Читать книгу I Thee Bed... - Jule McBride, Jule Mcbride - Страница 9

“I HEAR WHAT YOU’RE SAYING,” Seth began after they’d crossed Hudson Street and had claimed a back booth at a place called Hunan Pan, ordering a sampler platter that included various Chinese dishes they could share. “But—” he turned the newspaper around on the table-top, so she could look at it again “—Jimmy Delaney wasn’t the photographer.”

Surprised, Edie edged the paper toward the flickering flame from a candle on the table and squinted, so she could see in the dim light of the restaurant. “He wasn’t?”

“No. It was some guy named Jack Stevens.”

“Really?” Edie could barely believe it, but when she ducked her head and peered more closely, to read the byline, she saw Seth was right. She shook her head. “Most pictures of this sort have been taken by Jimmy Delaney,” she murmured. Glancing up, she caught Seth’s gaze. “He’s a freelancer,” she continued, explaining. “A member of the paparazzi. Pete Shriver—he’s head of the Darden security staff—has been instrumental in getting eleven orders of protection against him. For some reason, Jimmy’s really into shooting pictures of Julia.”

“She is photogenic,” Seth offered. “And I’ve seen enough pictures of her that Jimmy Delaney can’t be the only guy taking them.”

“True. But Celebrity Weddings has exclusive rights to shoot the wedding preparations, as well as the event at the estate, and Jimmy goes out of his way to show up where he’s not wanted.”

“You’re on a first-name basis,” quipped Seth. “The sure sign he’s a real archenemy.”

“We’re terrified he’ll ruin the wedding.”

Seth looked genuinely surprised. “Ruin the wedding? By trying to take pictures?”

She nodded. “He hardly has Julia and Lorenzo’s best interests at heart.”

“I doubt he wishes them ill.”

“Maybe not.”

“And people like this kind of picture,” Seth argued.

She studied him a long moment. “Lorenzo’s good-looking,” she admitted. “I’ll give you that. And people are interested in following Julia’s life, mostly because she’s the epitome of class—wealthy, beautiful and also a genuinely nice person. But a picture such as this is calculated to harm her relationship with her fiancé.”

“The headline maybe, but not the picture itself,” Seth countered, playing devil’s advocate. “Without the text, you’d just see a guy in the buff in a locker room with an unidentified woman.”

Her jaw slackened. “I can’t believe you’re saying this, Seth! You’re actually defending the photographer! The person who took this picture—” She looked down at the paper again, reading. “Jack Stevens,” she repeated. “He knew exactly what the Post would do with such a picture. He knew how it would be used.”

“Mere conjecture.”

“You’ve been hanging around too long with your best friend,” she scoffed, a smile lifting her lips abruptly, since Seth was obviously trying to rile her. He’d told her his best buddy from Ohio had become a lawyer and that they were still close. Seth was even playing uncle to the kids, which had further piqued Edie’s interest. Her own family was tightly knit, and Seth’s involvement with kids showed he might share her values, as had the way he’d spoken about his parents when the subject had come up. She suppressed a shiver that, coupled with her intense sexual attraction, could make for quite the combination.

“Well, you can’t know what was going on in Jack Stevens’s mind when he took the picture,” Seth pointed out.

“And I don’t want to,” she shot back.

Smiling, he clucked his tongue. “What venom! And for people you don’t even know.”

“And don’t want to,” she repeated, her lips curling.

Lowering his chin, he sent her a long look from under heavily lidded eyes. “Are you really saying you’ve never been sucked into staring at a lurid tabloid headline with curiosity? That you’ve never stopped in your tracks in the street near a news kiosk, just to look at the headlines?”

Crossing her arms, she leaned back in the booth, narrowed her gaze and glared at him playfully. After a long pause, she assured, “Never.”

“Hmm. Never watched Entertainment Tonight?”

She squinted. “You’re trying to make which point?”

“That if you didn’t contribute by becoming part of the market for pictures such as this, the paparazzi would cease to exist. If no one looked, photographers would be out of business. You could cancel your subscription to the Post, you know.” He paused. “Now, tell me you’ve never once bought People magazine.”

Even she could feel the guilty flush creeping into her cheeks. “Not even once,” she lied.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Whose side are you on, anyway?”

“I didn’t know I had to choose.”

“Playing both sides of the fence?”

“Always.”

“You must be a Gemini.”

“Guess again.”

“Leo.”

“Why’s that?”

“You’ve got a lot of outward charm.”

“Thanks. And you were warm. It’s my rising sign.”

“Ah. Virgo,” she guessed again. “Into control.”

“Nope. Scorpio. In three planets.”

“Dangerous.”

“Sexy. You?”

He was asking for her sun sign, but she only laughed. “Ditto. Very sexy. So I’ve been told.”

“Let me say it to you again then. Sexy.”

“Less so if you’re a two-timer,” she retorted. “Around me, you need to choose sides.”

“If you insist.”

“Okay. So once more, whose side are you on?”

“The one that gets you the most agitated.”

Or aroused.

She was enjoying the banter more than anything in a long time. The past months had been hectic and stressful, but shooting the breeze with Seth made her feel as if weights were being lifted from her shoulders. “You like annoying me?”

His dark eyes were sparkling now, catching the light of the candle. Reaching, he used a forefinger to brush away a lock of hair from her forehead. “Sure do.”

Suddenly, she felt breathless. “Mind telling me why?”

The finger settled on her temple for a split second, then trailed down her cheek before he playfully tapped the tip of her nose and released another low, throaty chuckle. “Because your skin gets flushed,” he began, his voice lowering a husky notch, “and I can see your pulse quickening, and I imagine your heart beating wildly, and your eyes starting to flash fire….”

She couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Usually, seeing a picture such as that in the Post would ruin her day, but tonight, sitting here flirting with Seth Bishop, it hardly seemed to matter. “You have a way with words. I take it I’ve discovered yet another of your talents, Seth.”

“Beyond?”

“Mixing and matching fabrics.”

He rolled his eyes, then bit down on his lower lip with two perfectly straight, gleaming white teeth. “Oh, Edie,” he returned, his eyes locking into hers, “I’ve got plenty of talents beyond what you’ve seen me do in your conference room.”

“You do make a perfect cup of coffee.”

“And so much more.”

She was still imagining what such a comment could mean when a waiter appeared, placing the sampler platter between them, and setting down two plates. Once the man had gone, Seth unwrapped paper from around his chopsticks, then expertly situated them between his fingers, lifted a piece of chicken and held it out, in front of Edie’s lips. So, he was going to feed her now? she thought, feeling a rush of excitement. For the past three days, her life had certainly started to get interesting, and she was glad that she’d opted for the restaurant, instead of taking him to her parents’ apartment. With her folks and Granny Ginny around, she’d never have an opportunity to get to know Seth. Who knew where this could lead?

“The food looks excellent,” he said.

“Because both my parents and I live on this street, we wind up eating here a lot. It’s always good.” Coming closer, she parted her lips and took the bite, feeling juicy tender meat explode inside her mouth. “It’s not the first time I’m glad I didn’t go the vegan route like my sister Marley,” she announced after she’d swallowed.

He winced, shooting her a sympathetic glance. “A vegan?”

“Only food. She hasn’t started wearing the shoes.”

He looked skeptical. “Shoes?”

“Haven’t you heard of that place called Moo Shoe in the East Village?”

“Nope.”

“Pleather goods.”

“Gotcha.”

Edie shrugged as he used the chopsticks to further fish around the platter, her throat tightening as his knee suddenly knocked hers under the table. It instantly corrected itself, pulled away, changed its mind, then found hers again, this time pressuring firmly. He had nice knees, too. Big and hard. More square than rounded. Even though there was nothing in her mouth at the moment, Edie swallowed, hard. Once more, she had a strong urge to simply proposition him. But how? She imagined herself just saying, “Do you want to go to bed.” But that sounded so, well, crass. Still, given the energy coursing between them, she didn’t think he’d be surprised. She was sure he’d say yes, too. “Well,” she amended. “After Marley’s divorce—she was married once—she fell off the wagon and started eating at McDonald’s.”

“Falling off the wagon usually pertains to drinking,” he said.

“Uh…Marley did some of that, too. Nothing dangerous,” she clarified, laughing. “Wine nights with the girls.”

“I take it you were one of the girls?”

She nodded. “Sure. But only because I was playing Good Samaritan, trying to help her get on her feet after the divorce.”

“Ah. Kind enough to drink fine Burgundy for a cause.”

“Of course. I’m the good twin.”

He didn’t look convinced. His eyes were saying that any woman as sexy as Edie probably wasn’t going to continue being good for long. Nothing could be further from the truth. “Marley was always the wild child,” she explained. “Boy crazy, wearing wild clothes, listening to loud music. Bridget’s the youngest. I think she always felt a little left out, because Marley and I were so focused on each other.” She shrugged, trying to turn her mind off the tingling sensation where their knees touched. “I guess I was always trying to show Marley up. Our relationship got pretty competitive when we were kids. So…”

“You dressed in button-down suits, read a lot and listened to classical music instead of rock and roll.”

“That’s about the size of it.”

“Surely some guy came along to loosen you up.”

She tried to mask her wistful expression, but couldn’t. Seth Bishop’s gaze was too probing, too perceptive, and his physical proximity was affecting her concentration. “Honestly?”

When he spoke, his voice had lost its playful edge, and it sounded smooth and soothing. “Yeah, honestly. I’d like to get to know you.”

Her shoulders rose and fell, and she blew out a long suffering sigh. “Some came around. But because I was more prim and proper, the guys usually wound up going for Marley.” Her smile broadened. “And well…you’ve met Marley.”

He returned the smile. “Tight spandex workout pants, visible sports bra under mesh T-shirts.”

“And there I was in my gray suits.”

He rolled his eyes. “You look good in them, and you know it.”

“Thanks. I was fishing for a compliment.”

“I’m good at taking bait.” He paused, his gaze suddenly dropping to the blouse she wore beneath her suit. “You know onlookers do get occasional glimpses of…uh, lace beneath.”

She grinned. “Really? I had absolutely no idea.”

“I’ll bet.”

“Regarding my uncheckered past,” she continued, her cheeks warming with the knowledge that he’d noticed her lace lingerie. “I did manage to make much better grades than Marley in high school.”

“Now that sounds fun.”

“A blast,” she assured.

“What about after high school?”

“Marley and I went to the same college. And my pattern of dateless nights continued.”

He shot her a mock doleful expression. “And now?”

Now she was determined to break out of the box, and while she felt compelled to say so, Seth Bishop was her employee. Oh, they’d nearly kissed in the conference room at Big Apple Brides less than an hour ago, and she’d thought of taking him straight upstairs to her apartment, but she knew it wasn’t wise to mix business and pleasure. She couldn’t help but blurt out, “We work together, Seth. Uh…I’m enjoying myself, but maybe the flirtation’s going a bit too far.”

His eyes widened slightly. “Hmm…we’ve worked together for three days.”

“Meaning?”

“I could quit.”

That caught her off guard, and she guffawed. “You’d end your wedding-planner career just for me?”

His face was stone solemn. “Absolutely, Edie.”

“Couples will be heartbroken.”

“Not as much as me if you don’t let me get to know you.”