Somehow he had to keep Amber in the offices of Barlow & Charles. In a few short days sheAEd become a necessity to the smooth running of the firm. And though he was reluctant to admit it even to himself, she was rapidly becoming a necessity to the harmonious existence of Grayson Charles.
Roger, if he knew, would die laughing at the irony of it all.
But as he maneuvered the Mercedes through the busy evening traffic, Grayson found business to be the last thing on his mind. His traitorous thoughts kept straying into other possibilities.
What was she like away from the office? He couldnAEt help wondering. Did the consummate professional Ms. Shaw own anything that wasnAEt a power suit? Did the contents of her closet include a pair of beat up blue jeans? Was there a frayed old teddy bear hiding in a box in her storage locker like an ugly secret?
oWhat are you smiling about?o Grayson jerked back to the present. No, stuffed toys certainly werenAEt Amber ShawAEs style.
oI was just thinking about the last time we were here,o he said, turning the car into the parking lot.
She glanced over at him, her expression guarded. oAnd youAEre laughing?o oIn retrospect it was funny.o oI donAEt recall you thinking so at the time.o oI seem to have rediscovered my sense of humor.o He held the door open for her, wondering if sheAEd glare in return for his chivalrous gesture. She offered him a smile of thanks.
oMaybe Roger was right about you working too hard. ItAEs not good for you.o oIAEm sure Roger will be delighted to hear you thought well of him,o Grayson said as they followed the hostess to their table.
Right or wrong, he was determined to forget about work tonight. As soon as he got that one detail out of the way, the rest of the night was his. He intended to spend it on pleasure.
A warm breeze stirred the candles in spite of the lateness of the season. Piano music drifted across the terrace. Only the crimson leaves drifting down onto the terra-cotta tile from neighboring maples betrayed the truth. Another few weeks and the trees would be bare, but if she closed her eyes, Amber could believe it was still July and the incident last time she visited The Terrace had never happened.
Candlelight added golden highlights to GraysonAEs dark curls. Tips of flames reflected in the dark depths of his eyes. A woman could get lost in the intensity of his gaze. A woman could be lured into a false sense of security by his attentiveness, his quiet humor. Why this man? Had the circ.u.mstances been different, she might laugh at the irony of it all.
oWhen is John Barlow coming back to work?o Amber asked as the busboy cleared away the last of their dinner dishes.
oWithin the next few days.o Grayson dumped a lump of sugar into his coffee and stirred it. oWhy do you ask?o oI got the feeling he didnAEt like me.o Amber stopped short of revealing sheAEd eavesdropped on their entire conversation.
oHe didnAEt even meet you, Amber. What makes you so sure?o She shrugged and contemplated the menu of fattening deserts. oA hunch. IAEm good at reading people.o She decided to pa.s.s up a slice of the sinfully chocolate layer cake.
oI suppose it comes with the territory.o oLawyers must develop a sixth sense for people as well. You know, who really did it, and whoAEs innocent.o oIt isnAEt my job to judge their souls, Amber.o oThe ones with tarnished souls are obvious to me.o Grayson tipped back his head and laughed heartily. oAnd what about me? Is my soul tarnished?o AmberAEs eyes narrowed across the flame between them. oIAEm reserving judgment about you.o oReally? IAEm not guilty as charged?o oSentence hasnAEt yet been pa.s.sed.o oLucky me. I guess IAEd better be on my best behavior.o He reached between them, taking the gla.s.s of ice water the waitress had just refilled and moved it to his side of the table. oI think IAEll keep this over here, just in case.o oRelax, IAEve changed my modus operandi.o Grayson shook his head. oI do have to hand it to you, Amber. No one I know could have made a business of such a strange specialty.o Amber felt herself blushing and hoped the darkness covered it. oActually, I was a dismal success as a private investigator.o Now, why did I tell him that?
In good grace, he let the comment drop.
But the words kept coming, as if the one gla.s.s of wine sheAEd had with dinner had loosened her lips. And her hold on good sense.
oMy business was practically in bankruptcy court, until my friend Maureen asked me to track down her boyfriend.o oAnd you found him.o oOf course,o Amber said a little indignantly. oI am a good researcher.o oI had noticed.o oAnyway, I did find him. But Maureen wasnAEt satisfied. She wanted to get even with him for all the heart ache heAEd caused her.o oSo what did you do to the poor guy?o Amber grinned at him over her coffee cup. oOh no, Counselor. I never discuss the details of my cases.o oCome on, tell me.o She shook her head, crimson hair catching the candleAEs light. oUh-uh. It just wouldnAEt be professional.o oCruel to pique a guyAEs curiosity like that. I gather it didnAEt involve ice.o oNo ice. Suffice to say Maureen got her revenge. She told two friends, who in turn told two friends....o oDonAEt you ever get tired of it? Looking at the seedy side of love?o Coffee burned its way down her throat. She swallowed hard. Now where did that come from? If she didnAEt know better, sheAEd think Grayson had a similar talent when it came to reading souls. Fixing him with her coolest gray stare, she asked calmly, oIs there another?o oMs. Shaw, you are terribly cynical.o oOccupational hazard.o oYouAEve missed your calling, Amber. You should have been a lawyer.o oOh, I could never have afforded university.o The words slipped from her lips before she could call them back. Why on earth had she told him that? Forget I said that, she wished him earnestly.
oStill, you have a successful business.o He laughed, putting her at ease in spite of what sheAEd just blurted out. oAnd I wouldnAEt have wanted to meet up with you on the courtroom floor. Once was enough.o oYou won the case.o He smiled back at her. Eyes like dark jewels glinted in the candlelight. oThe settlement was more than I had hoped for.o Grayson reached across the table and covered her hand with his. His skin was warm against the slight coolness the breeze had taken on as the evening progressed. Wrapped in his, her hand looked incredibly small. Amber rarely thought of herself as a short person. Only when she stood next to someone extraordinarily tall, or had to climb on the stove to get something out of the cupboard, did the reality of her height intrude upon her self image. Most of the time she used nerve and persistence to make up for the lack. Next to Grayson, she couldnAEt help feeling slight and delicate. Normally the sensation would bother her, but instead she felt comforted, protected. And that bothered her a whole lot more.
Amber attempted to pull her hand from his. Grayson captured it with his other hand. Having no other choice, she looked across the table at him. Velvet brown eyes stared back at her. Her gaze dropped to his full lips and she had to physically restrain herself from leaning across the table to kiss him. The warmth of his touch spread up her arm. A rush of heat swept her body. A sudden vivid image of what those hands following in its wake flashed through her mind.
This she hadnAEt expected. Briefly, she entertained the possibility he might find her as unforgettable as she had him, then banished the thought. Breath caught in her throat. The sensation of protection changed to one of being cornered.
oAmber, thereAEs something IAEve been meaning to ask you.o She had to get away even if it was just to the ladies for a few minutes to gather her thoughts.
oWould you excuse me for a moment--o Amber moved to stand up. Her napkin slid from her lap. She pulled her hand from GraysonAEs, reached for it.
And felt his fingers close around it instead.
She looked up, into his face only inches away. His breath was warm against her cheek. He smelled of soap and the dusky undertones of coffee and wine.
Before she could draw away, he closed the distance between them. Feather soft lips covered hers. She felt the sweep of his long eyelashes. Then she was swept under.
Sensation rushed in a dazzling arc from her lips down her spine. Strong arms drew her closer. She went willingly into his embrace. Her own hands laced through his dark curls. For a man sheAEd thought to be cold he set her completely aflame.
Sounds of the restaurant around them retreated into the distance. Dimly, she registered the click of the waitressAE heels against the tile as she moved toward them, then turned abruptly away. We must make quite a sight. She hoped none of the staff recognized them from their last visit.
Brazenly, she realized she didnAEt care. GraysonAEs lips molded to her own. His tongue flicked against hers, and she responded with a duel of her own. He moaned softly, low in his throat. With more of those weightless kisses, he followed the line of her lips, then dropped lower to caress the soft skin beneath her ear. Those torturous lips withdrew slightly, drifting up the slope of her nose to deposit kisses like a gift on each of her closed eyes.
But then Grayson drew gently away. Amber groaned, a m.u.f.fled cry of reluctance. Within the fire of his dark eyes embers glowed like black opals.
oCome back soon,o he whispered. Retrieving her napkin he placed it on the white table cloth.
Amber straightened her skirt and fled to the ladiesAE room.
Cool tile against her back helped dull the fire inside her. What was I doing? What was I thinking? Sometime during the meal her good sense had taken a dive off the terrace. I canAEt believe I was just kissing Grayson Charles. He didnAEt seem to mind, she thought and swallowed hard. In fact it had been his idea. Or had it been hers?
Did it matter? Either way, it was a very bad idea. SheAEd been ordered by the court to work for him, as the result of a mistake heAEd sued her for. Tonight sheAEd meant to ask him for a few hours off. And completely forgotten about Fair Game, Inc. and her livelihood.
The Charles brothers were simply too good looking and too charismatic for their own good. But that didnAEt change the fact that she wanted Grayson desperately. A strange sensation, she hadnAEt wanted anyone since Eric.
In the end it made no difference, she decided. You couldnAEt have everything you wanted in life. Some things, even though desirable, just werenAEt good for you.
A relationship with Grayson Charles, like too much candy, was not in her best interest. Too much lay at stake--the business sheAEd built up from nothing, her professional integrity, and last but most definitely not least, her heart. Amber knew from past experience the consequences of risking your heart in a bad prospect. Emotional damage lingered much longer than bankruptcy.
Amber splashed cold water against her face. It helped to cool the fires raging inside. Rummaging in her purse, she found her compact and brushed powder over her nose. Well, she had the outside back together. The churning emotions inside sheAEd deal with later. After a long cold shower to restore her common sense.
She made her way back through the restaurant, back straight, projecting a confidence she no longer felt. Patrons thinned as the evening wore on. They ought to be going as well. She took her seat and smiled guardedly at Grayson.
oWhat did you want to ask me?o oIAEve been meaning to ask if you--o Grayson cleared his throat. oIf when your time with Barlow & Charles is over, if youAEd be interested in doing some contract work for us.o His words struck her like a blow. Is that what the romantic dinner, the pa.s.sionate kiss had been leading up to?
Silently, Amber called herself twenty types of fool. With one kiss Grayson had her casting aside a vow two years old. Never again, she sworn. From that day on sheAEd live for herself and build up her new business. Entanglements with men caused only heartache. Beneath the flowers, the dinners, the torrid kisses, there lay ulterior motives. A stab of ancient pain tore through her, followed swiftly by a wave of fury.
Thankfully, sheAEd seen through him in time. It would be so easy to fall for Grayson Charles with his devastating good looks and his kisses that stoked fires long dormant within her. If all he wanted was some contract work, then why hadnAEt he just asked? If he thought Amber ShawAEs soul was one of the fringe benefits included, he was sorely mistaken.
Staring across the table with that same earnest expression, Grayson waited for her reply.
oI do have a full schedule just now.o Anger clipped off the ends of her words with sharp precision.
His eyebrows drew downward at her tone. Hurt gathered in those dark eyes like storm clouds. oI could really use your help,o he said softly.
oPerhaps you could find something else to sue me for.o Oops! She hadnAEt meant to say that. And not with such venom. She watched his full lips harden to a thin line. Delightful tingles of that last kiss settled in her stomach in a cold weight. She choked back the pain she knew was coming. Later. A familiar pain, sheAEd dealt with it before. She could get over it again. Amber took a swallow of cold coffee.
oI guess we better get back to the office. The work you wanted me to finish tonight is still on the desk where I left it.o oYou havenAEt answered my question.o Anguish colored his tone.
I hurt him. Guilt tangled with the ache inside. Why was Grayson Charles hurting, when heAEd led her on like that? Humiliated her into thinking he felt the same attraction she struggled with.
oLet me think about it.o oPlease do.o Grayson motioned for the check.
oLet me.o Amber reached for her wallet.
He waved her offer away. oItAEs my pleasure,o he said gruffly. And rose to leave. As she followed him out of the restaurant, Amber realized once again sheAEd forgotten to ask him for that night off. ****
Something I said?
Grayson focused his attention on the road in front of him instead of the beautiful woman at his side. The image of her sitting across from him, her crimson hair gilded by candlelight tortured him. The way she licked her lips when she was thinking drove him to distraction. Flames of her hungry kiss still licked at his insides.
What a fool I am. I thought the evening was going well. Despite his many attempts to understand female psychology, women remained a mystery to him. Roger was the expert. Roger knew all the right things to say. Women flocked to Roger like bees to honey while Grayson lagged behind with his leaden tongue and reticent ways.
What on earth went wrong this time? He hadnAEt meant to kiss her. But the sight of her porcelain face, wide gray eyes and waiting lips consumed him. She kissed him back with a hunger to match his own. No woman desired him like that.
Grayson glanced furtively in the rearview mirror to make sure her lipstick wasnAEt smeared across his mouth. No, there were no outward signs of their entanglement. He found himself wishing for a souvenir of her.
She hadnAEt so much glanced in his direction since they left the restaurant. Did she regret kissing him? Had he completely misread the situation?
With that one item of business out of the way, heAEd intended to pick up where they left off, forget about business and enjoy each otherAEs company. His sensual plans for the rest of the evening evaporated with his shame. Now he was heading back toward the offices of Barlow & Charles. Definitely not where he wanted to spend the remainder of the warm Indian summer night. Wracking his brain, he still couldnAEt figure out what went wrong.
He needed advice, but who could he ask? Certainly not Roger. When he finished laughing at his expense, Roger would consider her dismissal of Grayson as an opportunity to move in himself.
But what if Roger didnAEt know it was Amber he was asking about?
Amber strode through the gla.s.s door he opened for her without a word. In silence they rode up to the third floor. He couldnAEt think of anything light to say as they walked down the hall. The door to the firm swung open with a click, admitting him to his prison.
oI have a few calls to make,o Grayson said quietly. Amber nodded.
He was half way down the hall when he heard her scream.
Grayson bolted back down the hallway, skidding to a halt when he found Amber seemingly unscathed staring in horror at the inside of the top desk drawer. Slowly, he came around the side of the desk and glanced carefully inside.
And found the mutilated body of a dead mouse.
Wounded, he reasoned, it had obviously crawled in there and died. The alley behind the building was full of stray cats. Cats the night guard was fond of feeding. Any one of the feline visitors could be responsible. Despite his rationalization, like Amber he was repulsed.
Instinctively, he reached for her, and surprisingly she came willingly into his arms. He leaned his head against the top of her crimson curls, breathing in the scent of perfume and shampoo. oIAEm sorry, Amber. IAEll get rid of it.o For a moment she burrowed deeper into his embrace, her head pillowed against his chest. Then she struggled, pulling away from him. He let her go.
oI wasnAEt expecting it, thatAEs all. I wouldn"t want you to think IAEm one of those women who shrieks at the sight of a spider ... or a mouse.o Grayson tugged the corners of his mouth into a neutral expression. If he laughed, heAEd be a dead man. But screamed was exactly what sheAEd done. oI wouldnAEt think that,o he said softly.
AmberAEs eyes narrowed, suspicion crossed her face.
Oh no. Now what have I done? Grayson watched her face cloud with anger. Surely she doesnAEt think I left it there!
oIf this is your idea of a sick joke....o oJoke! Honestly, Amber, I have better things to do with my time.o oI certainly hope you do.o oLook,o he said, desperately trying to remain in control of the situation. oForget about the work. Let me drive you home.o oI can drive myself, thank you.o s.n.a.t.c.hing up her purse, Amber vanished through the office door.
Chapter SIX.
oWhat do you mean she was cool to you?o Roger steamed milk for cappuccino as he contemplated GraysonAEs plight. The idea of a woman responding with less than unbridled pa.s.sion was obviously a foreign concept to him. oDid she smack you across the face or something?
oNo, of course not!o Grayson s.n.a.t.c.hed the cup from RogerAEs grasp, ignoring the grin his brother didnAEt even go to the trouble of trying to hide. oWhy, do women make a habit of smacking you?o Roger shrugged. oItAEs happened, sure.o Grayson shook his head. Why had he ever thought Roger could help? He leaned against the spotless black counter top and smothered the urge to spill something on it just to make the place look lived in. He didnAEt need to walk down the hallway and peer into the bedroom to know that RogerAEs domain would be just as obsessively neat, with his black lacquered bed, paisley duvet and not even a dirty sock out of place. To Roger appearances meant everything.
As boys theyAEd fought over s.p.a.ce in their bedroom, down to the last inch, finally laying a strip of masking tape across the floor to mark their territory. And he wanted us to buy a condo together! Grayson shook his head incredulously. They would have been at each otherAEs throats!
oYou still havenAEt told me who this mystery woman is.o Roger added a froth of steam milk to the top of his own coffee and motioned for Grayson to join him in the living room.
oNo, and IAEm not going to.o Grayson sunk wearily down onto the overstuffed black couch and waited for the leather to warm up to skin temperature. RogerAEs living room furniture, like half of his wardrobe was black leather. Roger thought it made him look artsy. Grayson thought it made him seem like a teenager in the first throes of rebellion against the status quo.
Roger sprawled on the other half of the L-shaped couch. oWe wouldnAEt be speaking of the lovely Ms. Shaw, would we?o oNo.o He bit off the word, knowing his brother would see through his white lie as if it was written in neon letters above his head. But Roger took his denial in good grace. oSheAEs someone I met in court.o That, at least, was the truth.
oMy, havenAEt we been busy lately, big brother.o oThat, too.o They were silent a moment while Roger grinned like the Cheshire Cat and Grayson struggled with his thoughts.
oObviously I said something I shouldnAEt have, I just canAEt figure out what it was.o oShe didnAEt tell you to get lost,o Roger offered helpfully. oWhat makes you think she was put off?o Grayson groaned. RogerAEs view of the world was painted in bold brush strokes. If a woman told him to drop dead, that meant no. Anything less could be considered a come on. How could he explain a woman with such baffling nuances as Amber Shaw? Without giving away that the woman in question was Amber Shaw. oOne minute she was all over me. The next she was barely speaking to me.o oBut she didnAEt tell you to drop dead or anything.o oNo!o oMaybe she was just having a bad day.o Grayson frowned. oThatAEs not much help.o oMaybe it was something you said.o oThanks a bunch, Roger.o Roger offered him another of his leering grins in reply.
oHave you finished entertaining yourself at my expense?o oNot nearly.o Grayson set down his coffee cup. oI should go. IAEve got to be in court tomorrow morning.o Roger stood, blocking his path to the door. oRelax, Gray. I was only kidding. And you still havenAEt told me what exactly you want to know.o He didnAEt even know what questions to ask. Grayson felt his face coloring with embarra.s.sment. Roger certainly didnAEt want to make this easy for him. oWhat do you say to a woman, when you want her to know youAEre attracted to her, that you want to get to know her better, buta.o oYouAEre not ready to hop into the sack with her yet,o Roger finished for him.
Grayson drew in a deep breath and prayed for patience. oSomething like that.o oTell her sheAEs the most beautiful woman youAEve ever met.o oNot really my style.o Roger shrugged, less inclined to be helpful now that his golden advice had been ignored.
oItAEs just not the kind of thing you can blurt out over coffee.o oCoffee!o Roger rolled his eyes. oTake her dancing, Gray.o Grayson rubbed a hand across tired eyes. oYou know d.a.m.ned well I canAEt dance.o oOh, right.o oItAEs not like I got a lot of practice, is it? As I recall, the girls were always more interested in dancing with you.o Roger crossed his arms in defiance of his accusation. oYou canAEt blame all your romantic failures on me. I mean look at you. You work too hard, you take too little time off, and even when youAEre not working youAEre so deadly serious. ItAEs a wonder women donAEt run screaming.o oYouAEre making me feel so much better,o Grayson said sarcastically.
His brother looked him up and down. oThatAEs exactly what I mean. YouAEre sitting there right now, glowering at me like the worldAEs about to end instead of discussing this exciting new woman youAEre seeing.o oMisfortune happens, Roger.o oThatAEs right. Relationships break up, hearts get broken, businesses go bankrupt, people sue each other. But you spend so much time looking for trouble, you neglect to see the good around you, Gray. o oIAEm trying to keep DadAEs firm going so Mom can have a good retirement.o oSheAEs not going to starve because you take a day off.o oShe might the way BarlowAEs been acting.o oSo start your own firm.o Grayson found himself suddenly at the very end of his patience. oThatAEs enough, Roger. I came here for some advice, not a lecture. ItAEs fine for you to make grandiose suggestions, but youAEre not the one who has to carry them out.o He carried his empty cup to the kitchen and set it on top of the dishwasher. Why on earth was he wasting his time drinking coffee with Roger anyway? That extra jolt of caffeine would only ensure he stayed up all night, worrying about his court appointment and ruminating over what went wrong with Amber. The whole thing had been a bad idea. Why had he bothered?
oThanks for the coffee.o He tossed his suit jacket over his shoulder and glanced at his watch. oItAEs late, IAEd better get going.o oMeant to ask you,o Roger said as he walked toward the door. oCan I borrow your car Sat.u.r.day night?o Grayson regarded his brother from under dark brows. oWhatAEs wrong with yours?o oItAEs in the shop.o Obviously, he wasnAEt going to get away without one last annoyance. oI guess so.o oHow about your new sports jacket?o oDonAEt tell me your leather jacketAEs being repaired as well.o oAs a matter of fact, I took it to the cleaners to be mended.o oWild date, I take it?o oYou could say that,o Roger said obliquely. He slumped back down on the couch and swung his long legs up on the coffee table.
Shaking his head, Grayson turned the bra.s.s door handle. He glanced over his shoulder, throwing a dark look in RogerAEs direction. oGAEnight, Roger.o oGo to bed, Gray. If you wonAEt take some time off, at least get some sleep.o Grayson closed the door on the rest of RogerAEs lecture.
oWhy did I bother asking him?o he muttered to himself as he waited for the elevator. oWe never agree on anything. Especially women.o **** Roger watched the door swing quietly shut. For a moment he stared at it, as if he could launch his thoughts through it into GraysonAEs departing back. Finally, certain his brother wouldnAEt be returning, he got up and locked it. He leaned against the door, surveying the spot Grayson had been sitting. GraysonAEs thoughts proclaimed themselves as loudly as if theyAEd been written above his head in letters ten feet high.
A slow smile broke across RogerAEs face. Of one thing he was sure. Amber Shaw was the woman Grayson was seeing.
oBig brother, thou doth protest too much.o Not that the fledgling romance was going to last with Grayson being such a clod. He shook his head again. What a pity. As much as heAEd like a chance at winning her affection, she was obviously perfect for Grayson. It didnAEt take a genius to see why. A woman like Amber Shaw with a keen wit and a penetrating mind wouldnAEt be swayed by what she saw on the surface. GraysonAEs profession, his house wouldnAEt mean anything to her. SheAEd be far more interested in the Grayson inside, the man Grayson showed to no one, not even his twin.
What a shame the relationship was doomed to fail.
Then again, perhaps it didnAEt have to.
RogerAEs smile broadened. He ran a hand through his long, curly hair. He was long past due for a haircut. He snickered softly to himself.
oThe sacrifices I make for you, big brother.o ****
oHe called in sick!o oAccording to his secretary. I just called from the phone booth across the street.o The photographer waited patiently for Amber to pay her and send her home, or to book overtime at twice her usual rate.
Amber stamped one high heeled shoe against the soft earth and choked back the urge to scream. Her heel sunk into the gra.s.s up to the sole. Yanking her foot from the sod, she succeeded only in pulling up a hunk of turf, which didnAEt satisfy her urge for destruction at all. The logistics of this prank had been a nightmare from the moment sheAEd taken the case.
An hour ago, posing as a photocopy machine meter reader, sheAEd been admitted to the plant. Finding Apartment 4AEs office, she replaced the tie he kept hanging pre-tied on a hook in his closet with an identical one smeared with an extremely sticky clear substance. Together with the photographer and the videographer, sheAEd crouched below his office window waiting ... at a price tag of over two hundred dollars an hour.
Now sheAEd received word that Apartment 4 called in sick. Strangely, so had his boss. Which of course meant she was going to need another tie, another way of getting it into the office, and she must pay the tradeswomen for their time and send them home. JenniferAEs satisfaction would have to wait until early next week, setting her schedule back several more days.