smile Bryony had come to know quite well. "Do you want to do something tomorrow?" she said. "Dinner? Or another walk? I suppose we should, since it's part of the deal."
His eyes danced as he answered. "You sound as if spending time with me is a burden."
"No! That is --"
"To answer your question, I'd be honored. We'll go out to dinner. You had better choose the restaurant, though."
"All right, then. Goodnight," Bryony said again.
Up in her bedroom, she twisted her hair into a casual bun and turned on the computer on her desk. She might as well get some work done on the campaign against the Mandell Corporation. It was too early to go to bed. Besides, she was still restless with the energy generated by the walk and by Zach's nearness. He'd managed to put her on edge.
One minute she could barely stand him, and then he said something endearing. Bryony couldn't decide whether she wanted to slap him or step into the shelter of his arms. She remembered how he had caught her, the pressure of his arms around her body, and her cheeks get warm. In that moment, she'd felt so safe, so treasured.
Bryony shook off the thought. It was very clear from their conversation about astrology that they were utterly incompatible. He thought of her as a simple little fool, and she thought of him -- well, she thought him as rigid, close-minded, and pompous. Zach might be devastatingly handsome, delightfully masculine, tremendously intelligent . . . . She stopped herself.
She would not let this stranger worm his way into her heart. Caring for Zach would only lead to disappointment. Sooner or later, Bryony reminded herself, they would go their separate ways. He would go back to the city, back to his magazine and his debutantes.
Then she would need to put his piercing dark eyes out of her mind forever. No use making it any harder than it had to be. She would enjoy his company, but that was all. She had to concentrate on the things that truly mattered. Like saving Kinney's Lagoon. Bryony stared resolutely at the blank screen of her computer monitor, forcing herself to concentrate on the perfect wording for her petition.
Though she worked for nearly two hours, she found it difficult to focus. A particular rugged face with laughing black eyes and an arrogant expression kept dancing through her mind uninvited. The more she fought to keep him out, the more she saw his athletic, virile body before her and heard the echo of his mocking laughter.
Finally, exhausted, she gave up and went to bed.
Zach was gone by the time she came downstairs the next day. Bryony had breakfast with Vivien and Kevin, then opened the shop for the day. It was all she could do to keep from closing Heart's Desire earlier than usual and rushing home. When she did get back to the house, though, Zach was nowhere to be found. Her heart sank. Perhaps he had forgotten all about their dinner plans. She resolved not to care. If he stood her up, she'd go out alone or call one of her friends. Holding her chin high, she marched up to her room for a hot bath.
A few minutes later, soaking in a tub overflowing with vanilla-scented bubbles, Bryony felt infinitely better. The water soothed away the minor aches and pains of a busy day. She closed her eyes and sunk deeper into the bath. Her mind floated in the distant regions between consciousness and dreaming. Heart's Desire, Zachary Callahan, and Kinney's Lagoon were nothing but faint memories.
Someone pounded on the door.
Bryony, startled from her reverie, nearly jumped out of the tub. She fumbled for her fluffy white bathrobe and wiped the bubbles from her chin. Warm water soaked through the cloth and trickled down her shins. The knock came again, loud and insistent. "I'm coming, I'm coming," she called, knotting the bathrobe's belt around her waist. "What's the rush?"
She pulled open the door, expecting to see her sister. Instead, Zach towered above her, glancing with interest at her dishabille. His eyes fixed on her breasts, and
His eyes danced as he answered. "You sound as if spending time with me is a burden."
"No! That is --"
"To answer your question, I'd be honored. We'll go out to dinner. You had better choose the restaurant, though."
"All right, then. Goodnight," Bryony said again.
Up in her bedroom, she twisted her hair into a casual bun and turned on the computer on her desk. She might as well get some work done on the campaign against the Mandell Corporation. It was too early to go to bed. Besides, she was still restless with the energy generated by the walk and by Zach's nearness. He'd managed to put her on edge.
One minute she could barely stand him, and then he said something endearing. Bryony couldn't decide whether she wanted to slap him or step into the shelter of his arms. She remembered how he had caught her, the pressure of his arms around her body, and her cheeks get warm. In that moment, she'd felt so safe, so treasured.
Bryony shook off the thought. It was very clear from their conversation about astrology that they were utterly incompatible. He thought of her as a simple little fool, and she thought of him -- well, she thought him as rigid, close-minded, and pompous. Zach might be devastatingly handsome, delightfully masculine, tremendously intelligent . . . . She stopped herself.
She would not let this stranger worm his way into her heart. Caring for Zach would only lead to disappointment. Sooner or later, Bryony reminded herself, they would go their separate ways. He would go back to the city, back to his magazine and his debutantes.
Then she would need to put his piercing dark eyes out of her mind forever. No use making it any harder than it had to be. She would enjoy his company, but that was all. She had to concentrate on the things that truly mattered. Like saving Kinney's Lagoon. Bryony stared resolutely at the blank screen of her computer monitor, forcing herself to concentrate on the perfect wording for her petition.
Though she worked for nearly two hours, she found it difficult to focus. A particular rugged face with laughing black eyes and an arrogant expression kept dancing through her mind uninvited. The more she fought to keep him out, the more she saw his athletic, virile body before her and heard the echo of his mocking laughter.
Finally, exhausted, she gave up and went to bed.
Zach was gone by the time she came downstairs the next day. Bryony had breakfast with Vivien and Kevin, then opened the shop for the day. It was all she could do to keep from closing Heart's Desire earlier than usual and rushing home. When she did get back to the house, though, Zach was nowhere to be found. Her heart sank. Perhaps he had forgotten all about their dinner plans. She resolved not to care. If he stood her up, she'd go out alone or call one of her friends. Holding her chin high, she marched up to her room for a hot bath.
A few minutes later, soaking in a tub overflowing with vanilla-scented bubbles, Bryony felt infinitely better. The water soothed away the minor aches and pains of a busy day. She closed her eyes and sunk deeper into the bath. Her mind floated in the distant regions between consciousness and dreaming. Heart's Desire, Zachary Callahan, and Kinney's Lagoon were nothing but faint memories.
Someone pounded on the door.
Bryony, startled from her reverie, nearly jumped out of the tub. She fumbled for her fluffy white bathrobe and wiped the bubbles from her chin. Warm water soaked through the cloth and trickled down her shins. The knock came again, loud and insistent. "I'm coming, I'm coming," she called, knotting the bathrobe's belt around her waist. "What's the rush?"
She pulled open the door, expecting to see her sister. Instead, Zach towered above her, glancing with interest at her dishabille. His eyes fixed on her breasts, and
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