Madison grinned. “Thank you very much, girls. I’ll be right back.” After wiping her feet on the mat outside the door, she opened the glass-paned door and ran smack into a stone-hard chest.
Jackson grabbed hold of her to keep her from falling.
“What are you doing home?” His hands felt cool against her warm, oiled skin.
“I live here, remember?”
“Yes, of course, you do.” They hadn’t seen each other in days. She’d missed him. Two hours of instructions on how to seduce a man swirled through her mind, prompting her to flutter her eyelashes at him before gazing intensely into his eyes…undressing him in her mind.
Pam and Jen’s instructions had included being cool, calm, and collected. So, in an attempt to appear at ease, she dropped one shoulder slightly, all the while keeping her eyes locked on his.
“I came by to pick up a few things.” Jackson eyed her suspiciously when she didn’t respond. “I thought you were hunting for a job this afternoon.”
With a shrug, she gave up on her attempt to put him into a sexual trance. “Well, I was going to,” she told him, “but Jen stopped by, and then Pam. I guess you could say I got sidetracked.” Her gaze dropped to her waist where large masculine hands still held her. If she thought her skin was warm before, it was steaming hot now. “Ummm. Thanks for saving me from falling.”
“Any time.” His smile reached his eyes. The tie about his neck hung loose and the top buttons of his shirt were open, revealing honeyed skin and corded muscles. And that was just his neck. At a leisurely pace, she dragged her gaze upward until her eyes met his once again. With his hands touching her like they were, she felt sort of breathless. Her heart raced.
“I was wondering about Adam,” he said, his voice low and raspy. “How’s the kid doing?”
“He’s home. He’s doing much better.”
“That’s good,” he said. “Jamie’s here.”
“Oh. Where is he?”
“Around.”
Heat sizzled through her body as his gaze burned slowly over the length of her, lingering in the vicinity of her belly button.
Modesty finally won out and she put a hand over her stomach.
A one-sided grin curved his mouth. “If I remember correctly,” he teased, “the deal was to keep our clothes on.”
“I didn’t know you had a pool at the time.”
“Ah, another exception to the rules…”
“Exactly. There are always exceptions.”
She heard somebody approaching from the kitchen, but couldn’t seem to pull her gaze from Jackson’s.
“Good afternoon,” Jamie said.
Heat rushed to her cheeks as she stepped away from Jackson. “Hello, Jamie.”
“Did my brother tell you the exciting news?”
She shook her head, and then looked curiously at Jackson, who looked annoyed by his brother’s presence.
“Jackson insisted we come home to tell you,” Jamie went on. “I’ll be the first to admit that I’m very glad we did. Finding a trio of bathing beauties is a fringe benefit I hadn’t counted on. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll join the ladies by the pool and let Jackson tell you himself.”
Madison didn’t miss the scowl Jackson shot Jamie’s way as his younger brother squeezed past them and disappeared outside.
“What did you want to tell me?”
“Is everything okay? You seem…different.”
“Different good or different bad?” she asked.
Shaking his head, he took the empty pitcher from her and headed for the kitchen. He turned back suddenly as if he’d forgotten something. This time when he looked at her, he studied her, his gaze taking in every inch.
Chills swept over her.
“You look great,” he said. “Now will you get some clothes on? Then we’ll talk.”
~~~
Jackson folded his arms over his chest as he waited for Madison to return. Pam was in the kitchen making sandwiches. Jackson watched his brother hover over her, trying to steal a piece of turkey. She slapped his hand.
He glanced toward the door, making sure Madison wasn’t on her way back before he said, “Why is it, little brother, that you seem to have a newfound fondness for taking control of my life?”
Jamie popped an olive into his mouth, chewed and swallowed. “What are you all hot under the collar about now?”
Pam handed Jamie a turkey sandwich on a plate, garnished with fruit and parsley and said, “I think what Jackson means is that he didn’t appreciate your inviting two hundred people to his wedding when it was supposed to be a small get-together.”
“Exactly,” Jackson said.
“And now,” Pam went on, “you’re offering his wife a job at his office when he’d rather have her work for minimum wage down the street at the local pub.”
Jackson grunted.
Jamie gave his brother a smug smile.
Madison waltzed into the kitchen, putting an end to the conversation. She’d changed from practically nothing to a sleeveless, V-neck shirt and a pair of shorts. Her hair was tied up with a ribbon, and she wore crisp white tennis shoes without socks. Stick a couple of pom-poms in her hands and she could easily be mistaken as one of the energetic cheerleaders from his college days.
“I’m back. And I’m dressed,” Madison said, looking directly at Jackson. “So now will someone please tell me what’s going on?”
Pam smiled. “Sorry, but I’m leaving you with the boys. Jen and I are hungry.” She picked up a plate of sandwiches and headed for the pool.
Jamie pushed his plate aside and rubbed his hands together. “Jackson and I were talking the other day about interviewing for a position at L & L. Assistant director of sales, to be exact.”
As his brother rambled on, Jackson kept his eyes on Madison. Something was definitely going on. He’d never seen her look so confident. It was as if she’d climbed out of a cocoon and was now testing her wings.
“And,” Jamie finished, “we both agreed you’d be perfect for the job.”
Madison eyes lit up. “Me? You’re offering me a job?” She lunged for Jamie, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tight.
“What am I?” Jackson asked. “Chopped liver?” He sounded like a jealous fool and the twin expressions on Madison and Jamie’s faces confirmed it.
Madison released Jamie and gave Jackson a winning smile. And before he could make up some silly excuse for blurting out such a ridiculous cliché, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him firmly on the mouth, making it hard for him to think, making it hard to remember what he was doing here…and just plain making him hard.
Much too soon, she released her hold on him and stepped back, but she still had his hand clasped in hers, squeezing it as she talked, her expressive eyes lighting up the room. “This is so unexpected. What does an assistant director of sales do? When will I start?”
Jamie laughed, obviously enjoying Jackson’s discomfort, knowing full well he hadn’t wanted Madison working at L & L, because it would only make things more difficult down the road.
“The job is yours,” Jackson said. “For now. Under the circumstances, though, I think it would be best if we considered this arrangement temporary.”
“I see.” She looked thoughtful for a moment. “Yes, that would make sense under the circumstances. Who will I be working for?”
“Me,” Jamie cut in. “I’ll show you the ropes, introduce you around the office.”
She looked at Jackson. “So what you’re saying is that I should keep looking for another job?”
“Not at the moment, but later it might be uncomfortable for both of us if you didn’t.”
She seemed to ponder on that, and as she did so, Jackson tried once again to put his finger on exactly what had happened to her. It was almost as if some sort of metamorphosis had taken place overnight.
“You might be right,” she admitted, her tone serious as she made her way to the refrigerator and added ice and more tea to t
he empty pitcher sitting on the counter. “There might be one little problem, though.”
“What’s that?”
“I might do such a good job that you won’t want to let me go.” She smiled at Jamie and then winked at Jackson. And then she walked away, leaving the two men to themselves, her ponytail swaying as she disappeared out of sight.
Jackson rubbed the back of his neck.
“By George, I think she might be right!” Jamie said with a chuckle.
Ignoring his brother, Jackson turned to the kitchen window overlooking the pool and watched Madison serve tea to her guests. He wasn’t sure what bothered him more—the fact that she might be right and he wouldn’t want to let her go, or that he’d asked her to put on clothes.
Chapter Eleven
Two days later, Madison hummed the tune, “What a Wonderful World,” as she readied herself for dinner. Although she wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of having dinner with Heather, Barbara, and now Mr. Razzano, she couldn’t stop smiling.
Ever since Jen and Pam had convinced her to relax and be herself around Jackson, they had been getting along wonderfully. Although he hadn’t tried to kiss her or make any sort of move in that direction, everything seemed better between them. At least he could talk to her now without scowling. Sometimes he even smiled for no reason at all. Her job at L & L Developing was only the icing on the cake.
Jen would scold her if she knew she was no longer falling for Jackson—she was in love with the man. Jen might even try to convince her that it was lust. But Madison could feel it in her bones and breathe it in the air—it was love, that wonderful emotion that made the grass look greener and the air smell sweeter. He could be bull-headed and gruff, but she’d seen the softer side of him. He wasn’t as unpleasant as he wanted her to think he was. She could see it in his eyes when he smiled, she felt his gentle side in every kiss and every time he held her close.
Yesterday, Pam and Jen had taken her shopping and now she had her things laid out on the bed as she inspected her recent purchases. Shopping for clothes wasn’t her forte and thus she couldn’t remember ever having so much fun hunting for outfits and shoes and makeup. She needed the clothes for work. Thanks to Pam, a pair of very short shorts lay on the bed next to a simple, yet clingy, white blouse. Then there was the beautiful sage suit she’d bought for her first day at her new job and two pairs of tailored slacks. She turned to the mirror to view the dress she wore now—her favorite purchase of all—a Vince Camuto sleeveless A-line dress. The color was hot azalea and the pleated skirt cut above the knees made her legs look two inches longer. She hadn’t felt this pretty since the Starlight Ball.
There was one more purchase still in the bag, where it would have to stay for now. According to Pam, that particular item made of black lace was designed to get the attention of even the most stubborn of men.
Two hours later, Madison picked at her potatoes with her fork and wondered why she’d ever thought, even for a minute, that this dinner might be fun.
Crisp white tablecloths and chandeliers sparkled in the dim light of La Virage, the Italian restaurant Heather had chosen for dinner. The conversation for the past hour had been as stiff as the linens and as reserved as the waiters.
Jackson had hardly glanced her way all evening and she was sitting right next to him. She couldn’t help but wonder if his somber mood stemmed from the fact that she would be working for him starting Monday or because he was being forced to play the part of a caring husband again. Throughout dinner she’d done everything possible to get his attention, including touching his arm, holding his hand, and brushing against him every chance she got. But nothing worked. As the minutes ticked by, he became more distant and unreadable.
“So,” Barbara said, as a waiter cleared some of the dinner plates from the table. “When are you two going on your honeymoon?”
Madison coughed into her napkin. Why hadn’t she thought of that? The idea had never crossed her mind.
“We’re still trying to decide where we want to go,” Jackson said.
That statement made Madison choke in earnest until Jackson handed her a glass of water.
“Europe would be nice,” Heather said.
“I was hoping I could talk Madison into a trip to Italy, but it seems my wife has her heart set on New Orleans.”
Madison planted a smile on her face as Jackson rambled on with an incredible story of how it was her life-long dream to visit the historic French Quarter—the same story, verbatim, she’d given Mr. Razzano. Then Jackson further surprised her when he lifted her hand and held it close to his chest as he played with her fingers, one at a time, right there in front of everyone.
Trying to appear unaffected by such a simple touch, she nodded her head in agreement to everything he said.
“For weeks now,” Jackson continued, “Madison has been talking passionately about her desire to see the charm of an old European town, not to mention her aspirations of collecting as many beads as possible when she parades down Bourbon Street for the first time.”
Barbara gasped and Madison followed suit. “I did not say that!”
Jackson looked at her with a raised brow.
It was impossible to tell if the man was joking or not. Either way, Madison burst out laughing at how ridiculous he was acting.
“You have quite a sense of humor,” Mr. Razzano said, when he realized Jackson was teasing.
“Yes, he does,” Heather agreed flatly, “a characteristic that will come in handy when their house is filled with dozens of noisy little brats—I mean children.” She poured a dab of cream into her coffee and stirred. “Did you know, Jackson, that Madison always talked about having a dozen children? Six boys and six girls. Isn’t that right, dear?”
Jackson placed his other hand, the one nobody else could see, on Madison’s knee. He gave her a squeeze, letting her know he didn’t care what they were saying. As Heather and Barbara begin to talk about the horrors that would come to any couple with more than two kids, Jackson gave Madison a sly look that told her two could play at the game she’d been playing all night long. He was on to her. He knew darn well she’d been trying to get his attention for most of the night.
His thumb pushed the hem of her dress a smidgeon higher.
She shivered. He was much better at this game than she’d anticipated.
His thumb brushed over the inner, sensitive area of her thigh above her knee, making her quiver. If she wasn’t surrounded by all these people, she might have let out a small moan. Instead, she smiled at nobody in particular and tried to relax. If one thumb could make her lose her mind, she could hardly imagine what all ten digits could do.
“Isn’t that right, Madison?” Heather said again.
Distracted, Madison started, her eyes widening as she realized Heather was talking to her. “Right,” she blurted.
Mr. Razzano seemed preoccupied with finishing his meal, but Heather was not happy. Her expression had turned fierce, her porcelain skin drawn taut over high cheekbones. “You weren’t listening to a word I said, were you?”
Jackson gave Madison’s leg another squeeze and said, “She has a lot on her mind right now, what with starting a new job and—”
Heather’s face pinched tighter. “What new job, dear?”
“Starting Monday, I’ll be working for Jackson,” Madison said, the tension between their small group palpable.
“Doing what?” Heather wanted to know, her tone laced with resentment.
Jackson removed his hand from Madison’s leg and placed it around her shoulder instead. “She’ll be our new assistant sales director,” he announced.
“She’s an accountant, for God’s sake. You don’t just throw somebody into a position like that unless—”
“Unless what, Heather?”
If Madison didn’t know better, she’d say Jackson was daring Heather to question his choice in hiring whom he pleased. If ever she wanted to take Jackson’s hand and drag him off to bed, it was now. Nobody had ever stood
up to Heather before, and certainly never in her defense. The idea of it made her regard Jackson with open fondness.
Heather dabbed her mouth with her napkin and excused herself. When she returned from the ladies room, she had a man at her side, a familiar looking man…Steve.
Of all the people to show up tonight, she never would have guessed it would be her old boyfriend. Coincidence?
Madison looked from Steve to Heather. No, not a coincidence. Jen was right. Heather was up to her old tricks, determined to do everything possible to put an end to her marriage to Jackson. Why hadn’t she seen it before? Of course, that’s what Heather was doing. Why else would Heather have asked her to dinner? And what a remarkable coincidence that Mr. Razzano had called soon after. What an idiot she had been to think Heather might be happy for her and wanted to make amends. Was Barbara in on it, too? Suddenly it all made sense. She was a fool.
“Madison, is that you?” Steve asked, his voice lined with exaggerated surprise.
Mr. Razzano straightened. He was all ears.
Madison felt sick as she nodded at Steve, letting him know it was indeed the same Madison he’d treated so horribly all those years. The same Madison who had cowered every time he entered a room. The same Madison who had done anything and everything to please him.
“You finally lost some weight,” Steve said. “I always knew you’d look sizzling hot if you just lost a few pounds.”
An awkward silence hovered over their table.
Steve raised his hands in a defensive gesture. “What? Did I say something wrong?” He playfully nudged Madison’s arm. “Stand up, let me see you. Madison and I were this close,” Steve said, squeezing his thumb and index finger together, “to spending the rest of our lives together. Weren’t we, babe?” He slid his cold, clammy hand up her arm.
“I think you should go,” Madison said, her hands trembling.
“You’re still upset about Gloria, aren’t you?”
Madison closed her eyes. She knew Steve well enough to know he wasn’t going to leave without making a scene. “Steve, I’d like you to meet my husband, Jackson Lang.”
An Offer He Can't Refuse Page 13
