LITMIR.BIZ

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sure.”

      Jessie sighed as she twisted her hair up into a loose bun and stared at her reflection. She knew her sister was right, but she felt like a little girl playing dress-up in her mother’s clothes. The elegant, polished woman staring back at her from the mirror was a stranger to her.

      “Maybe I shouldn’t go at all. I could just call Phyllis and tell her something came up.”

      “What’s going on, Jessie?” her sister asked, crossing the small room to stand in front of her. “This isn’t like you. Are you scared?”

      “No, not scared. Just intimidated.”

      “Why? Your agency—the agency we started less than two years ago—has been chosen to launch a huge make-up line. You’ve been asked to attend one of the year’s most prestigious charity balls as the guest of that same make-up line. And you’ll be sitting right next to someone from New York’s biggest and oldest ad agency—the agency that you showed up and outdid. This is your moment to shine!”

      “But what if I say or do something stupid and completely blow it? I’m afraid they’ll know I don’t belong there the minute I open my mouth.”

      “You’re going to be sitting with a bunch of aging white guys, wearing a gorgeous dress and looking like a million bucks. You could speak in pig Latin all night and no one would blink an eye.”

      Jessie grinned, realizing her sister was right. Powerful men always seemed to want her. “Should I see if I can get Roar a sugar daddy?”

      “Roar doesn’t need one. We’ve got you. But no one would blame you if you wanted to get one for yourself!”

      “Nah. I don’t want to get chained down to anyone—let alone some ancient guy—even if he comes with designer shoes and private yachts.”

      “What about the hot young advertising executive who’s escorting you?”

      Nick. As soon as his name crossed her mind a confusing mix of rage and lust clouded her thoughts. She remembered the way he’d sneered at her after he’d found out it was her agency that had stolen his business. And how he’d tried to use his size to intimidate her. She wouldn’t go near him with a ten-foot pole.

      “Thanks, but no thanks. His ego would take up too much of the bed.”

      Gloria squeezed her shoulder. “All right—whatever, sis. Just don’t let him get to you. You’re worth ten of him.”

      Jessie nodded, feeling better after the pep talk.

      “Thanks, Gloria,” she said, moving in for a hug.

      Gloria squeaked and backed out of her reach. “No hugging while you’re wearing that dress—you might wrinkle it. Pretend you’re one of those frozen heiress types. Air kisses only!”

      “Right. Okay. Help me out of this, will you? I don’t want to play the frozen princess until I have to.”

      “We’re here, boss.”

      Nick started. “Already? That was fast.”

      “Not really.” Bob snorted. “You were just lost in space. I don’t think you blinked once the whole way here.”

      Nick frowned. “Just trying to figure out how to handle the evening. I’m used to escorting shallow debutantes—not my biggest competitor.”

      “Just treat her like you would any other woman. Open doors, pull out her chair and turn on the charm. She’ll be a puddle at your feet in no time.”

      Nick tried to imagine Jessie melting, but the image that came to mind was of her vaporizing him. “I don’t know about that. This one’s a fighter.”

      “You won’t know until you try. Go.”

      “You’re right. As usual.”

      Besides, he had no choice. Phyllis was expecting them in less than an hour. Nick took a deep breath and looked at his surroundings. The neighborhood of elegant but boring brownstones didn’t look like the kind of place Jessie would call home.

      He motioned toward the one they were parked in front of. “Are you sure this is the right address?”

      “That one’s not. But that one is,” Bob said, pointing across the street.

      Nick laughed out loud as he took in the fuchsia-painted exterior of the house Bob was pointing at. “Of course it is.”

      He got out of the limo and walked up the brightly tiled mosaic path that led to the front door, still grinning. He pushed the doorbell and was unsurprised to hear a lion roaring in response inside the house.

      Seconds later a fresh-faced brunette opened the door. “You must be Nick,” she said.

      “The one and only. And you are …?”

      “Gloria. Jessie’s sister and office manager. Come on in. She’ll be down in a second.”

      Nick stepped inside and was surprised to find himself in a lobby environment, complete with receptionist’s desk and pink and black polka-dotted armchairs.

      “You guys run Roar out of here?”

      “Yep. The ground floor and basement are for the business. Jessie and I live on the top two floors.”

      “I just assumed it was a bigger operation.”

      The woman shrugged. “It’s bigger than it used to be. There’s fifteen of us now. When Jessie and I started it was just the two of us.”

      “And when was that?

      “A little over a year ago. Can I get you some water or something?”

      He shook his head, trying to wrap his brain around the fact that his competition was so inexperienced. How had they managed to snag an account like Goddess?

      “Okay, then. Make yourself comfortable. She’ll be down in a minute.”

      He sank into one of the plush chairs, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all. But before he had a chance to get too comfortable he heard the clacking of high heels crossing the hardwood floor.

      He looked up and felt all the breath leave his body.

      Jessie was a vision of sparkling emerald and fiery red. Her dress clung to her curves in all the right places and her hair tumbled loose around her bare shoulders.

      “Wow.”

      She smiled grimly. “I’ll interpret that as, You clean up well, Jessie.”

      Nick rose to his feet. “That you do. You look beautiful.”

      She stepped back and gave him a once-over, her eyes slowly roaming over his body.

      “You’re not looking too shabby either. I think you’ll do.”

      “Good to know.”

      An awkward silence fell as they stared at each other, neither wanting to make the next move.

      It didn’t bode well for the evening.

      Nick sighed, realizing he was going to have to be the one to break the silence if they were ever going to make it out through the door.

      “All right, so obviously neither one of us wants to be here. But we’re supposed to be supporting Phyllis, so we need to do our best to look like we’re pleased with the way things are going.”

      Jessie raised an eyebrow. “So you’re going to pretend to be happy about losing out on the Natural Goddess launch?”

      Nick took a deep breath. He would not let her get to him. “Well, I don’t know if I can channel ‘happy,’ but I think I can do collegial.”

      She looked at him silently for a moment, her expression still as stone.

      “I

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