had the most trouble with, they could also be the most rewarding. The ones she truly felt would have spent the bulk of their lives frustrated and confused if it weren’t for the help she provided.
Margot had been a romantic her whole life. Couple that with a keen instinct when it came to people and she’d found quick success in her choice of profession. And when she paired up with Alan, her gay business partner who handled many of their clients with alternative lifestyles, the two had come together to create what was becoming one of the more notable firms in their field.
“So you’ll call me when you get back from Cabo,” she said as she led David through the reception area toward the front door. “I think the trip will be good for you. I’m looking forward to hearing how it went.”
He smiled. “I will.” And when he walked out onto the street, she knew for certain the man who came back would be changed.
“When are you going to hand him over?”
She jumped at Alan’s voice behind her. “What were you doing, lurking behind the palms? You scared the daylights out of me.”
“I heard your voices and came to see how it went. Were you and Gail right?”
“I’m guessing if he returns as a client, it will be as one of yours instead of mine.”
She told Alan about her meeting with David and his upcoming trip to Cabo San Lucas, and when she was done, Alan regarded her with a cocky grin. “I told you he wasn’t just metrosexual.”
“Oh, stop acting like you’ve got a sixth sense. Your gaydar didn’t go off any sooner than mine did.”
“No, but I’ll be happy to steal your client if he still needs our services.”
“I’m thinking he won’t, but if I’m wrong, he’s all yours.”
Alan laughed and handed her a note. “This call came into the main line during your appointment. Some guy named Clint Hilton. Carmen referred him to you.”
“That’s her boss. Did he say what he wanted?”
“Your services, apparently.”
Margot stared at the paper in her hand. Though she’d never met Carmen’s boss, she’d heard plenty about him and found it highly implausible he’d need a dating counselor. From what she understood, the man had no problem finding women.
“I can’t see why. He doesn’t fit the profile.”
“Well, you’re about to find out. He’ll be here any minute.”
“What?”
“He had another appointment in the neighborhood and wanted to drop by afterward. I told him you were in but I couldn’t guarantee you’d be available.” When Alan noted the quizzical look in her eye, he added, “You can hide out in your office if you want me to get rid of him.”
“No, I don’t mind talking with him. I’m just caught a little off guard, is all. I would have liked to have talked with Carmen first to see what this is about.”
“So go call her. If he shows up, I’ll have him wait. My next appointment isn’t for a while.”
“Maybe I will.”
But before she could duck into her office, she heard the front door open.
Margot had never seen Clint Hilton before, but based on the stories she’d heard from Carmen, she knew with all certainty the tall, drop-dead sexy man approaching them was him.
He strolled in with the casual ease of a man accustomed to dominating the space around him. Relaxed and calm, as though he could find common ground with a mechanic or a millionaire banker alike. His shoulders were broad and his hands worn. He wasn’t simply the paper-pushing end of the contracting business he owned, and the sun-kissed highlights in his dirty blond hair didn’t come from a bottle.
He was the genuine article. A West L.A. version of the Marlboro Man, if such a thing existed.
A dark pair of Armanis covered his eyes and his brown leather Oxfords were unmistakably Santoni. Along with the stainless steel Rolex, business-casual slacks and tailored dress shirt, she guessed he was wearing a fortune worth more than her car. Yet there was nothing stuffy or presumptuous about his appearance. He wore the ensemble as though he’d thrown it on the same way the rest of the world slipped into a pair of sweats and sneakers.
As the door closed behind him he smiled, revealing a set of perfectly white teeth. His grin pressed dimples into the strong hollows of his cheeks and set off a chain reaction she felt straight to her toes. And when he pulled off his shades, the gaze from his deep blue eyes seemed to slip straight under her skin, sending a shiver through her veins that stole her speech and garbled her thoughts.
She stood there gaping while Alan held out a hand in her rescue. “You must be Clint Hilton. We spoke on the phone.”
Clint turned the lethal smile away, allowing her to momentarily catch her breath and recollect some basic facts—like her name.
What was wrong with her? Rich and handsome men walked into their offices all the time, yet today she stood there like an awed, giddy groupie. She lied and told herself it was resonant fluster from her meeting with David. Or maybe her blood sugar was low, the blueberry muffin she’d had for breakfast coming back to haunt her.
That had to explain the light-headed dizziness that had just come over her because either of those things was better than admitting an instant crush on her best friend’s boss.
“Yes, I’m Clint.” He shook Alan’s hand with vigor. “Alan, good to meet you.”
Tucking his sunglasses into his shirt pocket, he turned the hand to Margot. “Margot Roth?” When she nodded, he added, “Carmen regards you very highly.”
She accepted the handshake while mentally pulling herself together. If Clint had come seeking her professional services, now wasn’t the time to act like a babbling idiot.
“If this is a bad time, I can make an appointment,” he offered. “I’m renovating a building over on 6th and happened to be in the area.”
“The old Fuller building. I’m familiar with it,” she managed to utter.
He quirked a smile that said he was impressed and she marveled over why that excited her so.
He’s just a man. An incredibly sexy man. And in case you’ve forgotten, you’ve already found Mr. Wonderful.
The memory of Rob, the man she’d started dating a month ago, brought her feet back down to earth. Now, Rob was the man she should be getting silly over. Perfect for her in every way.
And as a woman in the business of forming lasting relationships, she should know.
So she did her best to set her lust aside and get to work. “I’ve got time. If you’d like, we could meet now.”
He slapped his big hands together. “Great. I’m anxious to see what you can do for me.”
His choice of words sparked a number of inappropriate
