Love Read online

  “Don’t even think about it,” she muttered, partly to him, partly to herself.

  A knowing grin spread across Jason’s face. “Think about what?”

  Dana threw down her napkin. “I have to get back to work. Would you call a cab for me?”

  “You’re running,” he observed.

  “Will you call the cab or should I do it myself?”

  “I’ll take you back to work.”

  When he made no move to get up, she said, “Now.”

  “As soon as you’ve eaten your dessert. It’s cherry cobbler.”

  Dana nearly groaned in frustration. How had Jason guessed that cobbler was her favorite? Had he done a background check? He was just the type to leave nothing to chance. Even so, that kind of attention to detail could too easily become addictive. When was the last time anyone had paid attention to what she wanted or needed? Sammy, who knew her better than anyone, couldn’t even remember her birthday.

  Before Dana could protest that she was full—a blatant lie he’d see through in an instant, anyway—Jason was setting a warm bowl of the rich dessert in front of her. Ice cream melted over the pastry crust, just the way he knew she liked it. He looked so damned pleased with himself, so anxious to please her.

  “You don’t leave anything to chance, do you?” She didn’t mean it as a compliment, but the resentment got lost somewhere between her brain and her voice. Jason heard nothing more than her reluctant gratitude.

  “I try my best to please.”

  “Why?”

  “This is your first day with Halloran Industries, after all.”

  His tone was quietly serious. It was a logical explanation, but she heard the unspoken undercurrents. She put down her spoon and leveled a look at him. “So, Sammy was right. You are aiming to get me into your bed. Or are you trying to scare me off, Mr. Halloran?”

  “For some reason, I don’t think you scare that easily.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  He didn’t look nearly as embarrassed as she had hoped at having his motives questioned. There was definitely no sign of a quick retreat, just an infuriating, lip-curving hint of amusement.

  “I think I liked it better when you were snapping my head off. I don’t trust this new act one bit,” she said.

  “Funny. I would have guessed it was yourself you no longer trusted.”

  Jason sat back and watched in satisfaction as the full meaning of his remark slowly registered. A blush stole into Dana’s cheeks, and the wariness in her eyes increased tenfold. She raked her fingers through her hair.

  “Jason, we can’t work together if you’re going to try to turn this into some sort of seduction every time we have a meeting.”

  “If you’ll recall, I didn’t bring it up. You did.”

  “No, I just…”

  “Asked if I wanted to sleep with you.”

  If anything, Dana looked even more flustered than she had in the car when she had realized that she had kissed him back with every bit as much fervor as he’d displayed. Obviously there was one area in which they could reach an agreement—they both enjoyed playing with fire.

  “Okay, you’re right. I did say that,” she said. “It’s best if we get this out in the open and face the fact that it wouldn’t work between us.”

  “I agree,” he said, clearly surprising her. “On the other hand, there’s something at work here that we can’t very well ignore or it will drive us both crazy.”

  “No, there’s not,” she denied.

  Jason merely regarded her skeptically.

  “Okay, so maybe there is this…something. I never expected…”

  Jason seized the opening. “What? To get along with me? To want me?”

  Dana looked as if she might be grinding her teeth. Finally she said, “I do not want you.”

  “I could prove just what a liar you are.”

  Her chin lifted. “How?”

  “Don’t tempt me.”

  “How?” she repeated evenly. The dare in her voice belied the doubt in her eyes.

  Without allowing himself so much as an instant to consider what he was doing, Jason was around to her side of the table before she could blink. Hands firmly on her waist, he lifted her to her feet and dragged her against him. He looked into the worried blue depths of her eyes and said softly, “Like this.”

  Then his lips claimed hers, tasting the faint sweetness of cherries, the creaminess of ice cream, the flavor that was uniquely hers. This time Jason abandoned gentle persuasiveness in favor of raw hunger. He had to rid himself of this need that had sprung up seemingly overnight. Those kisses had been like drink for an alcoholic, intoxicating and addictive. It was clear he would never be satisfied until he’d made love to her. Perhaps then he could get back to thinking rationally, the way he always did. This wouldn’t be the first time in his life he’d given in to a foolish impulse.

  Dana didn’t even pretend to fight the kiss. There was the faintest hint of an astonished gasp, and then she was kissing him back, fitting her body to his with an instinctive need every bit as hot and urgent as his own. He could feel the scrambling of her pulse as his fingers curved around her neck. His own heart pounded, the strength of its beat an affirmation of the passion he knew existed between them. Her skin, soft as silk beneath the hem of her sweater, went from shivery cool to searing hot at his touch.

  She was still trembling in his arms, her fingers laced together behind his neck, her lips soft and sweet and yielding beneath his, when the door to his office banged open.

  “What the devil?” His grandfather’s startled reaction was quickly followed by a tolerant chuckle. “Maybe this is a bad time.”

  “It is,” Jason confirmed, holding an obviously embarrassed Dana tight against him. “Go away.”

  Brandon wasn’t about to be turned away so easily. “Not before I say hello to this young woman again,” he insisted, striding across the room.

  “Save the charm, Granddad. We’re both on to you.”

  Undaunted, Brandon just shrugged. “Just looking out for the company’s interests.” He grinned at Dana. His gaze lingered on her sweater, a crazy quilt of hot pink, lime green and lemon yellow. His eyes narrowed.

  “Interesting,” he muttered finally. “Where did you get it?”

  Dana was regarding him as if he’d lost his mind. “Get what, sir?”

  “The sweater, girl. Cheap yarn, but the design’s good. Bold. I like it.”

  She seemed more confused than offended by the criticism of the wool’s quality. “You like it?”

  Brandon chuckled. “Sorry. Occupational hazard. Can’t resist seeing what the competition’s up to.”

  “I’m afraid I’m not much competition. You have nothing to worry about. It’s a very limited edition.”

  “You designed it?” he said, sounding no more surprised than Jason was himself. Jason regarded the sweater more closely and began to wonder about all the others he’d seen her wear. Had she designed those as well?

  “Designed and knit it. I’m afraid you’re right about the yarn, but it’s the dimestore’s best.”

  She stepped away from Jason. He dragged her back and leaned down to whisper, “Remember, we’re in this together.”

  She glared at him, then tried to stare Brandon Halloran down. “Just for the record, sir, I’m not dating your grandson. I don’t even like your grandson.”

  Brandon chuckled. “I see. Too bad. Seems to me he could use a woman with a little spunk in his life. The boy doesn’t have anyone around to keep him on his toes. Needs to have a little fun.”

  Dana regarded him with an expression that was both disbelieving and irritated. “Love is a responsibility. It’s not some game you play.”

  “That’s true enough,” Brandon told her with a gentleness and sensitivity Jason wouldn’t have believed his grandfather capable of. Apparently the old man had detected Dana’s insecurities and intended to rid her of them.

  He went on, “I have a few years on you, young lady, and I�
�m here to tell you, a relationship works a whole lot better if you can pack a little fun and a lot of sparks into it. Now, you two get back to whatever it was you were—” he hesitated, a twinkle in his eyes “—discussing. Oh, and Jason, I’d like to see you in my office whenever you’re free…No rush,” he added slyly as he closed the door firmly behind him.

  Dana immediately spun out of Jason’s arms. “Now, see what you’ve done! He’s going to think because he caught us…”

  “Kissing,” Jason supplied.

  “He’s going to think he’s winning.”

  Jason drew her to him. “Well, we’ll have the last laugh, won’t we?”

  She jerked away from him. He sat on the edge of his desk and watched her pace, her agitation mounting with each step. She stopped in front of him.

  “I don’t think you’re taking this seriously.”

  “Believe me, when it comes to my future, I take everything seriously.”

  “Well then?” she demanded. “How are you going to convince him he can’t manipulate us?”

  “Would you suggest I take him out and give him a stern talking to?”

  “It wouldn’t hurt,” she grumbled.

  “It wouldn’t help, believe me. Granddad’s as stubborn as they come.”

  Her fingers plowed nervously through her hair, setting it on end as she began pacing again. “You’re awfully calm about this.”

  “Dana, he can’t make us do anything we don’t want to do.”

  “I’m not so sure about that.”

  “Well, I am. Relax.”

  Apparently Dana did not appreciate his matter-of-fact attitude about his grandfather. She looked as if she’d like to strangle the pair of them.

  “Jason, what happened just now…”

  “And earlier and last night,” he reminded her.

  She scowled at him. “It is not going to happen again. Ever! We are working together, that’s all. If you can’t accept that, then I’ll arrange to have someone else assigned to your account.” She grabbed her jacket and purse from the sofa where she’d dropped them and stormed through the door.

  Jason figured it would take about ten seconds for her to realize that she was stranded unless she asked him to arrange for a ride back to her office. He counted on another sixty seconds for her to cool down enough to ask for a lift.

  When three minutes had passed without her return, he realized she had every intention of getting back to the print shop on her own. He snatched his coat off the coatrack and took off after her.

  “Mr. Halloran,” Harriet called after him, “where are you going?”

  “I’ll be back in an hour.”

  “But…”

  “Take messages, Harriet.”

  “Your grandfather…”

  “He’ll understand.”

  He found Dana halfway to the bus stop. He pulled his car alongside of her. She didn’t even look his way. He used the power button to roll down the window.

  “Get in.”

  “Go to hell.” She tripped over a mound of icy slush and nearly fell facedown. She grabbed the hood of the car to steady herself.

  Teeth clenched, Jason said again, “Get in. I’ll take you back to work.”

  Stubbornly, Dana marched on. There were half a dozen people at the bus stop. Jason wedged his car into the curb, cut the engine and got out.

  “Dana, for heaven’s sake, don’t be an idiot. Let me give you a lift.”

  She stood behind the other riders and stoically ignored him. He clambered through the slush until he stood face-to-face with her—Italian loafer toe-to-toe with her motorcycle boot.

  “Are you more upset over the kiss, or my grandfather catching us or over the fact that you didn’t want to be interrupted any more than I did?”

  Six faces turned toward the two of them. It was impossible to mistake the amused interest. With the wind whipping down the street, Jason was sure their intimate conversation provided some much-needed heat. How the hell did he wind up in the middle of some scene every time he was with this woman?

  “Jason,” Dana protested weakly.

  “Well, which is it?”

  “Do we have to discuss this here?” she demanded in an undertone.

  He shook his head. “No. We could discuss it in my car.”

  She sighed. “Okay, you win.” She slogged through the slush and got into the car, leaving the observers thoroughly disappointed. One of the men gave Jason a thumbs-up sign.

  “Hey, man, good luck. I have a hunch you’re going to need it.”

  Jason grinned. “I have a hunch you’re right,” he said, just as a handful of filthy snow landed squarely in the middle of his face. Stunned by her daring, he slowly wiped it away as he rounded the car to the driver’s side. As he slid in, he shot Dana a meaningful look.

  “You will pay for that, sweetheart,” he said quietly.

  “Hey, it was your grandfather who said you needed me to bring a little fun into your life. I see what he means. You can’t take a joke.”

  As the remnants of the snowball melted and dripped down his face, Jason found himself chuckling. “I’m not sure this was exactly the fun he had in mind.”

  “Oh?” she said innocently. “Trust me, sweetheart, it’s the only kind you and I are likely to have.”

  “I guess we’ll see about that, won’t we?” Actually he had discovered in the past twenty-four hours that he could hardly wait for the games to begin.

  Dear Lord, he really was losing his mind.

  Chapter Seven

  Jason pulled his car into the first space he could find along the crowded street near the print shop. Before he could cut the engine, Dana had the door open. She swung her long legs out, stepped onto the curb and practically raced down the sidewalk without a backward glance. Jason sat for about sixty seconds admiring the sway of those slender hips, then slowly climbed out to follow. As if she sensed him behind her and actually thought she could elude him, she picked up her pace.

  He assumed that sooner or later she would cool off, but for the moment her temper was still steaming mad and her determination to hold him at arm’s length was rock solid. It would be fascinating to see how long she could hold out once he launched his full-fledged assault on her senses.

  Jason was so busy imagining Dana’s eventual passionate capitulation that he nearly missed the fact that she’d paused in her impatient rush back to work. Standing in the middle of the sidewalk, she leaned down to talk to a tiny, white-haired woman, who was bundled up from head to toe in the wildest combination of colors Jason had ever seen besides one of Dana’s sweaters. Bright blue sweatpants were topped by a garish green jacket. A plaid scarf in bold squares of bumble bee black and yellow had been wound around her neck. A perky red cap sat jauntily on her head. She looked like a delightful gnome.

  Jason was even more enchanted when he overheard her ask in a conspiratorial whisper that carried on the winter wind, “Was that him? Was that handsome man who picked you up earlier your new boss? I couldn’t believe that fancy car of his. It must have cost a fortune. You don’t suppose he’d take me for a ride in it one of these days, do you?”

  Jason couldn’t quite hear Dana’s murmured response, but it was impossible to miss the sudden stain of color in her cheeks.

  The woman patted Dana’s hand. “Dear, mind what I say now. You really mustn’t let him get away. He looks like the kind of man who would know how to treat a woman like you the way she deserves to be treated.”

  Dana was almost as red as the woman’s cap by the time Jason reached her side. The old woman squinted up at him through lenses as thick as bottle glass.

  “Oh my, yes,” she murmured without the slightest hint of embarrassment at being overheard. Once she’d examined him thoroughly from head to toe with blatant curiosity, she declared, “I was right. You are a handsome one.”

  Jason grinned and introduced himself since Dana seemed to be both speechless and mortified.

  “And I’m Mrs. Finch,” the little woman
replied. “I own a small bookstore in the neighborhood. Stop in sometime and I’ll give you a cup of tea. We can have a nice long chat.” Catching sight of Dana’s glare, she added, “About books.”

  “I’d like that,” Jason said.

  “Mrs. Finch’s favorites are romances,” Dana muttered, her expression sour.

  Jason grinned. “There’s absolutely nothing I’d rather talk about. Maybe you’d like to go for a spin in my car. I’ve always preferred driving with an appreciative passenger.” He glanced pointedly at Dana.

  “I have to go to work,” Dana said, turning her back on the two of them.

  With a final conspiratorial wink at Mrs. Finch and a promise to visit her shop soon, Jason followed Dana inside. She had her jacket off and was seated at a desk piled high with galleys by the time he got to her. Her brow was furrowed in concentration as she stared at the top sheet of type. He might have believed her absorption, if the page hadn’t been upside down. He righted it.

  She scowled up at him. “Jason, go away. I have work to do. I’m not on your payroll yet.”

  “Actually, you are. John started billing me for your time as of today.”

  “I trust you’ll let him charge you for the lunch you insisted I eat.”

  He leaned closer to look over her shoulder, bracing his hands on either side of her. His voice dropped to a seductive purr. “Nope. The lunch and the kiss were definitely not business.”

  Jason caught the quick, undeniable flare of heat in her eyes at the mention of that kiss. Dana could protest from now until doomsday that there was nothing between them, but her eyes would always give her away. Instead she shook her head and sighed as if she’d grown tired of fighting with him.

  “Less than twenty-four hours ago you acted as if you couldn’t stand the sight of me. What happened to change your mind?”

  “I caved in to my baser instincts.”

  She gave him a disgusted look. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

  “Actually I do have a smoother technique. Should I try it out?”

  “Can’t you give it a rest?”

  “I don’t think so. Not until you agree to see me again.”