Susan Mallery - The Ultimate Millionaire

“What did you…Oh. Sorry. Should I come back?”

Todd straightened. “No. We know what we need to do.”

M arina felt as if she’d been hit by a truck. Well, that wasn’t right, she thought as she blinked to bring the room back into focus. Nothing bad had happened and she certainly wasn’t squished. But she was out of breath and feeling a little two-dimensional all the same.

Talk about wow. The heat, the tingles, the need to jump Todd’s bones and make him have his way with her. All from a teeny, tiny, innocent kiss. What would happen if he kissed her like he meant it?

A dangerous question, she told herself. Todd was nothing like she’d imagined. He was funny and charming. Too charming. She had to remember that any contact with a woman was just a game with him. That he had the emotional depth of a cookie sheet. She should enjoy the superficial attraction for the momentary pleasure and let the rest of it go. He didn’t do relationships and she didn’t do anything else.

Although technically she didn’t do relationships, either. It was the whole fear thing. She didn’t want to get lost in a man.

They sampled several entrées, which were okay and the desserts, which were great.

“Are you going to finish that?” she asked, eyeing his barely tasted dish of chocolate mousse.

Todd pushed the bowl toward her. “You’re welcome to it.”

She dipped her spoon into the creamy, foamy delight and then savored the burst of rich chocolate on her tongue. He watched her, his expression unreadable.

She wanted to think he found her passion for chocolate fascinating, but no doubt he was comparing her normal appetite to his dates’ lack of appetite and finding her just a little odd.

“Finished?” he asked when she’d scraped the last of the pudding from the bowl.

She nodded and they walked out to the reception area. After collecting prices and a brochure from Zoe, they promised to be in touch within a couple of weeks, then left.

“What did you think?” Todd asked as they walked to their cars.

“It was good,” she said, “but not dazzling. I want to be dazzled. I think the food should be spectacular, not just good.”

He glanced at the price list. “Considering what they’re charging, I agree. So we still need a caterer. Do you have any suggestions?”

“I don’t cater much, but I can ask around.”

“I’ll do the same. I’ll also check with Ruth.”

Ah, yes. Her grandmother. “She does the charity circuit,” she said. “At least she’s mentioned it. So she should be a great source of information.” Marina frowned. “I wonder why she hasn’t offered us advice.”

“She promised not to meddle,” Todd told her. “Don’t get too excited—it’s not going to last. She’s a meddler by nature.” There was a tone of affection in his voice.

“So you’ve forgiven her for coming to me and my sisters and offering each of us a million dollars if one of us were to marry you?”

He winced. “I’m working on it.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “She always had time for me and Ryan. Our parents took off for months at a time and left us behind. Aunt Ruth stepped into the void. When we were with her, it was like family.”

Marina didn’t know what to say to that. On the one hand, it explained Todd’s fondness for his aunt. On the other, this was the same woman who turned her back on her own daughter.

“You’re thinking about your mom,” he said, surprising her.

“Yes. My mom was seventeen when she fell in love with my dad. That’s pretty young. I can understand her parents being upset with her choice, but there are a lot of options between saying it’s okay and kicking her out forever. How come they didn’t try any of them?” She drew in a deep breath and let it go. “You’re going to tell me it was because of Ruth’s husband, Fraser. I’ve heard it all before. He was a difficult man who ruled his house and didn’t give anyone second chances.”

He was also the only father Marina’s mother had ever known. Her biological father, Ruth’s first husband, had died before Ruth had even realized she was pregnant.

“My mom was Ruth’s only daughter,” Marina said. “She should have tried harder. She should have made sure her daughter was all right.”

Todd surprised her for maybe the third time in less than two hours when he put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.

“You’re right,” he said quietly. “She stood by her husband instead of her daughter. Because of that, she spent the next thirty years regretting her decision, but being too afraid to do anything about it. That’s got to be a hard way to live, for all of you. She’ll never get back what she lost and neither will you.”

She blinked at him. “That was really compassionate and understanding.”

He scowled at her. “I am capable of rational and emotional thought.”

“I know. I just didn’t think you’d bother.”

“That’s flattering.”

Now it was his turn to touch him. She grabbed his hand. “I’m sorry. That came out wrong. It’s just the way you’re presented in the local press and how people talk about you.”

Maybe he wasn’t a cookie sheet, she thought. Maybe he was actually a jelly roll pan.

The image made her smile, which made his scowl deepen. “You’re really starting to tick me off,” he muttered.

“I thought you said you had a well-developed sense of humor.”

“I do. You’re not being funny. Whatever you think about me, you’re wrong.”

She was beginning to think that might be a possibility.

He pulled out his trusty PalmPilot and pushed some buttons. “We still need a caterer, a photographer, flowers, a cake, a dress, tuxes. It’s a long list.”

“We’ll get through it. I’ll e-mail Julie the information on this place. At least we know we’re having the wedding and reception in the ballroom. That’s something.”

“Lucky us.”

She stared into his dark eyes and smiled. “Thanks for being so understanding about everything with my grandmother. It helps to talk about it.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll call you and we can set up our next taste testing.”

Then he stunned her by bending down and kissing her. Only this kiss wasn’t about garlic or proving anything. At least she didn’t think it was. Instead it was quick, hot and bone-melting.

His hands rested on her shoulders, holding her in place. His mouth claimed hers with an expertise that made her more than willing to take this wherever he wanted to go. She lost herself in the pleasure of touch and lips and need.

He wasn’t what she expected. This wasn’t what she expected. She found herself responding to him in ways she hadn’t expected.

He tilted his head and brushed her lower lip with his tongue. She parted for him. He swept inside, teased into arousal, then pulled back and straightened.

“See you soon,” he said.

What? He was leaving? He was going to kiss and run?

“But you…Why’d you…”

He smiled. “We were interrupted. I like to finish what I start.”

To Marina_Nelson@mynetwork.LA.com

From Julie_Nelson@SGC.usa

I can’t thank you enough. I really, really owe you for all your hard work. Thanks for taste-testing the first caterer and sorry it didn’t work out. But you’re right. I want fabulous food at the wedding and so does Ryan.

Interesting about the whole garlic/kissing thing. I hadn’t thought that too much garlic could ever be a problem, but at a wedding? You’re so right. So, did Todd demonstrate the perils of garlic kissing? Just kidding. I know he’s not your type. Not earnest enough and yet lacking in character. But not totally awful. At least he’s cute. Remember that when he starts to make you crazy.