Erotic Invitation

by Carly Phillips

  “We’ve got to stop meeting like this.” He jumped as Mallory’s soft voice whispered in his ear, catching him off guard.

  He glanced over his shoulder as she walked around him and took her usual seat across from him. “I couldn’t sleep so I went for a walk on the beach.”

  He took in her tailored pants, rolled into cuffs at the bottom and her light lavender oxford shirt. “Dressed like that?”

  She shook her head and laughed. “Don’t start.”

  “I wouldn’t dare.” Instead he leaned forward in his seat. “Did anyone ever tell you you look most sexy when you’re not trying?”

  The more he saw her in conservative mode, the more he liked and appreciated her contradictions. Far from wanting her to leave the conventional clothing behind, he’d begun to look forward to her daytime facade—because he knew he’d be the one to undress her at night.

  “You shouldn’t tease me in broad daylight.” Her words were chiding but her voice was soft.

  Before he could respond, he felt a brush of heat against his calf.

  “Sorry.”

  “No problem.” He shifted in his seat and swung his legs over to the other side. If she was going to play prim and proper, he didn’t need mistaken touches beneath the table working to arouse him.

  “So as long as I have appearances to keep up I would appreciate you not discussing it again.”

  He nodded.

  “I appreciate your being so accommodating.” She shut her mouth, pursed her lips in a look that reminded him of his grandmother and blew on the coffee before taking a sip.

  He reached for his glass of water and downed half the contents. He suddenly felt another fleeting warmth stir against his leg. A second passed before it registered that her touch wasn’t an accident but a deliberate caress of her foot against his bare leg.

  He glanced up and caught her perusing the menu, but her lips were curled upward in a grin she couldn’t contain.

  She hooked one foot around his calf and pulled his legs apart, then settled her arch against his thigh. Her toes were dangerously close to hitting a bulls-eye and any semblance of control he’d mustered was almost gone.

  “Mallory.” Even he heard the warning edging his tone.

  “Hmm?” She glanced up from the menu, wide-eyed but nowhere near innocent.

  “What about those appearances you were talking about?” He grasped for a reminder of daily reality, anything to distract her wandering feet and his raging libido. But apparently appearances were all that concerned her because beneath the table where no one could see, her naughtier side had taken over.

  She lifted her shoulders. “Look around you, Jack. No one’s paying the least bit of attention to me. I’ve accomplished one of my goals.”

  An unexpected smile lit her face. “And now I’m about to accomplish another one.” Her foot wiggled in a provocative movement designed to arouse and entice. And she did both well.

  He couldn’t speak without embarrassing himself with a full-fledged groan, and he couldn’t shift positions without allowing her deeper, fuller access. So he settled for counting to himself and attempting to focus on anything but her tantalizing, stirring movements.

  “Remember that tension you wouldn’t let me relieve last night?” she purred.

  He knew it all right. The same tension had built up inside him again, ready to explode and the little minx knew it.

  “Good morning.” Paul Lederman’s booming voice called out in the quiet dining room. “Mind if I join you?”

  Jack couldn’t answer if his life depended on it.

  “Our pleasure,” Mallory said, speaking for him. But she didn’t remove her damn foot from its perch.

  Jack shifted in his seat, unsuccessfully ignoring the push of her arch against his groin and the shot of white heat that followed in its wake.

  He cleared his throat. “I hope you had a successful trip.”

  “The best kind.” Lederman chose the seat beside Mallory, across from Jack.

  At least Jack didn’t have to worry about her leg hitting the wrong target, but he still needed breathing room or he’d detonate like a grenade.

  “I’m looking into buying another resort. This one’s in Nantucket,” Lederman said.

  Jack made a mental note to check with the firm’s corporate and real estate partners to see what, if anything, they knew of this supposed deal.

  He narrowed his eyes and gave Mallory a look that promised retribution. She averted her gaze.

  “Nantucket’s a beautiful location, or so I hear.” She sat up straighter in her seat, in what would have been her professional attorney mode—were it not for her strategically placed foot.

  “It’s perfect,” Lederman agreed.

  “Speaking of perfect, I checked out the gym here. That’s quite a setup you’ve got going.” With Mallory having the upper hand, or in this case, the upper foot, on the family jewels, Jack decided not to mention Eva at the moment.

  The older man nodded. “People who come here are looking to get away from stress. What with cell phones and laptop computers, most bring stress with them. The least a resort can provide is a full-service gym and a doctor on call.”

  Mallory fiddled with the spoon beside her empty plate before meeting their client’s gaze. “Speaking of doctors, how have you been feeling, Mr. Lederman?”

  The older man sucked in his stomach at the obviously unexpected question. “Never better, why do you ask?” His tone grew wary yet defensive at the same time.

  Tread lightly, Jack thought. But he surprised himself by not jumping in to smooth things over between Mallory and their client—a sure sign he trusted her. Trusted Mallory or trusted her abilities? Jack would be a fool not to recognize the distinction, even if he couldn’t accurately answer the question.

  As quickly as she’d positioned herself, she eased her foot down and leaned forward in her seat. But Jack was quick enough to clamp his legs together and grab her by the ankle, leaving her at his mercy as she attempted to formulate a response.

  In a move that surprised him, she took off her glasses, and propping her chin on her hand, she concentrated solely on Paul. “Please don’t think I’m prying, but one of your employees mentioned you’d had a short stay in the hospital last year.”

  Surfer boy, Jack thought. He’d never gotten an answer about what she’d discovered the other night. How could he when he’d been too busy discovering her?

  “Gossiping among the staff?” Lederman’s expression grew thunderous.

  She shook her head quickly back and forth. “Actually, no. It was raving by the staff. I’d mentioned how wonderful I thought the gym was—especially the doctor on call—you see my father had a mild heart attack recently…”

  She trembled as she spoke and without thought, Jack clamped his legs tighter around her foot in the only display of comfort and support he could offer under the circumstances. It wasn’t enough and for the first time, he wished he was free to express his feelings. And he realized he had some serious thinking to do when it came to Mallory Sinclair, colleague, and Mallory Sinclair, woman.

  Her surprised gaze darted to his and in the blue depths he caught a glimmer of appreciation and a hint of calming. He took heart in knowing he’d been able to soothe her somehow.

  Then she settled her gaze on Lederman who had begun patting her hand, and she went on. “So I thought your hotel would be a perfect getaway for my parents. They adore their time alone, but my mother would feel so much better knowing they could go on vacation where he could exercise under a doctor’s supervision and she wouldn’t have to watch over him.”

  Lederman visibly relaxed, the strain around his mouth easing as Mallory’s story worked on him, no doubt as it was meant to.

  Because Jack was already privy to her strained and unhappy relationship with her parents, he was not only sympathetic as Lederman was, but he needed to know more. Like how the heart attack—which he had no doubt was real—had affected Mallory’s feelings toward her already dis
tant parent. If that was the reason she was afraid to chart her own destiny instead of the one she thought would finally please her father and make him proud.

  There was definitely more to this story than she’d revealed to Paul Lederman. More even than she’d revealed to Jack so far.

  She smiled at Paul, batting those eyelashes behind the thick glasses she’d repositioned on her nose. “So you see, your employee was explaining how you upgraded the gym last year after your own trauma. And I have to say I’m impressed you were savvy enough to turn what had to be a traumatic experience into something so incredible.”

  Lederman, Jack had learned, was a sucker for compliments from younger women, and Mallory had obviously discovered the same thing. She was a pro at her job and played Lederman much the same way. Yet Jack sensed her sincerity, and it was the sincerity that calmed Lederman.

  The older man beamed. “Young lady, you give your parents my name and I’ll see to it they have a first-class stay here.”

  “Well thank you, Mr. Lederman.”

  He shook his head. “Paul.”

  “Thank you, Paul, but I wasn’t fishing for anything from you. Honestly I was impressed with the facility and also concerned about your health.”

  The older man turned to Jack. “You’ve got a special lady working for you.”

  “I’ll be sure to pass your compliments along,” Jack said for Mallory’s sake, knowing how important client impressions were in her bid for partner. “And remember, Paul, you’d be fortunate to have her on your side.”

  Mallory filled with warmth at Jack’s easily spoken words. Though a part of her recognized his statement as a ploy to reinforce Waldorf, Haynes as Lederman’s attorneys of choice, Jack’s penetrating gaze held a wealth of meaning for her alone.

  “I’m feeling much better, thank you,” Lederman went on. “The gym’s a part of my renewed health plan, and knowing I’ll be free soon is another.”

  “Free to do what? You know you can tell us,” she said, deliberately playful. Mallory wanted Lederman comfortable enough to reveal his secrets. The only reason she’d mentioned her father’s recent heart scare at all was to gain his trust with an open revelation of her own.

  Though she’d never admitted it aloud, the incident had thrown her badly. Instead of reinforcing her need to make partner before her father suffered more severe health problems, Mallory had seen the importance of enjoying life. When she’d begun to realize that she wasn’t as fulfilled as she had thought she’d panicked and forced the issue from her mind, refusing to face her father’s mortality and her dissatisfaction with the life she’d chosen.

  Until now.

  With Jack now in the equation, the thought of returning to the empty life she led back home loomed ominously before her.

  Lederman’s laughter boomed out in the quiet room. “See, I divulge my manly fantasies and she isn’t even listening. Should I be insulted?”

  Mallory flushed, realizing she’d been so engrossed in an internal monologue, she’d forgotten to pay attention to the more important things going on around her.

  Jack laughed along with him. “Not at all. Even if she’d heard, you could still face her in the morning. Mallory’s one of the boys.”

  If not for the distinct regret she caught flickering across Jack’s face, she’d have reached across the table and strangled him in his seat. Mallory didn’t care if Jack’s statement had been made to solidify the bond and trust between the three of them.

  No matter how good Jack’s reasons, his words stung, harsher than the frigid comments he’d made on day one. Because he hadn’t known her then, but he did now. More intimately than any other man ever had.

  Or ever would again. She deliberately yanked her foot free from his hold, ignoring his icy glare.

  “Ms. Sinclair?” The hostess stood by the edge of the table, portable phone in hand. “There’s a call for you. You can take it outside.” The young woman gestured to the balcony overlooking the water.

  “Thank you.” Mallory accepted the phone. “I’ve been expecting this. It’s probably Rogers,” she said to Jack, without mentioning the words private investigator in front of Lederman.

  She wanted to see what the P.I. had dug up on Mrs. Lederman first before they showed their hand to Paul. On a professional level Mallory agreed with Jack’s philosophy about never going into a case unprepared yet her stomach cramped and she secretly hoped Rogers had come up empty. She hated the idea of digging for dirt on Mrs. Lederman, never mind how she’d feel if they actually found something useable.

  At this moment, necessity didn’t make her job any more appealing. “If you gentleman will excuse me?” She rose from her seat and both men stood.

  She’d catch up with Jack later and fill him in on the call. As to whether anything else transpired between them—well the next invitation was up to him.

  11

  JACK WATCHED Mallory’s retreat, regret clenching and unclenching his gut. Calling her one of the boys had been necessary, but one of the hardest things he’d ever done—because he knew how deep his words would wound her. There was nothing he could do about it now, so he turned back to Lederman.

  “Come on, Paul, she’s gone. Now tell me what you’ve got going. I met up with Eva down at the gym. Now she’s hot.”

  “She’s yesterday. You know that Nantucket deal I was telling you about?” He dropped his voice to a hushed tone.

  Jack groaned. “Don’t tell me you’re buying a resort just to get an in with some woman.” He glanced out toward the large veranda-like porch where Mallory had gone and realized he’d buy a lot more than land just to keep her with him.

  The more he learned about her past, the better he understood her. He respected her professional climb and he trusted her.

  “What better way to retain control of the situation?” Lederman asked.

  Jack sighed. Regardless if he could empathize with the concept Lederman had just broached, professionally the man was talking a suicide move. Paul was thinking but not with his brain.

  “Look, say you hire me and I get you out of this marriage with most of your assets intact. Why would you go buying yourself a problem? Screw the woman if you have to and walk away. You’ve heard of sexual harassment. You buy the resort, you’re buying yourself major headaches.”

  “This woman’s special.” The older man leaned forward in his seat. “And she understands me, something I don’t have now.”

  “They’re all special in the beginning,” Jack said, repeating the same mantra he’d used on other clients embarking on an affair while embroiled in a messy divorce.

  Only this time, a voice in his head he’d never heard before argued that maybe Lederman had a point. Maybe one woman could be special enough to make it worth risking everything for.

  That’s when Jack knew morning or not, he needed a stiff drink. Or an immediate getaway from the enclosed hotel atmosphere and the intensity of the feelings Mallory effortlessly invoked.

  Lederman shook his head, his lips thinning in disappointment. “You’re too young to be so cynical. Maybe you need to get lucky yourself.”

  Jack let out a laugh. Lederman would fall over in his chair if he knew how close Jack was to getting lucky. “You’re paying me to be cynical. Which reminds me, are we in or out as your divorce attorneys? Because much as I like it here, I can’t afford to lounge around much longer.”

  “Relax, Jack. Like you said, I’m paying you to lounge around. I’ll see you later.”

  Jack groaned. What he needed was to get the hell out of this resort and back into the real world, but with Lederman calling the shots that wouldn’t be happening. Still, there were other ways of alleviating his cabin fever.

  The ball was back in his court where Mallory was concerned, and he knew just the solution. He’d take Mallory into the real world—where he’d see how little they had in common and where he’d be reminded of how much he hated the feeling of being tied to any one woman.

  Special ones like Mallory included.r />
  MALLORY STOOD in the luxury gift shop of the hotel, looking over the array of eyewear. She tried on gold-rimmed Fendi frames, thick-framed black Gucci sunglasses and Prada glasses with no frames at all. They were all way out of her price range, but she continued to look, convinced that wearing such feminine and sexy glasses would rebuild her pride, still wounded from being called one of the boys. By Jack.

  “Have you made a decision?” The saleswoman asked.

  Mallory shook her head. “I’d love these.” She slid on the Prada glasses, so opposite of her daily frames, and posed in front of the mirror. With the sun shining through the windows and no heavy black lenses bogging her down she felt lighter and freer.

  “The lavender tint compliments your skin tone.”

  Mallory didn’t know if that was truth or a sales pitch, not that it mattered. “Unfortunately they’re beyond my means.” She’d spent her surplus money on the cozy cabin for herself and Jack. The memories they made there would last a lot longer than an expensive pair of sunglasses or the illusion of femininity and freedom they provided.

  All she needed to do was glance in the mirror without her glasses to see the shabby truth. She pulled off the shades and handed them back to the woman. “Thank you anyway.”

  “My pleasure. Here’s my card if you change your mind.”

  Mallory smiled. “I appreciate that.” She left the store, realizing she’d fallen into an oh-poor-me routine that was as pathetic as it was unnecessary.

  She’d chosen her life and had no business regretting it now, just because she’d gone and fallen in love with Jack.

  She’d fallen in love with Jack.

  Mallory stumbled toward the group of chairs arranged in the center of the lobby. She settled herself into the nearest one before her knees buckled beneath her. She’d fallen in love with Jack. The revelation shouldn’t be a shock. It was exactly what she’d feared when she’d embarked on this trip, even though she hadn’t voiced that fear aloud. Her heart thudded hard in her chest. She tried to calm herself by forcing deep and even breaths.

  She’d get through this. For once her past was going to work in her favor. If she could learn to live without the love of her parents, she could darn well learn to live without Jack’s.