never happened and bring the conversation back around to business. And then, as if Tea had the power to wish people into her presence, Eve's classic Mercedes pulled up to the curb and both her sisters hurried out of the car.

"What's going on?" Joey demanded as she slammed the passenger door shut with a violent clang, her gaze leaping from flowers, to man, to Tea's hand wrapped in the bloodstained handkerchief.

Tea came to her feet. "Nothing. I had a little accident, that's all. And Mr. Magee happened to be here and, uh, lent his help."

Joey shot him another suspicious glance. "Mr. Magee? Who's he?"

Never let it be said that her little sister was one to pussyfoot around.

"A potential client, Joe," Tea said, a soft warning in her voice. And then, with her sisters' presence lending her an Eve-type talent in man-handling and also some of Joey's own brash brand of bravado, she glanced over at Johnny and took a chance. "A client who, I think, was just about to tell me he's giving me the job."

She held her breath.

His gaze took her in, making her suddenly aware again of her unfettered hair, that unfastened button, the swollen feeling of her lips. The woman that he'd made her.

He looked up at the sky, then back at her. "You really want the job?"

She firmed her voice. "I really want the job."

"Then it's a done deal now, isn't it?" he finally said.

She might have wished he sounded happier about it, but she was glad enough for both of them. Unwilling to let a moment pass without cementing the deal, she reached out her uninjured palm to shake his. "It will be my pleasure."

Both of ours, Contessa, I'll make sure of that, too.

The make-believe Johnny-voice in her mind didn't sound any happier than it had a moment before. She frowned, trying to shake the words from her head as he dropped her hand like a hot potato and reached into his slacks pocket.

"Excuse me," he said, drawing out a cell phone. "I have to take this call."

Eve, Joey, and Tea watched in silence as be walked off to answer the phone. Then Eve looked over at Tea, eyebrows arching above the frames of her black-lensed sunglasses.

"Client?" she asked, skepticism lacing her voice.

"Client."

"Hottie," Joey declared. "Just your type, too."

"I don't have a type," she protested. At least not one that she'd ever confessed to her sisters.

"Any guy who can muss you up like that is your type, Tea."

She was spared from having to answer by Johnny striding back. "I've got to go, but I'll return this afternoon to... finalize things. Ladies." He saluted the three of them with his forefinger to his forehead and started off, but then turned back. His gaze swept the ground and Tea's cut hand, then lifted to meet hers.

. "We'll settle other things later, too," he told her, and then he was gone.

"What other things?" Eve questioned, brows once again shooting northward.

Tea ignored her, turning to see Joey purse her lips and send a smacking airkiss in Johnny's direction. That she couldn't ignore. "Geez! Joey!"

Not-so-innocent big brown eyes cut her way. "What?