it wasn’t as if she couldn’t share the paper while holding on to the front and entertainment sections, which she most wanted to read.
She pulled out the sports section and put it on his lap. “Keep it,” she said. “I can get any sports news I need from my iPad.”
He grinned, picking up the paper. “Thanks.”
“Forget it.” She opened up her water and took a drink before lifting up the entertainment section, trying her best to ignore him, but finding it impossible for some reason. Perhaps it was because she could tell from her periphery that he was staring at her. Against her better judgment, she stared back. “Is there something else you want?”
“Actually, there is...” His eyes narrowed. “You look strangely familiar.”
I was wondering how long it would take for that to come up, she thought. She was used to people recognizing her from television and pretty much took it in stride. This time would be no different.
“I get that a lot,” she told him.
“Really?”
“Yes, it seems to be a great pickup line.”
He chuckled. “I suppose. Not this time, though. Seriously, could we have met somewhere before, or—”
Holly had a mind to satisfy his curiosity and get back to reading the paper, but she knew that would likely open the door to more questions that invaded her personal space. “I doubt that,” she assured him. “I never forget a face.” She certainly would not have forgotten his, for better or worse.
“Neither do I,” he insisted, staring at her. “Especially one so striking.”
“Oh please...” Holly was somewhat flattered, but she had a feeling that he was a player who used lines that probably worked on most women. Not her, though. Many men had found her attractive, even beautiful. But in most instances, they were more interested in what was below the waist than above. Was that his intention, as well?
“Maybe we could start this conversation over,” he said coolly. “My name’s Anderson.”
Holly looked at him as she considered the name. It somehow suited him, and maybe even piqued her interest a tad. Did he live in Portland? Houston? Or neither?
“Holly,” she said simply.
“Nice to meet you, Holly.”
“You too.” She responded as she would to anyone she was talking to at the airport. Even if Anderson was drop-dead handsome and seemingly interested in her. Or was he simply just passing the time waiting for their flight to board?
* * *
Anderson Gunn tried to read the sports section. But the truth was, he was captivated by the beautiful lady seated next to him. Even without being overly dressed up or wearing much makeup, it was obvious that she had the complete physical package: tall and slender, with just the right amount of curves and bends. He liked her butterscotch complexion and heart-shaped faced. Her lips were full and seemingly created to be kissed. He imagined if her hair were down, it would be silky smooth were he to run his fingers through it.
Though his attraction to her was undeniable, there was more about her that piqued Anderson’s curiosity. There was no question that he had seen her before. But where? Maybe at a bar? On the street? At a social event? Then it hit him like a bolt of lightning.
“Wait—” He leaned forward, peering into eyes that were like black pearls and just as enchanting. “You’re Holly Kendall! You do the evening news on KJTW.”
Holly frowned. “You’ve got me. Except that I’m the weekend anchor in the morning on KOEN.”
Damn. Blew that one, he thought. “My apologies. To tell you the truth, I get most of my news from CNN and Fox, along with my iPhone. But I do catch some local news and recognized your face—albeit the wrong time and wrong channel.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t hold it against you,” she said, even if it bruised her ego just a bit. “It happens.”
He feigned a sigh of relief. “Glad to hear that.”
“So I take it you live in Houston?”
“Yep, born and raised there. Spent some time living in Dallas, Sacramento and Memphis along the way.”
“I see.” She wondered if he was a military brat. Or did his family just move around a lot?
“I’m guessing you grew up in Houston, too, by the accent.” He’d detected it right away. It was subtle but unmistakable nonetheless, just as he supposed his accent was.
Holly raised a thin brow. By most accounts she didn’t have an accent, per se. Especially not on the air. Admittedly, she did let her guard down somewhat when being herself and conceded that maybe she did have a slight Southern drawl.
“Yes, I’m from Houston,” she said, sipping her water. “And I’ve never lived anywhere else, though I’ve traveled to quite a few different places.”
“It’s a great city to hang one’s hat,” Anderson said.
“I agree.”
“You didn’t happen to attend the University of Houston, did you?” Anderson asked.
“Yes, in fact, I did. I received my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication there,” Holly said proudly. She looked at him, guessing he was about two or three years older. “Did you?”
“Yeah, I did my time there as an undergrad before moving on to the University of Houston Law Center.”
Her eyes grew wide, impressed. “So you’re a lawyer?”
“Not a practicing one,” he told her, not wanting to bore her with the details of his change from a high-powered corporate attorney to a less stressful and time-consuming occupation. “Actually I’m a legal consultant.”
Either way, Holly imagined that he was making good money. She wondered who he was spending it on. As if that was any of her business.
“Is that why you’re in Portland?” she asked.
He nodded. “I have a client here. How about you?” He hoped to hell she didn’t say she was carrying on a long-distance love affair, though he couldn’t imagine any guy wanting to be that far apart from such a smoking-hot woman.
“I have a brother and two nieces living here. I was just up for a short visit.”
“Cool.” Anderson found that he’d lost all interest in reading the paper. Especially when he’d rather read into Holly Kendall and learn as much as possible about who she was. Would she be okay with that? Or would he be pressing his luck by continuing the conversation?
Before he could say anything else, Anderson’s phone rang. He took it out and saw that it was his Portland client, Dodson Paul, who ran a very successful law firm.
Anderson frowned at Holly. “I have to take this.”
She batted her
