that kitchen.” She pulled back the chair opposite him and collapsed into it. “I’m talking about that day at your parents’ house back in March. At the party. In your mother’s kitchen. In fact, he told me all your brothers know about it, including Kevin.”
That would probably explain Kevin’s persistence in pursuing Corri. His little brother was nothing if not competitive. “I really don’t give a damn who knows about it, Corri. I didn’t take you up against my mother’s china cabinet.” Aidan tried to push away the images that comment evoked, without success. “It was only a kiss.”
“I know what it was,” she said. “I was there, remember?”
“Yeah, you were there, and I’ve never forgotten one moment of it. In fact, I remember every detail.”
“I remember it was a huge mistake.”
Someday soon, he planned to remind her how good it had been. Right now, he needed to focus on business, not on a memory that he’d relived on more than one occasion. “Have you checked your e-mail today?”
She looked surprised by the sudden change in topic. “I decided to wait a while to do that.”
“I’ve already taken a look.”
Her hand went to the zipper on the jacket, lowering it and raising it compulsively, giving Aidan a glimpse of her breasts encased in tight white knit. “How bad is it?”
If she didn’t halt the peep show, it could get bad. In two minutes, he was going to round the desk and take off her damn jacket, and he might not stop there. “Most of the e-mails were from women, and supportive. A few were from men, offering to console you. One guy sent a one-word message.”
“What was that?”
“‘Ouch.’ And some jerk specifically asked you to dinner, as long as you let him pat you down before you got in his Lotus.”
Finally, she smiled. “A Lotus, huh? That might be worth a pat-down.”
It would be a frigid August in Texas before Aidan allowed that to happen. “Now you have to decide if you want to go ahead with the pre-New Year’s Eve taping next Wednesday, or let me pre-empt with one of your other shows.”
She mulled that over a minute before saying, “I’ll do the taping. It will give me the chance to apologize to the fans.”
Aidan reached behind him and grabbed the next item of business that he definitely didn’t like. “Speaking of New Year’s Eve, you’re still scheduled to participate in the children’s charity fund-raising auction.”
She rubbed her forehead. “I’d totally forgotten about that. Are you sure they still want to auction me off?”
“According to Stella, they called this morning to confirm it. But you can back out.” He hoped she would. He didn’t like the thought of some guy paying for a date with her.
She stared off into space for a minute before saying, “It’s for a good cause, so I’ll do it. Besides, it’s only dinner afterward. What’s the worst that could happen?”
She might encounter someone who wanted to take her mind off her troubles before he had that opportunity. But he still had time, and patience. “I’ll let Stella know. That’s it for now.”
“One more thing.” She leaned forward and folded her hands on the desk in a death grip. “Did you record the show on your TV?”
“I did this time because it’s a live airing.” He recorded her show every time so he could analyze her…in non-business-related ways. “Why?”
“Because I didn’t. I was so nervous, I forgot. If it’s okay, I thought I might watch it at your place this afternoon. I could do that here, but I’d rather witness my downfall in private.”
He wasn’t certain she was emotionally ready to see the tape, especially not alone. “Are you sure you don’t want to give it a couple of days?”
“No. I’d rather get it over with. I’m hoping it’s not as bad as I think it is. If you’ll let me have your key, I’ll have it back to you before you leave this evening.”
Aidan refused to leave her at his house by herself. He depressed the intercom and when Stella answered, said, “Tell Freed something’s come up and I need to reschedule our meeting for after lunch instead of during.” Without waiting for his assistant’s response, he turned his attention back to Corri. “I’ll go with you.”
“That’s not necessary, Aidan. Unless you’re afraid I might pilfer all the valuables before I leave, or leave a trail of mangled vegetables in my wake.”
He stood and came around the desk. “I’m not worried about any of that. Since you’ve never been to my house, you don’t know where it is.”
“Now that you put it that way…” She pulled a set of keys out of her pocket. “I’ll drive us.”
Aidan wasn’t going to argue that point. He’d let her call the shots for now, until he found the right time, and the right way, to convince her to give up some control.
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