Page 29 of The Money Man
“I admire him. He’s brilliant and successful.” And she wanted to kiss him. “Anyway, I have to go.”
“Because ...” Dawn crossed her toned arms and waited.
“Oh, fine! Because he’s coming out here to discuss the BalanceTrakR case.”
“At this hour?”
“He’s very dedicated to his work.” Alice caved. “And he likes Nick’s Specialty Burger.”
“Aha!” Dawn jumped to her feet. “I’m off for the night, so I’m coming with you. Not to Nick’s, just to your house to get the rest of the story.”
“Even better, you can help me decide what to wear.” Alice thrust her sweat-dampened towel and empty water bottle into her duffel.
“That will take about thirty seconds,” Dawn said. “Your wardrobe isn’t exactly massive.”
“Mother and I went shopping today.”
Dawn had been shrugging into her hoodie but at that she stopped with one arm in and one out. “Has hell frozen over?”
“Sometimes you have to sell your soul to the devil when you need help.”
“Gabrielle does know clothes,” Dawn admitted, zipping her hoodie. “But I’m sure you paid for it.”
“I think I disarmed her by asking for her advice. Then I played to her strength so she was happy. It went better than expected.”
“Huh.”
By the time Alice had showered, Dawn had the spoils of the shopping trip laid out on the cream velvet comforter. Alice was so wound up with nervous anticipation that she couldn’t think straight, so she was grateful for Dawn’s anchoring presence.
Dawn tossed the skirts aside. “Too business-y.” She picked up the wispy rose lace bra. “But this will work. Now find your tightest pair of jeans.”
After half an hour of trying on and discarding combinations of clothing, Alice stood in front of her mirror in a pair of jeans that hugged the curves of her hips and butt, the white silk blouse her mother had chosen today—which hinted at the lacy bra underneath in the subtlest way—and her new high-heeled black pumps. Dawn had arranged her hair to fall over her shoulders in carefully styled waves and touched up her makeup. Alice added small gold hoop earrings.
Dawn walked in front of her and flicked open the next button down on Alice’s blouse. “My work here is done.”
“But you can see the edge of my bra if I lean forward even the slightest bit. It’s not professional.”
“And that’s the message you want to send.” Dawn gave Alice’s shoulders a quick squeeze as she grinned in the mirror. “Knock his pants off.”
Alice choked on a laugh and called out a thank-you as her friend whisked out of the room. She started to refasten the button under debate but then let her hands drop again, so the silk fluttered back open over her cleavage.
Dawn was right. She wanted Derek to get the message loud and clear. If he chose not to take her up on it, then she would know where she stood with him.
Derek jogged up Alice’s front steps, attributing his eagerness to the long ride spent wrestling with the Argon project. When she opened the door with her glorious hair billowing over her shoulders and her tempting curves wrapped in denim, he couldn’t fool himself any longer. He wanted this woman. He imagined winding his fingers into the fall of her hair so he could tilt back her head and explore the valley just visible between her breasts. Or fill his palms with the lush roundness of her bottom while he held her tightly against his erection.
“I like the off-duty look,” he said, walking into her foyer.
A slight flush climbed her cheeks. He wanted to brush his fingertips over it.
“My work hours tend to be shorter than yours,” she said, grabbing a small purse and slinging it over her shoulder. “Are you hungry?”
He allowed a shade of extra meaning to color his words. “My hunger is growing by the minute.”
Her blush deepened. She’d heard the innuendo, but she met his gaze straight on. “I’ve been ravenous since you called.” Her voice had a sultry pitch.
Awareness licked along his nerve endings and arrowed into his groin. She was playing the same game. But was she just playing or was she as serious as he was? He offered his arm in a half-mocking gesture so he had an excuse to feel her touch. She gave him a startled look but tucked her hand through his bent elbow and stepped in close.
As her scent wafted past his nostrils, he closed his eyes and inhaled, pulling her essence into his lungs and feeling a stronger stirring low in his belly. She jostled against him slightly as they walked down the steps side by side, and he felt the contact flare through him like an electrical charge. He might skip Nick’s Specialty Burger for something that he could consume more quickly.
