LITMIR.BIZ

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      His words trailed into a silence filled with endless possibilities before he asked, “Is that something Riana might believe?”

      Allison swallowed hard. “Um, yeah, that—” She cleared her throat. “That might be convincing.”

      She didn’t know about Riana Collins, but for thirty seconds, Zach had her completely convinced! Even now, standing so close, the faint, tantalizing smell of his aftershave tempted her to move closer. To not just breathe in the scent from the air, but to seek it out on the warmth of his skin. Allison’s pulse pounded in her ears like a bass line blaring through the speakers of a tricked out car. Her whole body should have been trembling from the reverberations. “So … I guess the only question now is how obvious do we need to be?”

      His gaze dropped to her lips, and Allison unconsciously ran her tongue over her lower lip as if she could already taste Zach there. Kissing her wouldn’t be subtle at all. Kissing her would be obvious, bold, unquestionable … It would also be unnecessary since Riana Collins was nowhere around. But with the thought already in her mind, her own focus drifted from the desire darkening Zach’s eyes to his mouth.

      What kind of kisser would he be? If his technique matched his personality, the kiss would be quick, to the point, no messing around. And yet somehow Allison doubted it. Although she’d never seen a more personal side to Zach, the skip in her pulse and quickening heartbeat told her he knew how to kiss.

      “Allie …”

      The rough murmur of her name brushed against her nerve endings. It didn’t even matter that she’d hated the nickname ever since her sister had started calling her “Allie-cat” back in the second grade. Heart pounding, Allison waited for Zach to lower his head. She swayed slightly, drawn closer by an almost undeniable attraction.

      “Zach?” The sultry female voice should have come from Allison, but words were frozen in her dry throat, and not since a bout with laryngitis a few years ago had her voice sounded that husky.

      It took Zach a moment to focus on a point over Allison’s shoulder. Only because she stood so close did she hear his disgruntled sigh. “Obvious,” he muttered as he placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her around. “Very obvious.”

      Allison’s eyes widened as she caught sight of the woman walking toward them. When Zach said Riana Collins wasn’t used to hearing the word no, Allison had assumed that was because the heiress to the Collins jewelry empire was rich and spoiled. She hadn’t expected the reason to be because the woman was completely irresistible.

      Dressed in a vibrant red skirt and jacket that hugged her curves, Riana Collins looked like an exotic supermodel. Black hair fell to her shoulders in a razor-straight style that emphasized her high cheekbones, smoky eyes and full red lips. Diamonds glittered at her ears and wrist, silently if not subtly promoting the family business. As the woman drew closer, Allison realized that wasn’t the only advertising the woman did. She’d seen Riana, draped in gemstones and little else, in ads for Collins Jewelers.

      This was the woman Zach was turning down—all for the sake of a business deal.

      If Allison didn’t know better, she might have thought Zach was hardwired with all the emotion and passion of a computer’s CPU. But there’d been those few, brief moments when she’d seen the flare of attraction in his eyes, the desire of a flesh-and-blood man.

      There was no sign of that man now as he greeted the stunning brunette. “Riana.” His voice couldn’t have sounded more professional if it had been a prerecorded phone message. His expression was equally polite, yet remote despite the obvious come-on in the woman’s gaze. “So good to see you.”

      “You, too, Zach.” Smoke turned to ash when Riana looked at Allison. “I didn’t realize you’d be bringing anyone tonight.”

      “I’ve mentioned how eager Knox is to do business with you and your father.” Sliding his hand to the small of her back, Zach brought Allison forward. “Naturally, we’ve brought out our best.”

      Hoping Riana Collins didn’t ask best what, since she doubted the title of Best Temporary Receptionist would impress the woman, Allison held out her hand. “Allison Warner. Pleased to meet you, Ms. Collins.”

      Riana Collins looked less than pleased, an expression that didn’t change as they entered the restaurant and followed the hostess to a secluded table obviously meant for two. A third place was hastily set. Zach kept Allison at his side, pulling out the chair to his right.

      She might have expected the other woman to have a better chance of holding his attention, seated directly across from him. But he never failed to meet Allison’s gaze before glancing at Riana, just like he never missed an opportunity to rest his hand on the back of her chair or brush his fingers against hers on the table.

      At first, Allison thought Zach had decided to be subtle after all, only to quickly realize how wrong she was. The hand on her shoulder could have been a casual, business-related touch—until his thumb stroked the skin along her collarbone. And while even that small gesture might have seemed subtle, the shiver that raced down her spine like a quake down a fault line was anything but.

      Judging by Riana’s narrowed gaze, the woman had picked up on the aftershock.

      After the first few minutes of small talk, discussing the menu and giving their orders to the waiter, Zach turned his attention to business. Riana nodded in all the appropriate places as Zach explained the different security options Knox offered; she even asked an informed question or two.

      But the other woman still had more than business on her mind, and Allison wasn’t surprised when Riana pegged her with a sharp look and said, “You’ve been quiet, Allison. I’d be curious to hear your thoughts.”

      For a split second her mind went blank, and she felt Zach stiffen beside her, his tension practically telegraphing an unspoken command straight through her. Do not screw this up. Do not screw this up. The added pressure had panic rising up inside her, but then the information she’d copied, collated, stapled and punched started filtering back. She’d always had a good memory for details—a useful talent when she’d juggled clients for Barton/Mills and one that helped with jumping from temp job to temp job now.

      “Knox handles security for some of the top businesses in the Valley.” Names from the client list flashed through her memory—a high-end clothing boutique, a chain of furniture stores, an office complex not far from where the new Collins jewelry store would soon break ground.

      “I’ve heard your latest ad campaign,” Allison added. It was an occupational hazard she had yet to break, paying more attention to ads than shows on TV or songs on the radio. “You’ve been promoting Collins Jewelers as the fourth ‘C,’ as important as cut, color and clarity. You have a reputation for accepting only the best, and when it comes to security systems, Knox is the best there is.”

      For the first time all evening, Allison felt Zach relax at her side, and the glow of satisfaction burned brighter as she caught his almost imperceptible nod of approval.

      Night had fallen by the time they left the restaurant, but Allison’s smile could have lit the sky. Zach waited for Riana to drive off in her Jag before he said, “I owe you, big time.”

      Her smile grew wider, bringing out the dimple in her right cheek, but despite the Cheshire grin, she passed on the chance to gloat. “No you don’t. It was fun.”

      Judging by the bounce in her step and her smile as they walk toward his car, Allison was telling the truth. She’d had fun. When was the last time—if ever—that he’d thought of work as ‘fun?’ It was a challenge to be met, a range of pinnacles to climb, each higher and harder than the last. But fun? And yet when Allison reached the passenger door and turned to face him, he felt a hint of an answering smile tug at his lips. He couldn’t deny that certain aspects of the evening had been … enjoyable.

      It had been way too easy to let his gaze lock on hers, to brush his fingers over the back of her hand in a too casual to be casual gesture, to acknowledge the attraction

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