Switched, Bothered and Bewildered by Suzanne Macpherson Page A

as she scanned the menu at Ace Wasabi's Rock & Roll Sushi. He'd picked Ace's when she'd gotten excited about sushi, like she'd never had it before. Whatever turned her on, he was game.
    She'd shed her leather jacket, and her soft yellow blouse fluttered in the breeze of the overhead fan. She looked a little confused about the menu and was taking a whole lot of time to read it. But he was enjoying the view anyhow.
    He ordered them two glasses of chardonnay and sat back, sipping his wine, wondering about her. She was such a mixed bag of a woman. He couldn't quite put his finger on her. Usually he'd have a woman typed and pegged and in his bed in short order. Of course he did have a tendency to steer toward rather stereotypical women: beautiful and less than brilliant. But something about Jil-lian Tompkins today had made him break with his standard pattern.
    Ace's was usually loud and full of singles looking to make a connection. But tonight for some reason it was quiet. Still, he hoped he didn't bump into anyone he'd been with before. There was some sort of unwritten rule about not letting on if you'd had an encounter with a person if you saw them out with someone else, but Jackson could think of at least three women he'd dated who wouldn't know an unwritten rule if it bit them in the ass.
    "Shall I order for us? I've been here before."
    Jillian had on a pair of reading glasses, and now she peered over them at Jackson. He wondered what he'd been thinking after all. Maybe she was too smart for him. But when he gazed at her revealed cleavage, he remembered. He'd been thinking how much he'd like to get Ms. Tompkins into his bed. A sleepover. A play-date.
    "That would be great. I can't decide, and I like everything. Surprise me." She set down her menu.
    He planned on it. "More wine?" He tipped the bottle and started to pour more in her glass before she answered, "No, thanks." Her hand covered her glass, and he caught the pour just before it splashed over her fingers. He'd need quick reflexes for this woman. He was learning fast.
    Jackson put down the bottle and waved at the waiter, who bee-lined over to their table. It was slow.
    "Let's do the asparagus tofu salad, the Ahi pot-stickers, and a couple of Ace Wasabi Rolls to start with, for two all around."
    "Very good, Mr. Hawks," the waiter took off.
    "He knows you. Is this a regular place for you?"
    "I've been here. It's really a small town in some ways, don't you think?" he said as he gazed at her, watching her pretty, full lips.
    "It seems huge to me . . . most days." She took a big gulp of her wine and looked nervous.
    "Are you uncomfortable?"
    "A little. You are the vice president of the company."
    "Don't think about me being vice president. I mean hey, what's vice president? I think your job is more complicated than mine. We're just two people, lost in that big office, looking for someone special." Where had he heard that line before?
    Oh brother, who did this guy think he was kidding? She wondered how often he'd gotten away with that baloney. According to Ollie, it had actually worked on quite a few women. He was incredibly good-looking, almost exotic. His suit was sharp, his white shirt spotless, and his vintage-style tie gave him a real GQ look.
    "Yes, two lost souls," she exaggerated in a swoony voice.
    "Okay, that was way corny. I'm sorry," Jackson said. "I'm sort of surprised at myself for not taking you up on your interest in me before. Now that I'm with you, you don't seem at all like I thought you'd be."
    "You were attracted to me before though, right?"
    Jackson shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "On a purely physical level, yes. But, you have to admit, you did come on rather strong."
    She wondered what else Jillian had done besides the Christmas kiss. But the good news was, he did find her sister attractive. She'd just have to
    show him the softer side of Jillian. She did have one, didn't she?
    The waiter showed up with a strange array of dishes and arranged them