The Sparkling One

by Susan Mallery

  “You flatter me,” Jerome said with obvious false modesty. “I’m simply gifted.”

  “I know. And brilliant and all those other lovely adjectives you adore so much. Did you bring the menus?”

  Jerome held out several sheets of papers. Katie moved next to Zach so that he could read them as well. They were detailed food selections for the charity dinner. Handwritten notes filled the space by the typed items, detailing everything from possible condiments, to notations on availability and cost per serving.

  “You’ll have to pick the chocolates quickly,” Jerome said as Katie flipped a page. “Some are easy enough to get, but if you’re serious about chocolate from around the world, some of my suppliers require a month’s notice.”

  “No problem.”

  When he started talking about the availability of produce, Zach excused himself and stepped into the hallway to call his office. Dora assured him there were no emergencies. He slipped the phone back into his jacket pocket and watched Katie work.

  His mind returned to all the possibilities available in the large hotel. A small room with a smaller bed? A luxurious suite with a Jacuzzi tub? The sauna?

  He found he really liked the idea of both of them slick with sweat, sliding against each other, burning from the inside out. He imagined himself pumping into her, then quickly shifted the fantasy so she was on top, riding him, her breasts—

  He swallowed a sudden laugh. What the hell. His vivid images had produced a predictable and physical response. He was hard, horny, and couldn’t remember the last time he’d gotten an erection during business hours. Work generally consumed him. Just not lately.

  Katie made notes as Jerome talked, narrowing down the list of possible choices to something manageable. She would get all the information onto spreadsheets that evening. It would seem less unwieldy that way.

  “What about a tasting dinner?” she asked. “When do you want to do that?”

  He pulled a Palm Pilot from his jacket pocket and pushed a couple of buttons. “You want it here, or you want to take it with you?”

  “Either works for me.” She looked around and saw Zach in the hallway. “You’re not escaping that easily,” she called to him. “Come on. I won’t make you decide on the items for the tasting dinner, but you did promise to help me with the actual eating.”

  Zach returned to the ballroom. He moved with an easy masculine grace that left her mouth dry.

  He annoyed her, impressed her, charmed her, and surprised her. And she was supposed to be the people person.

  “We have two important issues regarding the tasting dinner,” she said, determined not to let him know how much he affected her. “Do you want to eat it here or get it to go, and when do you want to have it?”

  “Let’s get it to go,” he said. “Then we won’t be rushed.”

  “Sounds great.” Maybe they could make it a very long evening. One that ended with…

  She mentally slapped herself into paying attention to the moment at hand. Rather than deal with Zach, she focused on Jerome. At least he was completely safe. “What dates are good for you?”

  He named off several.

  Zach pulled out his own Palm Pilot and pushed buttons. “I’m pretty open. What about you, Katie?”

  She ignored the suggestive tone of his voice. “Same here.”

  Jerome pushed more keys. “The fifth?”

  “Works for me,” Zach said.

  She nodded in agreement, noted the date, and volunteered to pick up the food. They would deal with the “where” they would be eating another time.

  Jerome excused himself and returned to the kitchen. Katie pulled seating charts out from her briefcase and held them up to Zach. He shook his head.

  “Not in this lifetime.”

  “You have no opinion? Isn’t there someone you’re dying to sit next to? A rich divorcee? A female rock star? The latest Hollywood ’It’ girl?”

  “I prefer women to girls,” he said. “And despite the rumors, I’m more into substance than style.”

  She laughed. “Just once I would like to meet a man willing to admit he likes his relationships simple and his women easy.”

  His gaze narrowed. “You don’t believe me?”

  “Not for a nanosecond. Come on, Zach. You’re successful, good-looking, and rich. I’ve seen the photos in the press. Tabloid text may not always be accurate, but you know what they say about pictures speaking a thousand words. Are you trying to tell me you haven’t dated all those women?”

  “No. I’m saying there’s a reason I walked away from all of them.”

  It was a semi-decent comeback. “So you’ve been converted? Now intelligent, articulate conversation is the way to your heart? Big breasts and long legs no longer work? Imagine my surprise.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not going to win this conversation, so let’s change the subject. Why don’t you show me these fabulous gardens I’ve been hearing about?”

  She couldn’t believe it. “You’re conceding defeat?”

  “I’m making a strategic retreat.”

  “Wow. I must remember to put a star by this day on the calendar when I get home.”

  He grunted in response. Katie was still delighted with her victory as they stepped outside into the landscaped gardens of the hotel.

  It was late afternoon on the sort of day that made postcard photographers drool. The sky was the color blue only ever seen on the California coast. A warmish breeze chased away any clouds that might want to linger. Dappled sunlight illuminated the perfectly green grass, while elegant trees provided patches of shade. A few colorful leaves decorated the stone path, and birds offered commentary on the events. All the moment needed was an orchestra playing something dreamy and a quick, magical clothing transformation during which she would shed her sensible business attire for something diaphanous.

  But that wasn’t likely to happen. Rather than push her luck when she’d already scored for her side, she went for a safe topic.

  “How’s David doing in school?” she asked.

  “He’s starting to panic. It’s nearly time for finals again. The quarter system is proving to be a challenge for him. He’s used to being the smartest kid in his class and not having to work very hard, but suddenly everyone around him was the smartest in each of their high school classes. But he’s doing okay. I think by the third quarter, he’ll be more relaxed.”

  There was pride in Zach’s voice. And love. He might have a million faults, but his relationship with David made up for a lot.

  “I’m surprised you didn’t have more children,” she said idly.

  Zach paused, giving her a startled glance. “I never thought about it,” he said slowly. “I like kids. But I was so busy being a single parent, I never considered having more.”

  “You didn’t have to stay single.”

  “Another marriage wasn’t in the cards for me,” he said easily, his blue eyes staring directly into hers. “What about you? Why aren’t there a dozen or so Marcelli grandchildren running around? It’s not as if your parents wouldn’t have approved.”

  She sighed. “They would love it. As you’ve already experienced, the pressure to marry and have children is pretty relentless in our family.”

  “Yet you resisted.”

  “Probably because a dozen kids seems like a few too many.”

  He smiled. “Okay. How about four? It’s a nice round number.”

  “I’ll agree.” She’d always wanted children and four sounded perfect. “However, in my world, children require me to be married, and as I’ve yet to find the right guy…”

  “You’re kidding?” he asked.

  “What? That I think there’s a ‘right one’?”

  “Yes. That’s a myth of popular culture.”

  She laughed. “So speaks the man who has never risked marriage after one youthful mistake. I don’t think that makes you an expert.”

  “My career does.”

  “No. Your career makes you an expert on
why marriages fail, not why they succeed. You know everything a couple shouldn’t do, but very little about what they should do. In my family, marriages have always been forever.” She glanced at him. “Brenna’s recent troubles to the contrary.”

  His gaze narrowed. “You argue a lot.”

  “Actually I don’t. I’m a very pleasant person.”

  “You argue a lot with me.”

  She nodded. “You’re right. Ask yourself why.”

  “I already know why. You’re fighting the chemistry between us.”

  As he spoke, he moved close. Very close. Close enough that it seemed unnecessary for her to keep breathing. There was also the matter of his arms going around her and drawing her next to him.

  She knew what he was going to do, and she didn’t even consider stopping him. Not when she’d secretly wanted another kiss ever since he’d ended the first one. Oh, she knew she should resist, but this was one of those times when being bad felt so good.

  His lips moved against hers with the best combination of tension, pressure, and softness. Firm yet yielding, sweet yet masculine. She found herself melting into the sensation, savoring every exquisite millimeter of contact. She wanted to part her lips, to have him plunge inside of her, but she also wanted to continue the kiss, drawing out the moment, enjoying the need and hunger building inside of her.

  He moved his mouth back and forth, gently discovering her. When he bit on the full center of her lower lip, she gasped in both shock and delight. A quick brush of histongue on the sensual injury made her shiver in anticipation. She raised her hands to his shoulders, for balance as well as to hold him in place. Her fingers rubbed against the smooth fabric of his suit.

  Slowly, as if to give her time to get used to the idea, he slipped his tongue inside. She waited for some voice to call out the need to be sensible, but there was only silent anticipation. Hadn’t Brenna told her she needed to be more bad? Kissing Zach sure had to qualify.

  She surrendered to the wanting and parted her lips fully to admit him.

  The arms around her tightened. He held her close enough that his heat warmed her, yet she didn’t feel trapped. They moved together, as if they had performed this particular dance a thousand times before. There was no awkwardness, no bumping of noses and knees. Just mind-crushing desire. It swept through her like a tornado, sucking the air from her lungs and making her want to beg him to let her surrender.

  Her skin felt too hot and too tight. Every erogenous zone she knew about and some she had yet to discover sent up warning signals that if they were not touched and soon, she would have to die right then. The taste of him, the pressure, the sweet sensations were all more than she had expected.

  All her fantasies about Zach, both funny and serious, hadn’t prepared her for the reality. His hands moved up and down her back, making her want to purr. When he slipped lower, cupping her rear, she instinctively arched against him, wanting to feel all of him. The hard proof of his arousal nearly made her scream in delight.

  The rational part of her brain, which should have been telling her this was a big mistake, began to gauge the distance to the front desk of the hotel and calculate the embarrassment factor of checking in for a couple of hours of hot monkey sex. The alternative was doing it right here in the garden, but she’d never been one for public displays of affection.

  Before she could decide if she could overcome her inhibitions, Zach drew back just enough to break the kiss. He rested his forehead on hers. She had a feeling he’d come to his senses, which really pissed her off. At least he was breathing just as hard as she was. She would hate to be the only one in the throes of uncontrolled passion.

  He rubbed his thumb across her swollen lips. “You’re full of surprises.”

  She tried to smile, but had a feeling it came out a little shaky at the corners. “The same could be said about you.”

  “No way.” He cupped her face and kissed her again. “I’ve been kissing on and off for the past twenty years and I know I haven’t felt anything like that before. So it must be you.”

  Even as she told herself his smooth line didn’t mean anything, she found herself desperately wanting to believe it. Okay, Zach had promised to do whatever he could to change her mind about Mia and David, but she didn’t want to believe he would go so far as to seduce her to his side. Except she had a feeling he just might.

  The fact that she didn’t know should have sent her running for the hills, or at least her car. Instead she felt only regret that they hadn’t hooked up under slightly less charged circumstances.

  “This is going to be complicated,” he said.

  “Not for me.”

  He grinned. “You’re tough, Katie. I like that. I like it a lot.”

  His words made her shiver, which only proved she was a fool.

  She stepped back and straightened her jacket. “This was great and all, but I really have to run.”

  “You could come back to my place.”

  The invitation, delivered in a sensually husky voice, made her knees melt. She had to consciously force her muscles to tighten so she wouldn’t collapse in a heap.

  “I could, but I won’t. Thanks for asking, though.”

  “Want a rain check?”

  She risked glancing at him. His dark blue eyes were bright with passion, his lips were still swollen. He looked impossibly sexy and irresistible. Giving in made perfect sense. No one would blame her.

  “This is L.A.,” she said. “We don’t actually get rain.”

  “You’re afraid.”

  “I’m smart.”

  “And scared.”

  As they both knew that was the truth; she didn’t see any point in admitting it. “Let’s just say I don’t trust you.”

  She picked up her briefcase and made a timely retreat. Because ten more seconds in his company would put her on the verge of giving in, and she couldn’t risk that.

  Mia stood up from her place at the kitchen table and stretched to relieve the muscles in her back. Too many hours spent hunched over a book, she thought. She crossed to the calendar posted on the refrigerator door, where she checked off another two-hour block of study. She only had a week until finals. As usual, she’d prepared a schedule dividing up her non-classroom time into review sessions. Also, as usual, she was right on schedule.

  Thanks to Katie, she thought, her gaze straying to a picture of all four Marcelli girls standing together in the middle of a vineyard. Her sister had always been the most organized student, and she’d passed all her tricks along to Mia.

  A knock on the door made her turn. She knew instantly who stood in the hallway of her apartment building. She wrestled with two parts anticipation and one part apprehension.

  She crossed to the door and opened it.

  “Before you say anything,” David told her as he entered, “I’m only staying thirty minutes. We need to stay focused on finals. But I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you, too.”

  She studied his familiar face, the blue eyes that she’d noticed right off, and the way his blond hair always fell across his forehead.

  He held up a white bag. “I got your favorites,” he said. “Just yesterday I was reading that sugar helps with mental acuity.”

  She glanced from the bag containing Baskin-Robbins ice cream to David. Apprehension faded as love swelled to take its place.

  For the past few weeks, ever since they’d tried to shop for the gift registry, things had been kind of twisted between them. Not wrong, exactly, but not right, either. The fight had changed things. They’d been seeing each other, but the seeing had been strained.

  Suddenly everything felt right again. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close. He dropped the ice-cream bag and pulled her hard against him.

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, suddenly fighting tears.

  “Me, too.” He kissed her. “I love you, Mia.”

  “I love you more.”

  He smiled at the familiar joke. She continued to c
ling to him, needing to crawl inside and be a part of him. Whatever else went wrong in her life, being with David was always right.

  10

  Zach arrived at the Marcelli hacienda shortly before five. The house calls were killing his billable hours, but he willingly accepted that. After all, there was a greater good to consider. Besides, he could feel time ticking away. It had been six weeks since David and Mia had announced their engagement. Six weeks during which he’d made little progress toward breaking up the happy couple.

  A recent spat between them had given him hope, but David had called to tell him they’d made up. Katie had yet to see the light, and he found himself spending as much time thinking about getting her into bed as getting her on his side.

  Brenna was a potential ally, but she was too caught up in her own personal grief to be of much help. So despite a plan to find a fellow dissenter in the enemy camp, he was still on his own.

  He parked and collected his paperwork, then walked to the front door of the hacienda. Brenna met him there, looking dark-eyed and tragic. Despite her olive complexion, she appeared pale. Shadows stained the skin under her eyes, and there were new lines by the corners of her mouth. Divorce did not agree with her.

  “Thanks for coming,” she said as she stepped back to invite him into the house. “I know I really need to start driving down to L.A., but right now that seems like an impossible task.”

  “You haven’t been back to the apartment to collect your belongings?”

  She gave a strangled laugh. “What is there to collect? Some old clothes and costume jewelry?”

  “Stereo, television, a clock radio, whatever was yours to begin with.”

  She frowned slightly. “I hadn’t thought of it that way, but you have a point. I guess I should force myself to check out the place. I can’t imagine Jeff would do anything to my things, but then I never thought he’d want a divorce, either.”

  He’d heard of a whole lot worse. “If you find anything missing, I’ll need a complete inventory of what’s not there. Wanting to end the marriage doesn’t give him the right to destroy your personal property.”