Worth the Risk_ A Contemporary - Megan Hart Page 0,7

bet ten dollars."

"I believe you." Laila laughed. "I'd say you're all the more perfect for my purposes then, right? My family wouldn't expect me to marry a total fool, would they?"

She'd meant her answer lightly, but the way his smile tightened showed she'd stung him. "I didn't mean it that way."

He shrugged, then pointed at his stained shirt. "It's true. But, Laila, I need this job. I need the money. If I screw up one more time, Muriel said she'd have to let me go. I promise you, that if you agree to hire me, I'll be the biggest fool you could ask for."

"Then you're hired," Laila said.

"You won't regret it, I promise," Hal said eagerly. As he reached across the table to shake her hand, he knocked over the pot of tea.

Regret her decision? As the liquid splashed across Laila's thighs, she wondered if she'd survive it.

In the LoveMatch course on vacation preparation, Hal had learned to pack like a woman. Just making sure he had a baseball cap and enough clean underwear for most of the trip wasn't acceptable, not for one of Muriel Whitehead's "boys." Muriel insisted the LoveMatch escorts lucky enough to be taken on trips be prepared for every contingency. Hal, who'd proudly earned the rank of Eagle Scout, had taken Muriel's instructions to heart.

"We're only going for a week, Hal." Laila watched him manhandle his huge suitcase down the short flight of steps in front of the LoveMatch offices. Her own compact duffle bag and tote were already snuggled together in the trunk of her Volvo.

"I wasn't sure if things were going to be formal or not."

Hal lifted his bag into her trunk, almost expecting the car to wheeze under its weight. Maybe he'd been a little overenthusiastic, but this was his first LoveMatch vacation. His first vacation, actually, since he'd quit the accounting firm and started back to school.

He caught her staring at him, but couldn't read her look. "You didn't give me many details."

"Did you pack jeans and a tee-shirt?" Laila asked.

"Yes."

"And something warmer than that--" She pointed to his lightweight windbreaker. "--for night time?"

"Sure did!"

She smiled at him, and the way the expression lit up her eyes made his throat go dry. "Then you're all set. I don't know what else you've got in there, but you sure are prepared."

"A LoveMatch escort is always prepared," he said.

"Just like the Boy Scouts."

"Just like."

She cocked her head, the wonderful smile still playing about her full mouth. "You're not what I expected from a LoveMatch escort, Hal."

She didn't give him time to answer, as if he had one. He wasn't what most women expected from an escort. Laila motioned to him to get in the car as she slid into the driver's seat. Once inside, Hal leaned back against the leather seat. Her car smelled like vanilla, and suddenly his stomach rumbled.

That earned him a sideways glance from her as she buckled her seatbelt. "Hungry?"

"No, not really." It was a lie. He was starving. He'd depleted his savings several months ago, and paying for tuition and supplies was more important than eating. He'd been living on stale saltine crackers and thrice-used tea bags between LoveMatch checks.

"There's a cooler in the back, if you want something."

His stomach goinged again, louder this time. "Thanks."

"My mother would keel over and die if she thought I left on a trip without taking snacks along with me. I think she's afraid I'm going to get stranded somewhere and starve to death on the side of the road." Laila's laugh was warm and smooth. Like honey.

"Mine, too," Hal said. He reached back and hooked the cooler with his hand, popping open the lid. "Whoa."

Her eyes left the road long enough to shoot him a glance. "Whoa, what?"

"There's a lot of food in there." To tell the truth, his mouth was watering just looking at it.

"Help yourself."

Hal saw no reason not to, not when she'd made the offer. He dove in, sliding a thick tuna sandwich out of its plastic baggie and biting into it. A thick glop of tuna and mayonnaise slid out from between the slices of bread and landed on his shirt.

"I packed extra napkins," Laila said.

Hal could only nod as he wiped his shirt. His mouth was too full of food to reply.

"I guess I'd better go over everything with you before we get there," Laila began. "Do you need to get your notebook?"

"Right here." He took it from his jacket pocket and uncapped the pen.

Laila sighed