Terri directed questions to Clint about his line of work, he was subtly evasive.
“Let’s not talk about work.” He looked deep into her eyes. “Not tonight. I’d rather hear about you.”
“There’s really not that much to tell,” she breathed as they walked side by side out to the balcony. “I came to the States when I was eight. I went to New York University and studied advertising and public relations. My business has been in existence for five years. That’s basically all there is.”
“I find that hard to believe. There has to be some life behind all of those facts and figures.” He smiled encouragingly at her.
Terri stiffened. “I suppose there is,” she said softly, “but I don’t care to discuss it.” She turned her head toward the skyline, wishing that the pain would somehow go away.
He raised a hand to touch her, wanting her to know that he’d be willing to listen, but he knew that she wouldn’t give in. At least not yet.
“I know we got off to a bad start this afternoon,” he began, pacing his words and her reaction. “I’d like the opportunity to change that.”
Terri turned to him, the haunted look in her eyes stunning him with its intensity. She absently ran her hands down the sides of her gown, and Clint’s insides went haywire with the motion. He forced himself to look at her eyes instead of those delicious hips.
“I have no idea what you mean.”
“I mean,” he said, taking a step closer, “I want you to see the real me.”
“Why would that be important?”
“Because it’s important to me,” he stated simply.
Terri swallowed and placed her hand on the balcony railing. She looked at him from the corner of her eye. “What is it that you think I need to know?”
“That I’m not such a bad guy—and that I’m sure you’ve heard and read a lot of things about me that aren’t true.” He leaned against the railing, inching closer to her. “I’d like to correct that.”
“Is this account that important to you?”
“It has nothing to do with the account.”
“Your ego, perhaps?”
The implications riled him, but he remained unruffled, realizing the truth of her words. He chuckled and ran a hand across his beard in a sensuous motion that rushed through Terri in waves.
“You do have a lovely way of stepping on a person’s ego,” he answered lightly.
Terri lowered her long, sooty lashes and gave in to a grin that Clint wanted to kiss away. “Believe me, it’s not my intention.”
“That’s good to know.” He leaned closer. “Can we just forget about business for a minute?” Terri nodded.
“I’d like to get to know you—outside of the office.” His steady gaze held her, and she felt her pulse begin to pick up its pace.
“I’ve always been a man who speaks his mind,” he continued, his voice dropping to a soothing beat. “And you interest me.”
“In other words, you want to satisfy some curiosity?” she tossed back.
“Maybe.”
Terri jutted her chin forward. “I’m not a curiosity piece, Mr. Steele,” she said, emphasizing the word piece.
Clint took the barb in stride. “You also have a way of twisting my words around.”
Terri sighed. “What’s your point, Mr. Steele?”
“I’d like to take you to…lunch.”
Her heart thumped. “I don’t think…”
“Dinner?” He flashed her a taunting grin. “I’d love to prove you wrong,” he challenged.
Terri knew her fragile emotional state was not yet equipped to handle a relationship, especially not one with a man who effortlessly made her senses go crazy. Yet she couldn’t deny that she was just as interested. Maybe a night out was the medicine she needed after so many months of loneliness. And she was never one to back down from a challenge.
She looked boldly up at him. “How about tomorrow? I finish about seven.”
His voice stroked her. “I’ll meet you out front.”
“I’ll see you then. Good night, Mr. Steele.” She made a move to leave in search of Mark, when Clint’s captivating voice stopped her.
“It’s Clint,” he said, throwing her a heated look that turned her center into liquid fire.
Her voice wrapped around him in invitation. “I’ll try to remember that.”
Chapter 2
The following morning was filled with chaos. There were press releases to go out, writers to interview and an assortment of trivial things that taxed the brain.
Yet even in the midst of the confusion and harried schedule, Terri could not shake Clinton Steele from her thoughts.
How could a man whose unsavory reputation preceded him evoke in her such warm feelings of desire? Terri had found herself lying awake the previous night reliving his touch, the depth of his voice, the scent of him that had clung to her hours after she’d left the reception.
She just found it difficult to believe that a man who could be so warm, so charming, so sensual would have done the unethical things that had been associated with him. Could she have been wrong?
The ringing of the phone intruded on her thoughts. She snatched up the receiver from its cradle.
“Terri Powers,” she said, her mind snapping back to business.
“I thought I’d wait at least twenty-four hours before I called.”
She swore that her heart stopped beating. A rush of heat flooded her body.
“Who is this?” Her fingers gripped the receiver—knowing.
His tone was lightly teasing. “I guess I shouldn’t have been so presumptuous to think that you’d remember me.” He paused a heartbeat of a second. “It’s Mr. Ego.”
She leaned back in her seat, took a silent deep breath and smiled. “Mr. Steele. What can I do for you?”
“Ah, so you do remember.”
Terri laughed outright. “You’re not an easy man to forget.”
“Then I guess that means we’re still on for dinner.”
His voice gently caressed her, and she trembled as if she’d been stroked by fire and ice.
“Yes. Of course. Did you have anyplace special
