by Kim Law
Then he realized he was witnessing something he hadn’t in years. Cat being playful.
He’d begun to worry he wouldn’t see that side of her again after her husband had been killed in Afghanistan. Seeing it now made it almost worth having to put up with Doty’s ramblings.
Almost.
He peered at his sister over his Oakleys, silently informing her she would have to pay, then fought the urge to cut the mayor off midsentence. It didn’t seem to matter that JP had never once expressed interest in being a congressman, senator, or even a local magistrate. He was a Davenport, and that made it simple. Davenports possessed the ambition to aim for the top. Only he didn’t. Not in politics.
He lifted a hand to scratch at the back of his neck and used the movement as an excuse to glance, once again, toward the lake. Dark eyes were focused in his direction.
She looked down the instant he locked onto her.
He smiled. It was time to head to the lake.
Taking pity on him, Cat finally turned the mayor’s attention to someone else, allowing JP the chance to escape, and he headed straight for nirvana.
As he approached Vega, now with her back to him, she was in the middle of stretching out her neck. She twisted her head from side to side, her eyelashes resting against her velvety cheeks, while her thick hair swished back and forth with her movements. Loose curls teased but never lingered against the smooth skin of her neck.
He studied her, understanding that she pulled at him in a way he didn’t get, but he had no problem going with it for the moment. The fact was, he didn’t know if he could do anything but go with it. He took one final, silent step forward, all the while fighting a very basic, primal urge. The one that made him want to dip forward and taste her right then and there.
CHAPTER TWO
“CAN I HELP you out with that?”
Vega froze, the deep rumble coming from directly behind her. He was back.
Her mind quickly replayed their earlier conversation, reminding her he had his own agenda, and she couldn’t help wondering if he was there to hear her proposition or suggest one of his own.
Resisting the compulsion to smooth her hair and wipe away the day’s grime, she pulled a deep breath in through her nose and forced herself to focus on the job, not a potential romp between the sheets. Plus, he was a politician. Fake. Always out for himself.
And she would not relive past mistakes.
When she had herself under control, she faced him.
And just like the first time, she was literally weakened by the power emanating from the man.
Life lessons be damned, she was a sucker for powerful men.
He stood close enough this time that the hairs on her arms reached out for him, and against her will, she swayed in his direction. Catching herself before harm was done, she took a quick step back and shot him a questioning look. What had he asked? “Help with what?”
He motioned to her neck. “Looked like you had a tight neck. Thought you might need some help.”
Her eyes rounded. Oh, Lord no. She did not need him touching her on the neck or anywhere else. No matter how much she might want him to.
She managed a small smile. “No. Thanks.”
He gave a single nod. “You let me know if you change your mind.” He wiggled his fingers in the air between them, his eyebrows bopping up and down at the same time. “I’ve been told I can do wonders with my fingers.”
Surprised laughter burst from her at the over-the-top flirting, the sexual tension easing, but not disappearing. She shook her head in disbelief. “You’re quite the flirt, aren’t you?”
“I do my best.” His lips curved into a smile. Not the half smile or even the slight twitch of one side of his mouth she’d seen earlier that morning. This one lifted his cheeks, showcasing his dimples and strong jaw, and showing off his perfect teeth. Oh geez, she even thought his teeth were awesome.
She had to get over this fascination.
As her laughter died down, they ended up standing there grinning at each other like goons until she made herself look away. She glanced around, wondering if there was a way to get out of this conversation, to regroup before pitching her idea, and as she concentrated on looking at anything but at him, she was mortified to discover that more than a handful of people were turned toward them, openly staring.
If she weren’t careful, she’d find herself gossip fodder purely for having a private conversation with the man. And that simply wouldn’t do. She’d spent as much time gracing the covers of tabloids as she ever intended to.
She wet her dry lips. It would be best to get Darrin and do their wrap-up interview, then head back to the hotel for the night. She’d find another time to discuss her ideas with JP. She eyed the white news van Darrin had been holed up in since returning from the hotel, but there was no sign of him.
With a nod tossed in the direction of the van, she asked, “We’d like a quick interview if you have a few minutes. I’ll run and get Darrin.”
“Wait.” Before she could slip past, JP stopped her. He didn’t grab her, just pressed long fingers to her bare forearm. Fireworks popped to life and shot up to her hairline. “Tell me what you wanted to talk to me about first,” he said.
Ah, crud. She couldn’t put it off.
“Okay.” She cleared her throat and dredged her practiced speech up from her memory. No time like the present. “Mr. Davenport, with the upcoming announcement and your move into politics, I’d like to propose an in-depth, day-in-the-life interview.”
No screamed instantly from his body language, but she plunged ahead, pretending she actually stood a chance.
“A piece where I would spend several days following you, showing your home life, your interaction with your family, where you live, what you do in your downtime.”
He removed his sunglasses, and cold eyes glared back at her. “What kind of underwear I wear and what I eat for breakfast?”
Shock paused her at his words, but then a slight grin crept over her face. “That hadn’t been my plan, but with your popularity among the females, I would show that too, if you were willing.”
“I’m not.” His jaw tensed.
She swallowed past a lump in her throat and went back to her speech, focusing on a small freckle at the side of his neck instead of taking on the full power of him. “I’m not looking for anything earth-shattering, simply to give the country more reasons to love you before ever stepping foot into office. I also want to assure you that a seasoned professional would be doing the on-camera interview instead of me. My part would involve getting the footage and building the piece. Everything up to the face-to-face.”
The same thing she hoped to do with the new job.
JP rocked back on his heels, his lips pursing as if in deep thought. “Why would building an entire piece on me be of interest to anyone?”
He had to be kidding! She began ticking the points off on her fingers. “You’re a Davenport. For that alone, the world wants to get to know you better. They want to believe you’ll one day have the fairy tale your parents shared. Two, to know what makes you tick. They want to live vicariously through you, to see who you really are, and to sit on the edge of their seats as the day comes that you fall in love and settle down to make baby Davenports of your own. And three, they need to see the historic values of the Davenport clan embedded deep in you, and to know those standards will be carried forward. They need to believe.”
She smiled into his eyes, trying for a bravery she didn’t exactly feel, and wrapped up her speech. “I want the world to see the man you really are, not just the pieces you allow to be seen. I want to give them a reason, other than your looks and charm, to hang their hats on you in the years to come.”
His face had blanked as she’d talked, leaving her with absolutely no idea what he was thinking. Finally, he leaned in close, his warm breath touching her ear a millisecond before his words. “And what makes you think I’m all that, Vega? What make you think I believe in love?”
Her name sounded good coming from his lips. She blinked. “You may live up the playboy life, but…” She paused, not sure what to say that would come out believable.
“But?”
She silently prayed she came across as sincere. “But…people are usually more than their outer shell. With your background and upbringing, I suspect you are too.”
“And that means I would naturally believe in love?”
“Doesn’t everybody…deep down?”
He shifted, giving her room once again to breathe, but the way he studied her made her fingers twitch. She had no idea what he saw when he looked at her.
“Maybe I go home every night and do nothing but down a pint of whiskey.”
Her gaze raced over his torso, refusing to believe he did anything less than take care of his body day in and day out. “I somehow doubt that,” she mumbled.
“Then maybe I intend to sleep with a different woman every day for the rest of my life.” His eyes glowed as he let them take the same path over her body that she’d just taken over his. When finished, he curved the edges of his mouth. “Would that endear me to you, Vega? Can I put you on my list?”
She held her ground, fully aware he was taunting her, but she refused to back down. She needed this story. She needed the change. Maybe she could no longer go after her original dreams, but she could chase new ones. “We’re discussing an interview, Mr. Davenport, not our separate sleeping arrangements.”
He studied her again, clearly more interested in dissecting her than in taking her idea seriously. “In case you’ve never figured it out, I don’t want the world in my business.”
“I’ve suspected as much, Mr. Davenport, but—”
“My name is JP.”
“Of course.” She nodded. “My apologies.”
He stared at her as if waiting for something else. “Say it.” The deep voice dropped even lower.
“Say…it?” She shook her head, not sure she knew what he was asking.
He gave a slow nod, his gaze locking with hers. “My name,” he said softly. “I want to make sure you’ve got it.”
In an instant, the air stilled and closed in on them, holding them prisoner together in a tiny space built for one. Her heart thumped against her ribs. “JP.”
The blue in his eyes deepened, saturating with color, and it took every ounce of strength she had not to fall captive to them.
She cleared her throat and restarted, determination she hadn’t been sure she still owned pushing her forward. “The last thing I need you to know—and what should convince you to agree—is that I’m not like most journalists. I would never do anything purely for ratings, and I absolutely refuse to twist facts simply to sensationalize a story. In essence, I’m the exact person you’d want to do a feature piece on you.”
The fact was, if she were the hard-nosed reporter she’d once imagined herself growing into, then yes. Any ugliness she could find, she’d want to dig out and share. But those dreams had ended years ago when she’d been yanked from her climb to stardom before ever being able to convince anyone she was more than a pretty face. Or more than the next glamorous woman to appear scantily clad on the covers of magazines.
Thank goodness she’d spent those early years in so much makeup she could now get away with living her life unknown, and relatively as she wanted.
JP stared down at her and she crossed her arms over her chest to mimic his stance. Failure was not an option. Setting her jaw, she edged her chin up and prepared to go down fighting.
“How about if…” She paused. She had nothing left to even toss out.
One side of his mouth twitched as he watched her struggle to come up with a tactic that would work. He looked as if she were merely his entertainment of the moment.
“How about the fact it would be in your best interest? After all, the governor is planning to name you as the state’s next senator. Good publicity would only help override anyone’s objections.”
“Who says I’m accepting?”
That stopped her. Was he serious? No way would he not accept the seat and follow in his father’s footsteps. Right? Not only his late father, but he had cousins, uncles, and even an aunt or two who were or had been involved in the politics of this country over the last hundred years. Heck, he even had an uncle who’d been president.
She blinked up at him. “You are joking, right?”
The dark slash of an eyebrow lifting was his only response.
Wow. She didn’t know what to believe. “Then maybe you’ll allow me to create a story about your reign as Atlanta’s Businessman of the Year, and why you won’t be accepting the senatorial seat?”
“Nothing is decided yet, so I wouldn’t know what kind of story I wanted.” He paused. “If I wanted a story.”
A sigh slipped out to stick in the muggy afternoon. “Okay, fine. I’m begging. This is clearly important to me, so tell me what I can possibly do to allow me into your life for a few days. Whatever it is, whatever you want, I’ll do it.”
“Now that, Ms. Zaragoza, is one heck of a proposition.” Heat and mischief swirled in his eyes. “I can honestly say that I would love to have you in my life for a few days.”
His deep voice washed over her, instantly lighting trails of fire throughout her body. She wasn’t naive enough to miss his meaning. But she also wasn’t naive enough to not know what a bad idea sleeping with him would be.
“I’m quite serious, Mr. Davenport.” She waggled a finger back and forth at him, praying she could hold up the bravado a few minutes longer. “But I won’t be prostituted out. Anything else, though, name your price.”
“Okay, then, here’s what I want to know.” Somehow he pulled out an even more impressive look of superiority. “What is it exactly, using me like this, would do for you?”
“Use is a harsh word.”
“Then how would you define it? Because you have to admit,” he went on with an apologetic shrug, “I’m a Davenport. There isn’t a lot of gain in it for me.”
Annoyance turned her away from him, pushing her a few steps toward the lake. Her nerves were stretched thin. Facing him, she knew she had to lay it all on the line.
“Here it is,” she began. “I need a new job. My station is downsizing, and though my position is safe for the moment, it’s boring. Our Atlanta affiliate has a position open that would offer more chances for travel, more excitement, and it would take away the concern over losing my job in Savannah. If I can get enough footage of you for an hour-long special, the job should be mine.”
Something seemed to have piqued his interest. “And why is it your job, in particular, that’s in danger? Are you not any good?”
She straightened. “I’m very good. In fact, the station’s chief photographer would be more than happy to back that up by discussing some of the many times I’ve saved their butts over the years.”
“Then why your job?”
Normally, she appreciated a straight shooter. Today she wished the man would back off and let her keep a few secrets. “It’s simple. On the smaller budget the station will have, they’ll need every photographer in the field also willing to be on camera.”
This lifted both his brows. “And you don’t wish to be on camera.”
It wasn’t a question, so she gave no reply.
“Can I ask why?”
Pain from the past almost overwhelmed her. She was not made for the camera. Not anymore. She had to keep reminding herself of that. With what remaining strength she could muster, she uttered, “I don’t want to be in front of the camera. That’s why I need this new job. They’ll accept me as I am.”
He didn’t respond, once again studying her as if he were able to see something no one else could. She silently prayed that all he saw was a plain, makeup-free camerawoman standing before him—and not the former up-and-coming model who’d been splashed across magazines worldwide. It was amazing how much different she’d looked in full makeup, but that never kept her from squirming anytime someone looked to
o close.
“Vega!” The shout came from the other side of the clubhouse, and they both glanced in that direction, releasing her from the tension engulfing them. Darrin had finally emerged. She let out the breath she’d been holding.
“Interview time.” She paused until JP once again looked her direction. “You will allow us a few minutes of your time, won’t you? To go along with the golf tournament?”
“Of course.”
“And the other…” She begged with her eyes. “Please consider it.”
A shadow passed briefly over his face before he said, “How about dinner instead?”
“Dinner?” The change of subject threw her at first, but then she wondered if maybe she hadn’t completely lost out on her chance. “To talk about me shadowing you?”
It probably wasn’t obvious to anyone watching, but JP leaned his body farther into her space. “Surely you can tell how attracted I am to you, Vega. And unless I’m completely mistaken, the feeling is mutual.”
Her body instantaneously blazed, her center burning the hottest. She licked her lips. “I’m not interested in getting involved with you.”
“Neither am I.”
“Then—” Ah. He was talking about a night only, maybe two. The touch of his thumb on the inside of her wrist weakened her knees, but she managed to keep from sinking to the ground. He chuckled, his thumb moving back and forth over her erratic pulse.
“Have dinner with me tomorrow night if I promise to reconsider?” The low voice set her body on tremble.
“You would seriously reconsider?” It might turn out to be a wasted effort, but how could she walk away without at least trying?
“Absolutely.” He pulled back and peered at her. “But no guarantees.”
Oh, how she wanted to go out with him, and it had nothing to do with an interview. “I’m not sleeping with you for a story,” she whispered in a hurried breath. Darrin was nearly to them.
