foolish for overreacting, she let out a long breath of relief. The man had simply left his wallet by accident and she’d had a full-scale anxiety attack over it. She smiled weakly and looked at the photograph. A pint-sized version of Trace looked back at her. “Your son?”
He nodded. “You see the family resemblance?”
She studied the towheaded charmer with the heartbreaker smile. “How could I miss? He’s adorable. He’s got your smile.”
“Thank you. I’ll assume that means you think I’m adorable.” Trace chuckled at the disconcerted expression on her face. She’d appeared so panicked when she first opened the door, and he was glad she seemed more relaxed. Her hair was starting to dry into tousled waves that reminded him of rich silk.
He’d love to put his hands through it.
Her clothing was perfectly respectable, yet he couldn’t help but wonder if she wore a bra beneath the aqua T-shirt.
“You assume quite a bit, Mr. Barringer.”
He tore his gaze from her shirt up to her beautiful eyes. “Talia,” he said in mock offense. “I’m beginning to think you have something against me. And I know that can’t be true, because you don’t know me yet.”
He said the last phrase like a promise, Talia thought, as though she was going to get to know him if he had anything to do with it. Biting her tongue didn’t keep her retort back this time.
“You’re smarter than I thought, Mr. Barringer.”
He laughed, and she hated him for having a sense of humor. Most men in his position would be pompous. He was entirely too charming for her good. Furthermore, he made her want things she couldn’t have. She backed away and turned the doorknob behind her. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to finish getting ready for work.”
She’d just about made it through the door when he clasped her hand and lifted it to within an inch of his lips. Talia’s heart lodged in her throat.
“Saturday night, Talia. And my name is Trace.” His gaze held hers as he deliberately turned her hand over and pressed his warm mouth against the racing pulse in her wrist. The effect was like liquid flame racing through her bloodstream.
When he loosened his grip, she snatched her hand back, resisting the urge to rub away the effect of his light caress. “Saturday night,” she whispered, and miraculously managed to back her way through the door without falling.
She watched him walk away with that same confident stride he’d had fourteen years ago. He walked like a man who knew how to get what he wanted.
“Just a minute please, Freddie,” Talia said as she pulled a food order from her fax machine. After noting the number and types of subs ordered, she mentally calculated how long it would take to fill the order.
“Is that Aida you’re playing today, Talia?” Freddie asked.
She turned and smiled at the shy young man. She had a soft spot for Freddie, probably because he was the same age as her brother. “Yes, it is. You’ve been listening to Verdi more.”
Her smile faltered when she saw a man walk up behind Freddie. Trace. Her heartbeat quickened.
“What can I get for you today?” she asked, focusing on Freddie again. She tried not to think about the attractive blond man who’d never set foot in her deli before that day. A difficult task, considering the way he was studying her.
“I’ll take a meatball sub and a cola,” Freddie said. “How’s your fax machine working out? Sometimes I think we use it more than the telephone or mail.”
“It’s been great. Kevin nagged me to get it, you know, and I love it. This way I don’t have to answer the phone as much. Especially for large orders.” Large orders from the Barringer complex. What was Trace doing there? She had deliveries taken over to the main offices every day at lunch.
Freddie grinned. “I know all about those large orders. The secretaries usually ask me to tally up an order and send it to you. I guess they figure since I’m a messenger for the Barringer complex, it’s easy enough for me to take orders for lunch when I deliver memos and the mail.”
Growing weary of the Barringer name, Talia just smiled and rang up Freddie’s sub and soda.
“If you ever need any help with that fax machine,” Freddie said as he took his order from her, “you let me know. I do a lot of—” He was so intent on watching Talia that he backed right into Trace.
“Oh! Excuse me.” Freddie’s pudgy cheeks flooded with color. “Mr. Barringer,” he gasped.
Talia thought she heard a faint “Oh my God” too. Her heart went out to Freddie as he struggled with both his words and his wide plaid tie.
She gazed beseechingly at Trace.
He put a steadying hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “That’s no problem, Freddie. I probably shouldn’t have been standing so close.” He shared a “we men have to stick together” grin with Freddie and lowered his voice. “Besides, she’s pretty distracting.”
If possible, Freddie’s face turned brighter red. He mumbled something unintelligible, then ran out the door.
Talia expelled a disgusted sigh. “Well, I’ll know not to look to you for help in the future.”
“I was just trying to put him at ease. It’s obvious he’s got a crush on you.”
“He does not!”
“Are you kidding? The poor guy couldn’t tear his eyes from your shirt the whole time he was in here. And I don’t think he’s that enamored with the logo on it.”
“Right. And Dolly Parton’s my twin sister.” Well acquainted with the assets and deficits of her lean body, Talia had faced the fact long ago that Playboy wouldn’t be beating down her door with offers. Still, Trace’s remarks left her feeling unsettled. And the fact that his gaze remained on her logo didn’t exactly help matters.
She turned away and picked up the order from the fax machine. “Was there something else, Mr. Barringer? I don’t have time to chat right now.” That wasn’t exactly true. The lunch crowd had cleared out a few minutes before.
The impersonal way she said his last name annoyed Trace. He wanted to hear his first name from her lips. He wanted to watch her tempting mouth form the word. Talia had something against him and he had no earthly idea what it was.
He considered using the straightforward approach of asking her flat-out, but she was acting too cool. He found he liked her better a little off balance.
A kiss would do the trick. She’d either go off like a firecracker or melt in his arms. Or, he thought with a touch of irony, she’d pick up one of those sharp knives from the counter and use it on him.
An outrageous idea formed in his mind, and he grinned wickedly. Slipping behind the counter while she turned her back to him, he moved close enough to her to feel the warmth from her body.
“Trace,” he said into her ear.
Talia spun around, startled
