Authors: Kate St. James
She didn’t take guff from anyone, his beautiful Miss Strawberry Surprise.
“It doesn’t matter how or why I got your real number, babe. I’m just glad I have it.”
She blinked. “Do me a favor?”
“Anything.” If she replied, “Don’t call me ‘babe’”, he’d take it as indication that she’d revealed their business relationship to Chloe. She wouldn’t allow him the endearment in public now that she’d curtailed it in private. Not unless she was on his side one hundred percent.
“This couple we’re meeting today?” she asked.
“Sydney and Teddy.” No objection to “babe”, yet. She’d hit the eighty percent mark.
Chloe scoffed, “They sound like a couple of stuffed toys.”
“More like stuffed shirts.” Not his favorite people, but great contacts for Tess.
“Why are you golfing with them then?”
“Sydney’s looking for a hotshot lawyer, so naturally I thought of Tess.” He could be honest on that point without risking a thing.
Chloe smiled. “How nice. I like this guy, Tee. He’s a keeper.”
Tess emitted a tiny grunt of impatience. “My favor?”
“Sorry, babe. Shoot.”
This time her sky-blue gaze flipped him a subtle warning. She continued to restrain whatever objection sure to be bubbling in her brain.
Ninety percent and climbing.
“This might seem like an odd request, but could you please not call me Tess when we’re with Sydney and Teddy? Or around your brother and father? Or Rob Tanaka, for that matter. I use Teresa for anything work-related. It helps separate my personal and professional lives.”
“Not a problem.” Zach knew all about wearing masks. After trying to fit into his father’s corporation for the better part of a decade, he was an expert. “I might slip up now and then.” Maybe work in a Miss Strawberry Surprise just to witness her reaction. “But I’ll do my best.”
Relief traced her gracious smile. “Thank you.”
Chloe patted her hand. “Maybe you should have a signal. Like if he calls you Tess, you could kick his shins. It always works with me.”
Tess laughed. “Chloe, I don’t kick you! Besides, kicking is too conspicuous.”
“Well, thanks,” Zach said. “My conspicuous shins thank you, too. Chloe might have something, though. We should devise a signal. Nothing violent, I beg you.”
“You could kiss him, Tee.”
“Yeah, you could kiss me. That would shut me up—” and work him up “—fast.”
Was it his imagination, or had her pupils dilated in a manner befitting, say, excitement?
Her spun-sugar lips parted. However, instead of providing fodder for his randy midnight urgings, those succulent lips turned away as she glanced at Chloe.
“Don’t you have to work?”
“I’m on my break.”
Zach was riding high. He’d found an ally in Chloe Nichols, that was certain. But if he didn’t take advantage of Chloe’s genius within the next thirty seconds, he might lose this chance with Tess. Who knew when he’d get another?
He placed a hand on the cool, iron rung of her chair. “The kissing could work. No tongues,” he murmured, wary of going too far.
Chloe cleared her throat. Zach watched from the corner of his eye as the short brunette stepped away to speak to a coworker, affording him and Tess as much privacy as the packed coffeehouse permitted.
He focused his gaze on Tess. Indecision brimmed her eyes as she flicked another glance to Chloe, providing him with the distinct impression that she gauged her friend’s reaction to the possibility of a kiss. The likelihood she’d pretended they were dating soared to ninety-eight percent.
Talk about dedication to one’s client.
He wasn’t about to complain.
Finally, her gaze found his. “No tongues,” she whispered.
He nodded. He loved it when she ordered him around. Besides, she might think she was in control, but they were enmeshed in a sensual tug-of-war he intended to win. He’d ease her along, step by step, until he had her where he wanted. In his bed. Eager and willing. Above him. Beneath him. Her hot silk closing around him.
But for now…
“Just something soft and tender,” he said. One hand remained on the back of her chair. Slowly, he raised the other to the underside of her chin and tipped it up. The violet scent of her perfume intoxicated him. “Something like this.”
Lowering his mouth, he kissed her gently. Her lips, warm and plush and pliant, parted.
He exerted the tiniest bit more pressure. God, she was the sweetest thing he’d ever tasted.
The yearning to abandon the no-tongues stipulation and deepen the kiss drove through him, but he held back. This wasn’t the time or place, and restraint provided its own rewards.
Temptation. Anticipation. Burgeoning excitement.
He glided his fingers along the satiny flesh curving her jaw, then lower, to where her pulse beat in her throat.
Heaven. He’d found heaven…in the middle of a crowded coffeehouse.
But that wasn’t all. There was something more. An ancient, timeless need that whispered of myriad pleasures to come thrummed in his blood, echoed through him, tugged him home.
Man, he could easily stay this way forever. Tess on his side. Beside him.
One hundred percent.
Tess parked her and Sydney’s golf cart near the third-hole women’s tee box and thanked her lucky stars Zach hadn’t booked this game on Northview’s water-dominated Canal Course. Supposedly, the Ridge Course was more challenging, with its sloping fairways and hidden greens, but her swing gave her enough trouble without having to constantly worry about hitting into the drink.
Sydney, a reed-thin brunette who’d recently inherited several art galleries from her grandmother, adjusted rhinestone-studded sunglasses. “Ready, Teresa?” she asked in a clipped British accent that sounded suspiciously put-on. “This is the hardest driving hole on the course. Let’s show the men what we’re made of!”
Easy for you to say.
Tess followed Sydney out of the cart. According to Zach, Sydney van Hoyt had been raised on leisure activities like golf, tennis and sailing. And, like Zach, Sydney excelled at them all. If Tess wanted to pursue more clients of Sydney’s caliber, clearly she needed to rope Jenna into giving her more golf lessons.
Pasting on a polite smile, she waited while Sydney retrieved her driver. The woman issued a cheery “Toodles!” before skipping off to join her fiancé, an amiable guy with ginger hair and a small paunch who’d parked the men’s cart several meters behind theirs on the path.
Turning, Tess pulled the driver out of Jenna’s old golf bag. Within seconds, her finely tuned Zach-radar zipped up her spine.
She whirled to see him striding toward her, the afternoon sun glinting off his sport Oakleys. Sydney and Teddy remained at the other cart, Sydney’s gentle critique of Teddy’s drive from the men’s tee drifting on the slight breeze.
As Zach reached Tess, he removed his sunglasses, revealing warm, sinful-as-chocolate-sauce eyes. “How are the golf shoes?”
His sexy smile nearly melted her panties. Didn’t the man know how
not
to look and sound incredibly hot?
“Fantastic.” A lie. The new shoes pinched like crazy. She should have taken more time ensuring a proper fit, but she hadn’t wanted her tardiness to annoy Sydney. Plus, after telling Zach she planned to buy the golf shoes, she’d needed to commit to the purchase—or confirm his potential suspicions that she and Chloe had been talking about his tongue. In her ear.
“Great. Are you and Sydney hitting it off?”
Nodding, Tess released a breath. She needed to distract herself from anything that reminded her of tongues and kissing. The problem was
everything
reminded her of Zach’s kiss. The electrifying sensation of his lips on hers, his exquisitely gentle touch, the feeling he’d been holding back, that he’d wanted to test her limits but hadn’t.
She forced her thoughts to Sydney. “She’s not in the mood to talk business, so I’ll wait until later in the game. But I’ve learned their wedding is next June, and she’s keeping her name.”
His head tilted. “They’re getting married?”
“Yes, Zach, that’s why she’s wearing a two-carat rock on her left ring finger.”
“I hadn’t noticed.” His husky tone implied that he’d been focused on something much more personal.
On her?
A seductive shiver raced through her.
“I’m impressed.” He glanced at Sydney and Teddy as the pair started for the tee box. “The key to helping someone like Sydney feel comfortable is to keep them talking about themselves. People love telling their life stories. Sydney, especially, loves talking about herself.” A half-smile curved his lips. “It appears you’re doing good, Teresa.” He tugged her braid.
“Thanks, but I doubt my game impresses her. I keep topping the ball. It’s embarrassing.”
“You’re nervous.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Relax, find your balance before you swing. And remember to shift your weight onto your left foot on the downswing.”
“Gee, that’s all?”
“I’ll show you while Sydney tees off.” They strolled toward the couple now waiting at the tee box. Zach’s hand settled on her back, his large palm warm through the linen.
Heart hammering, she asked lightly, “You mean give me more confusing tips?”
“No, I mean I’ll
show
you. Step behind you, put my hands on your hands, follow through a couple of practice swings with you.”
She slanted him a glance. “I don’t think so.” Much too close for comfort.
“Afraid standing that close to you will excite me?”
She might as well be honest. “Yes.”
“Afraid it’ll excite you, too?”
Her nipples tightened. “No.”
He laughed. “I had to kiss you at the coffeehouse, you know. Your friend looked like she expected it. What did you tell her about us?”
Heat climbed her neck. Now definitely wasn’t the time to admit she was using their situation to outsmart Chloe. She needed to maintain as professional a demeanor as possible, given the circumstances. Zach possessed a great sense of humor. He’d probably find the story of how she was working her way around the bet amusing, but she couldn’t chance it. He might pull his business
and
pull her chance to win clients like Sydney while he was at it.
“She probably was expecting something personal between us,” Tess admitted. “I couldn’t exactly tell her you’re a client, could I?”
He offered a charismatic grin. “That’s what I thought, so that’s why I kissed you,” he remarked as if he’d done her a favor.
He was incorrigible. “I know why you kissed me, Zach. But it can’t happen again.”
“Sure.” A devilish gleam lit his eyes.
“Zach, you
do
understand that?”
“Whatever you say…Teresa.” He walked over to join Teddy as Sydney set her ball on the tee.
Tess bit her lip. She was in trouble.
Because she didn’t believe him.
Chapter Eight
Ethan smacked Zach’s serve with a ceiling shot that sent Zach to the rear of the racquetball court.
Wham!
Zach drilled the ball down the line then hunkered down for the rally.
“I thought you said you hadn’t played in two months!” he shouted between labored breaths. His brother’s return whistled past his ears, bouncing off a side wall.
“I haven’t!” Ethan’s court shoes squeaked. “I wouldn’t be playing now if you hadn’t dragged me away from the office.”
Whack!
Zach’s wrist snapped nicely on the pass shot. Breathing heavily, he stepped parallel to his brother as they wrestled for control of center court. Zach’s shots had dominated both games, but Eth was no pushover. They both sweated and grunted like two pigs in a sauna.
“Aw, c’mon, it’s your lunch hour, bro!”
“Yeah, and I could be eating.” Ethan barreled a wicked backhand, but Zach lobbed a high return, forcing his brother behind him.
Eyes on the ball, Zach seized center court. “You hungry?”
Wham!
“Starving.”
The ball sailed in low. “Then enjoy this can of whoop-ass!” Zach slammed in a perfect kill shot. The ball bounced on the floor. Ethan grunted, stretching for the return. He missed.
The ball bounced again, earning Zach the win.
“Thanks, man.” Ethan’s chest heaved. “That was filling.”
“Clever.” Zach shook his brother’s hand. “Dad always said you were the smart one.”
“Dad always said I was the focused one.” Eth removed his protective eyewear.
“I’m focused.”
“Yeah, on having a good time.”
“One of us has to be.” Zach clapped his brother’s back. “Let’s grab a shower and I’ll buy you lunch, fill you in on the meeting with the event planner. She liked Dad’s idea for the Floretta House fundraiser.”
“I heard. She’s still putting figures together, though. There’s nothing to discuss.”
“We can share a meal, anyway. You seem so stressed lately, Eth. You need to relax.”
“Sorry, no can do. I have to get back to the office.”
“You’re gonna stink.”
Ethan smiled, a rare occurrence lately. “Haw-haw. I
am
having the shower.”
They retrieved their towels and sports bags from beside the door. Zach stuffed his protective eyewear and racquet into his bag.
Ethan rubbed his face with a towel. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something,” he said as they headed to the locker room, voices echoing off the sports club’s concrete walls. “Dad thinks you’re primed for the Crockett’s deal. Are you?”
Zach tightened his grip on his sports bag. He’d rather discuss Floretta House. “Why does Dad think I’m primed?”
“I don’t know, Zach, asking Teresa Sheridan for the projections might have something to do with it. Or was that an excuse to get her alone?”
At the time, he could think of nothing else. “I needed to talk to her, Eth.”
“About Crockett’s?” his brother asked in a quiet voice.
Zach followed Ethan into the locker room. The scents of deodorant and sweaty gym socks permeated the air.
“Because that’s the impression you gave Dad,” Ethan said. “Not to mention Lawrence. You never ask for projections. You never show interest in any facet of a deal.” Ethan glanced around the sparsely filled room. “Even I might have thought you’d changed your tune if not for the story of how Teresa—or is it Tess?—picked you up in Danver’s.”