6
E
LLIE FELT SPARKLY from the two rum drinks she'd downed to alleviate her nervousness before they left. Too late, she realized she should have had a nonalcoholic beer with Mark. She could feel her body pulling toward him in the darkness of the car. His cologne, the soothing music, the special dress, all of it combined to make her feel languid and sexy. A shiver of premonition traveled the nape of her neck and she trembled. Trying to shake the feeling, she turned to Mark as they exited the expressway and said, “Any last-minute instructions?”
Mark looked at her, eyebrows lifted and said, “Such as?”
Ellie shrugged. “Such as, is there anybody in particular I'm supposed to make dislike me?”
Mark stared at her for a moment, then quietly said, “No, just be yourself.”
A pretty scary prospect in itself, she thought. “Will your partners be there?”
Mark nodded. “Ray Ivan will be the one with the pipe. His wife passed away only a year ago, so I suspect he'll be alone. The other partners and their wives will be there, and various guests, I suppose.”
When he maneuvered the sedan into a luxurious neighborhood, Ellie's shoulders tensed.
“Hey,” he said, reaching over to cover her hand with his. “Relax. You look wonderful.”
His touch electrified her hand. Ellie swelled under his praise. “Any woman would in this dress.”
He pulled the car behind a long string of vehicles in a semidark driveway, then cut the engine. He unfastened his seat belt, turned toward her and leaned forward until his lips were mere inches from her face. “Not true,” he said, then dipped his head to sweep a quick kiss on her jawbone. “Trust me.” His voice reverberated in her ear, flaming her senses. Ellie swallowed hard at the rush of desire flooding her body.
Mark looked into her eyes. “We were rudely interrupted last weekend outside your door,” he whispered.
Ellie tried to smile. “Oh, that M-Manny. He's always looking out f-for me.”
He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “You're not scared of me, are you?”
Terrified.
“N-no, of course not. That's not what I meantâ”
He silenced her words with his mouth, his lips hungrily descending upon hers. Her throat constricted for want of much-needed moisture and oxygen, then she finally remembered to breathe. His tongue parlayed hers in a sensual battle she gladly forfeited. He twined his hands firmly around her waist, she lifted her arms to his neck and wrested sideways to deepen the embrace.
Something restrained her, prevented her from meeting him fully. She reached down to fumble with the seat belt and it snapped loose, tangling in his arms, then hers as they struggled to free themselves. Gasping for breath, they dived at each other again. This time Mark lifted her, putting his hands beneath her hips to pull her up and against his chest. She could sense his mounting frustration at the awkward angle. Suddenly he pulled her over the low console to straddle his lap. Her hair brushed the ceiling of the car and the steering wheel pressed into her back as she settled around his arousal, her dress hiked up to expose the garter belt she wore. Somewhere along the way she'd lost her shoes, but she didn't care. All that mattered was Mark Blackwell touching her, wanting her.
Mark thought he might climax on the spot when his hands discovered the snaps of her garter belt. This woman was killing him. “Ellie,” he whispered against her neck. She arched her breasts against his chin and he buried his face in her cleavage. She rained kisses over his forehead as she wrapped her arms around his head to pull him closer. He bit lightly at her hardened nipples through the fabric of her dress and bra. His hands rode her waist, pushing her down on his arousal. The blood pounded in his brain as it exited, rushing to his midsection. Her breathing rasped as ragged as his as she moaned her pleasure.
“Hey!” a voice shouted outside the window. Mark jerked his head up and panic seized him. One glance confirmed his worst fear. Ray Ivan stood there, crouched and peering into the window. “Blackwell? Is that you? Get a room, son!” Then his partner turned and walked toward their host's home.
They were still for a few seconds as the realization of their indiscretion sunk in. Mark laid his head back and groaned. His arousal wilted. He opened his eyes and looked into Ellie's, wide with concern.
“That was bad, wasn't it?” she asked, biting her lip.
Mark stared at her for a few seconds, then burst out laughing at the incongruity of the situation. And the more he laughed, the harder he laughed. Soon, Ellie joined him as she climbed from his lap and fell into her own seat.
Slapping her knee, Ellie laughed and laughed, until she realized Mark had fallen silent. Looking at his suddenly somber profile, she emitted a final, weak giggle, then cleared her throat.
“What is it about you?” he asked, still staring straight ahead. His rumpled hair and slack mouth were in startling contrast to his dressy attire and normally regal bearing.
Uneasiness crept over Ellie as she fished for her shoes under the seat. “What do you mean?”
He looked over at her with an exasperated expression. “I mean, you drive me to do crazy things like make out in the front seat of my car at a business dinner!”
Anger flashed through Ellie and she pointed her index finger at him. “I didn't exactly fly over there and land on your lap, buster!”
He turned back to stare ahead, then raised his hands in a questioning gesture. “I'm a normal, red-blooded guy, but I've never done anything this stupid before.” He spoke quietly, as if to himself, his hands animated. “After all these years of busting my butt and keeping my nose clean, my partner now thinks I'm Mr. Happy Pants.”
Ellie sat up, and snapped open her purse to retrieve a comb. The pheromone pills fell into her lap, and she froze. She straightened her dress and asked, “Are we still going in?”
“If you're up to it, I am. I'm sorry I put you in this situationâ”
“It's all right, Mark,” Ellie assured him guiltily. If not for those magic pills of hers, the whole incident would never have happened. “Let's just make the best of it.”
“You're right,” he said, adjusting his tie. “It'll look worse if we don't go in. Thanks for being a sport.”
They spent a few minutes righting their clothes, then stepped out into the cool early-June night air. Ellie took several deep breaths to clear her head, and took the arm he offered her to walk up the steps.
Mark rang the doorbell, then smiled at her as they waited. “I'll have to admit,” he said, turning back to stare straight ahead, “the garter belt was a nice surprise.” He rocked back on his heels casually, confident.
Ellie couldn't resist knocking him off balance again. “Then I can't imagine what you would've thought of my tattoo.” The look on his face was priceless as the front door swung open and a man who identified himself as Patrick pulled her into his home with a friendly handshake.
It appeared they were among the last of about seventy-five to arrive. Cocktails and finger food circulated the room. Laughter and spirited conversation buzzed around them.
“Ellie?” A familiar female voice spoke behind her, and Ellie turned to see her former boss, Joan Wright, walking toward her.
“Joan,” Ellie said, delighted, stepping forward to hug the woman.
“How wonderful to see you!” the older woman said. “What brings you to the Beechams'?”
“I do,” Mark said, stepping in to introduce himself.
Joan shot an amused glance at Ellie, then said, “Ah, you must be the new partner.” She shook his hand, then frowned slightly. “Is something wrong with your forehead?”
Ellie's eyes and Mark's hand traveled upward. Lipstick kisses dotted his hairline. She made a frantic wiping motion with her hand, then turned to draw Joan into a conversation about the arts center.
“And the commission is going welt?” Joan's eyes asked more questions than her lips.
Ellie nodded. “The preliminary work on the painting is done. I hope to get down to business tomorrow.”
“I'll let you ladies talk,” Mark said, inclining his just-cleaned head. “Excuse me.” Ellie felt a curious sense of loss as he walked away. Dam, she was getting much too used to having this man around.
“Hi.”
Ellie turned to see Mark's secretary, Monica, standing next to her and Joan. Ellie made the introductions.
“So,” Monica said, her tone silky with innuendo, “how's it going with you and Mark?”
“Oh, we're just friends,” Ellie assured her.
“Mark is quite a catch,” she said.
Ellie smiled. “I'm not fishing,” she said, then steered the conversation in a safer direction. “Joan, I thought you and Manny were going someplace tonight.”
Joan's eyes twinkled mischievously, then she moved her head slightly to indicate someone across the room.
Ellie turned to look and nearly swallowed her tongue. Manny, looking feminine and elegant in a brunette wig and long navy dress, stood chatting with none other than Ray Ivan, senior partner. He glanced up and caught her eye, then gave her a tiny shrug of bewilderment. She beckoned him frantically, but even as Manny tried to break away, Ivan followed him with a hand at his elbow. A finger of fear nudged Ellie's stomach.
While Ray and Joan exchanged greetings, Ellie pulled Manny down and whispered furiously, “What are you doing here dressed like that?”
He grinned. “I look fabulous, don't I?”
“Manny!”
He pouted prettily. “Relax, would you? It's a jokeâJoan thought it would be hilarious to crash a stuffy gig. I had no idea it was the same party you were going to.” He grinned and lowered his voice. “I love fooling the straight ones, and I think this Ivan guy is loaded.”
“He's Mark's partner, you idiot!”
Manny looked hurt. “But he likes me.”
“He likes
Molly,”
she said, using his stage name. “There's a big difference.”
“Joan and I are splitting in a few minutes, anyway.”
“Don't do anything foolishâRay just caught us practically naked in the car. Mark is worried to death.”
Joan and Monica slipped away. Ray Ivan stepped to Manny's side and smiled at Ellie. “Are you a friend of Molly's?”
“Ellie's my roommate,” Manny purred in a low, silky voice. “She's here with Mark Blackwell.”
Ellie smiled tightly.
Gee, thanks
,
friend.
“Blackwell?” Ivan's eyebrows shot up. “I gather you are, er, close.”
Embarrassment flooded over her and she floundered for something to say.
“They're practically married,” Manny assured him, patting his arm.
Â
MARK WANDERED OVER to a drink tray and picked up a martini, then scanned the room for Ivan. He needed to extend an apology for what had happened, and he wanted to get it over with. Not sure what he'd say when he did find him, Mark just prayed the right words would come to him. He removed the lipstick-stained handkerchief from his pocket. Between cat allergies and various mishaps, he'd have to remember to carry two hankies with him when Ellie was around. He used the soiled cloth to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
Raising his glass to take another sip, he glanced back to Ellie and choked on the liquid in his throat. Ray Ivan stood talking to her and an attractive brunette. He hurried over to the group as unobtrusively as possible.
“Blackwell!” Ivan boomed. “Glad to see you finally cameâI mean, made itâer, good to see you, son.” Mark felt the heat climb up his neck as he shook the senior partner's hand.
“Good to see you, sir.”
Ivan gestured to the striking woman at his side. “I assume you've met Molly since she's your lovely fiancée's roommate.”
So, she had another roommate. “No, I haven't had the pleasureâ” His hand stopped in midair. “Did you say fiancée, sir?”
Mark and Ellie exchanged panicked glances, then spoke at the same time.
“I'm not reallyâ”
“She's not reallyâ”
Ivan raised his eyebrows. “What's that, Mark?”
Mark thought about the picture they'd presented earlier to his conservative partner who'd been married for forty years. Mark reached over to put an arm around Ellie's shoulders and squeezed her against him. “Yes, she is lovely, isn't she? Could I have a word with you in private, sir?”
“Certainly.”
Mark loosened his grip on Ellie and steered the senior partner to a quiet doorway. “Sir, I want to apologize for what you sawâ”
Ivan raised his hand and waved Mark's words away. “Perfectly natural for a man and his bride-to-be, son. When's the big day?”