LITMIR.BIZ

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that Josie and Adelaide leave at seven. On Thursday theywould close at 6:00 so that they could all attend the big charity ball her stepmother chaired each holiday season.

      Cat had bought tickets for all of her employees, hoping to placate her stepmother. Gianna Merceri McGuire was not going to be pleased when Cat arrived without a date in tow.

      A date. In the past year and a half, the concept had become foreign to her. The last time she’d gone out with a man she’d still been working at Macy’s.

      It was then that she once more recalled the stranger who’d been standing at the edge of the small crowd on the sidewalk that morning. He’d been teasing his way into her mind all day. This was the first opportunity she’d had to think about the odd reaction she’d had to him.

      No, odd wasn’t the precise word. She’d never had such an intense reaction to a man in her life. Not even to the men she’d taken as lovers. Cat frowned as she recalled that moment when his eyes had collided with hers. The contact had been as intimate as a touch. She hadn’t been able to think or move. All she could do was feel. Desire—raw, primitive, compelling—had filled her. And in that instant, an image had formed in her mind of the two of them naked, their legs tangling as they rolled across a floor.

      Which was absolutely ridiculous. He was a complete stranger. She’d barely caught a glimpse of him.

      But she had no trouble picturing him now. He’d been big, broad-shouldered and tall. He’d had a strong face, like a warrior. In the black leather bomber jacket and jeans, he’d looked tough. Not her usual type. But that hadn’t stopped her from imagining their bodies locked together.

      Fisting her hands at her side, Cat pushed the image out of her mind. There had to be a rational explanation for what she’d felt—what she was still feeling. First of all, she hadn’t slept much the night before.And hewas a man whowould stand out in any crowd. Her body had obviously been trying to tell her something. Devoting all her time to making the Cheshire Cat a success had left a void in her life. That had to be it.

      She’d better get back into the dating scene. Nothing serious. But some simple, uncomplicated sex held a certain appeal. Pulling her notebook out of her jacket pocket, she jotted a note to herself. NewYear’s resolution #1: Start dating again.

      And the plan would have certain benefits. Next year she might have an escort for Gianna’s charity ball. Her stepmother wanted her in a serious relationship with a “suitable” man—suitable meaning someone with the proper social standing. Cat wasn’t about to walk down the path that Gianna had all mapped out for her, but a date now and then, someone to see a movie with—that would be enjoyable.

      Right. Who was she kidding? When she’d looked into that stranger’s eyes this morning, going to a movie with him had been the last thing on her mind. She’d thought of sex, raw, wild, incredible.

      Tucking her notebook back into her pocket, Cat firmly pushed all thoughts of the attractive stranger, the upcoming ball and the questions shewould have to handle from her stepmother firmly out of her mind. She had much bigger problems.

      Those missing dolls. Striding to the small space behind the cash register, she opened a manila folder and thumbed through the orders she’d removed from her files earlier in the day. Twenty-four children were going to be disappointed if Matt Winslow didn’t get the shipment out of Paxco. And right now twenty-four unhappy customers were waiting to hear from her—and she didn’t have any news to give them. Closing the folder, she tucked it into her tote bag.

      She hadn’t been able to get through to Matt all day, and he hadn’t answered any of the messages she’d left on his voice mail. She also hadn’t been able to contact Juan Rivero, the man who’d called her yesterday to tell her the shipment of dolls might be delayed.

      Taking out her cell, Cat punched in Matt’s number again. Listening to the rings, she paced back to the window and scanned the street for her FedEx man. There was still a chance…But the only truck she spotted was delivering soft drinks to the bar across the street.

      Cat closed her eyes and swore under her breath. The same bar where she was supposed to be meeting her father right now! Whirling, she dashed back to the counter and grabbed her tote. She was about to close her cell, when she heard the faint voice in her ear.

      “Cat?”

      She raced to the second step of the spiral staircase where reception for her cell was usually clearest.

      “Matt, where are you? Tell me you’ve shipped the dolls.”

      The only reply she received was a burst of static.

      “Matt? Are you there?”

      “Bad…”

      “What?” Please not bad news, Cat prayed.

      “Connection…terrible.”

      He was right about that. His voice was fading in and out. Cat bit back on her impulse to ask him why he hadn’t called all day. Only one thing mattered now. “Tell me you shipped the dolls.”

      “…tomorrow…Thursday…”

      Therewas another burst of static.Whichwas it? Did he mean that they wouldn’t ship until tomorrow? Or that they would arrive tomorrow? Thursday was two days from now. Cat swallowed her disappointment. Starting tomorrow afternoon, there could be delays because of that Nor’eastermoving up the coast.

      “…want to be there…to open them. Need to…”

      “Did you ship all of them?”

      There was another burst of static and then the connection was broken. Cat punched in Matt’s number again, but this time she was transferred to his voice mail.

      “Call me back with the tracking number,” she said.

      She’d feel better once she had something more concrete to go on.

      In the meantime, her father was waiting, and tardiness had always been an issue with him. She set the security alarm, locked the door behind her, dashed toward the curb and quickly threaded her way through traffic to Patty’s Pub. Through the window, she spotted her father already seated at one of the tables.

      For the first time all day, she had time to wonder just what urgent matter had brought her father all the way down to this end of town.

      THE PHONE RANG, and the hand that reached for the receiver trembled slightly. Breathe. Don’t panic. “Hello.”

      “Where are the dolls?” The voice on the other end of the line was soft and chilling.

      Ashudderwas ruthlessly suppressed. “They’ve been delayed. They should arrive tomorrow—Thursday at the latest.”

      The long silence caused a fresh flutter of panic.

      “You’ll be in the shop when the shipment arrives?”

      “Yes. Of course.”

      “I’ll expect the doll I ordered no later than Thursday. Otherwise…”

      The line went dead.

       3

      JAMES MCGUIRE ROSE as his daughter threaded her way through the packed restaurant. The crowd was a lively one, and the noise level nearly succeeded in muting the tinny-sounding Christmas carols that poured through the speakers. He’d arrived half an hour early and tipped the hostess to find him a table.

      This wasn’t the type of place hewould have chosen, but he’d learned years ago to pick his battles with his daughter. And a pretty little waitress named Colleen had informed him that the Mulligan’s stewhere had been written up in the Zagat’s guide.

      A rush of love moved through him when Cat wrapped her arms around him in a warm hug. When he drew back, he held on to her for a moment and studied her face. Just as he’d suspected, there were circles under her eyes. Even as a child, she’d

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