Jo Leigh - One-Click Buy - September Harlequin Blaze

“I’ve got to hand it to her. She certainly raised an exceptional daughter,” he said.

Katie smiled at his compliment and he discovered he felt quite pleased to bring that smile to her face. “Mom did a lot of things with us you wouldn’t expect from a woman with her advantages and privileges. Sometimes, it earned her criticism from my dad’s family.”

“What about your mom’s family?” he asked.

“Her parents had passed away and she didn’t have any siblings.”

“What about cousins?” he asked. “Aunts or uncles?”

“That was always sort of a mystery,” Katie admitted. “My mother never talked about her extended family. My sisters and I got the impression she was estranged from them. We didn’t really ask about it. My father’s family was so close-knit.”

“What else did your mother like to do besides bowl?”

“Ice skate, bicycling, anything active. She even took us go-carting one time. I loved it, but Joey fell out of her cart and skinned her knees. Dad forbid any more go-cart excursions after that.”

“It sounds as if you and your mother were a lot alike,” he commented.

Katie looked surprised by the suggestion. “I hadn’t really thought of it that way, but, yeah, maybe so. We were the two who never seemed to fit in with the Winfields.”

“Tell me more about your family.”

“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. You’re the kind of guy who hates to lose and you’ve seen what a whiz I am on the lanes. No more stalling. It’s your turn. Get out there.”

“But I’m enjoying getting to know you better.” He patted the hard vinyl seat next to him.

“What’s the matter?” she taunted. “Are you afraid you can’t live up to my strike?”

“Absolutely.”

“Get up.” She reached out, took him by the hand and hauled him to his reluctant feet.

“Bowling’s really not my strong suit.”

“I promise, I won’t gloat when I beat your pants off.”

“I don’t believe you. You seem like the type who would gloat over her prowess,” he teased.

She raised two fingers. “Promise.”

“Here’s the deal. I’ve got a confession to make,” he said as she tugged him toward the lane.

“Oh?”

“I can’t bowl.”

She canted her head. “Quit stalling and get out there.”

“No, honestly, I can’t bowl.”

“Really?”

He shrugged.

She rested her hands on her hips. “Then why did you suggest we come here?”

“I was hoping to surprise you with a fun activity you wouldn’t expect me to suggest.”

“And you did.”

“I had no clue you had the makings of a pro bowler. I thought we could look silly together. Now you’re just going to mop the floor with me.”

Katie giggled. “Don’t be afraid to look silly. No one cares, honestly. Just pick up your ball and take your best shot.”

He walked to the ball carousel, stopped, turned back to look at her. Damn, but she seemed to be taking an inordinate amount of glee in his ineptitude.

“Come on, where’s the fearless attitude that propelled you to king of the heap of Boston real estate? I know you’ve got a risk-taking gene in there somewhere.”

“It only applies to business.”

“I don’t believe that.”

He couldn’t fight her infectious smile. “All right,” he conceded, “I’ll try.”

“That’s all I can ask.”

Liam picked up the ball, figured out where to slip his fingers into the holes and then walked to the edge of the lane. How exactly did this thing work? He sneaked a peek at the bowlers on the next lane over.

“Use the arrows on the floor to line up your shot,” Katie called out.

He looked over his shoulder. “I don’t-”

“What? You don’t ask for help?”

“Not until I’ve exhausted all other options.” He grinned.

She sat back against the plastic seating, knees crossed, one leg bouncing provocatively and sent him a wicked grin. “Stubborn.”

“A man likes to do things his own way.”

“Even if it’s the hard way?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Tough guy going it alone, huh? No need to be part of the pack. Lone wolf Liam.”

“Something like that.”

“Sounds desolate to me.”

“Yeah,” he admitted with a cheerful shake of his head, “maybe a little.”

“Fine. Go it alone.” She chuckled. “I’ll keep my advice to myself.”

“Thank you,” he said, and promptly threw a gutter ball.

Katie hooted.

He sauntered toward her. “I suppose I deserved that.”

“Darn right.”

One look into her eyes and nothing mattered except keeping that wide smile on her face. He kept forgetting he’d hired her to advertise his condos, that she was essentially his employee. As they bowled frame after frame-or rather, she bowled and he pitched balls down the gutter-Liam found himself wanting her more and more. And by the time they ended up at her front door, he couldn’t keep his hands off her.

All evening her laughter had pealed like wind chimes in his imagination, light and free. Whenever she brushed against him, an uncontrollable surge of hormones deployed straight to his loins. And when he drew close to her, he smelled the exotic scent of her shampoo-a piquant blend of lotus blossoms and crystal ginger. It was all he could do to keep himself from burying his nose in her shimmering hair.

“Thanks for a wonderful time,” she said. “I know this was supposed to be a business meeting, not a real date, but I had more fun than I’ve had in a long while.”

“Me, too,” he said huskily.

She turned to slip her key into the lock.

He put his arm on the doorjamb over her head. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d wanted a woman this badly. “You’re not going to invite me in?”

“On our first date, which wasn’t even really a date?” She turned back, eyes dancing. “What kind of girl do you think I am?”

“I didn’t…that wasn’t…um…”

“Lighten up, silly,” she said, “I was just yanking your chain.”

“Oh.”

“But I’m not inviting you in.”

“Why not?”

“Because,” she said, “I’ve got something better in mind.”

His curiosity was piqued. “What’s that?”

She wagged a finger. “If I told you, it would take all the fun out of it.”

“You are a tease.” He couldn’t stop looking at her sweet mouth. At his perusal, her lips parted like petals opening.

“Guilty as charged.”

“And remorseless in what you’re doing to me.”

“Where’s the fun in remorse?”

She winked. He loved the way her conspiratorial winks made him feel as they shared a gigantic secret. She looked adorable-grinning up at him, hair tousled, dimples dug deep in her cheeks.

To hell with self-control, to hell with restraint. He’d spent too many years holding back where his love life was concerned. He took a step closer.

She reached up to tuck a hank of hair behind one ear.

“I’m going to kiss you,” he announced.

She placed her index fingers to her lips. “No, not tonight. Wait.”

“Wait for what?” Impatience tugged at him. He didn’t want to wait. He wanted her now.

“Our secret rendezvous.”

“What secret rendezvous?”

“The one we’re going to have on Monday afternoon during your lunch hour.”

“I usually work on my lunch hour.”

“But you won’t,” she said. “Not this Monday.”

“And why not?”

“Because I have something totally erotic in store for you.” She touched the tip of her tongue to her upper lip and arched against his body. “You’re going to meet me in front of the Town Crier Theatre in the historical district at noon.”

He was hard for her instantly, mindless with desire. He could barely take in air, much less swallow past the cast-iron lump in his throat. “And what,” he croaked, “will we be doing?”