Open Invitation? Read online

  His big paws dwarfed the delicate bone china and he looked at it as if it might bite. “I’m awful afraid I might drop this.”

  “Of course you won’t,” she said with loads of cheer.

  He lifted the cup by its tiny, finely crafted handle, which disappeared entirely behind his big fingers. He took a slurp and then gingerly set cup and saucer down on the corner of her desk, watching as she prepared her own coffee.

  “Would you like a cookie? A strawberry?” She held the plate out to him. Granger snagged a cookie and popped the whole thing into his mouth while she watched, horrified and yet fascinated by the clean, no-nonsense appetite of the gesture.

  She had to admire the even white teeth crunching down on the cookie, devouring it in a single bite. And the nod and grin of simple appreciation as he said, “Mmm. That’s good.”

  She also couldn’t help but notice the heavily muscled, tanned arm that helped perform the gesture. In fact, his bicep was quite delicious. She nibbled delicately on her own cookie. And look, there’s a matching bicep right over there. Plus an intriguing, broad expanse of chest under the snug T-shirt, a flat belly underneath and…oh, dear. She was looking there again.

  How could she? But just that tiny peek had revealed a…well, she really shouldn’t have noticed, but…it… went quite a distance down his right thigh from where it originated.

  “Miz London? Your file?”

  She blinked. He’d extended her manila folder to her, across the desk. “Oh, yes, of course. Excuse me.” She put out her hand to take it, her cheeks heating, and fixated on that sexy mouth and chin again. Suddenly an image of them right between her legs shocked her and she reared back, dropping the file. What in heaven’s name was wrong with her?

  The papers hit the floor in a messy cascade, and she reached down for them at the same time he did, their faces almost colliding. “Excuse me!” she said.

  “Pardon me,” he said. He straightened and took a step back, hip jogging the corner of the desk and then, most unfortunately, the Royal Doulton cup and saucer. They crashed to the floor and splintered while black coffee splashed onto her hand-embroidered cream rug.

  “Oh! Oh, oh!” Lil repeated stupidly, staring at the mess.

  “Dad gummit!” exclaimed Granger, his expression appalled. Then he peeled off his T-shirt.

  “What! What are you—”

  He dropped it onto her carpet and placed his boot on it, mopping up the excess coffee while she sputtered and stared at his naked, furred chest and flushed bright red and then sputtered some more. “No! Thank you. Don’t rub! Blot.” she finally managed to get out. Then Lil ran for the kitchenette and club soda and carpet cleaner.

  Jane was there, peering into the refrigerator with a hopeful expression. “What’s the matter?”

  “Spill,” Lil said. “Destroyed Royal Doulton, Nana Lisbeth’s. And he’s half-naked in my office! Give me the club soda, please.”

  Jane looked at her as if she were an escaped lunatic. “Half naked in your office? Cow patty man?”

  Lil nodded and rushed off with the soda, the carpet cleaner, a dish towel and the dustpan. Not surprisingly, Jane followed, unable to resist.

  Dear God, the man’s back…a beautiful, bronzed jigsaw of perfectly placed muscle, moving with sinuous grace as he blotted her carpet with his own T-shirt—the savage. The sweet, helpful, magnificent barbarian. In that ridiculous leather belt with D-A-N carved into the back of it.

  Despite the idiotic belt and the fact that he’d destroyed Nana Lisbeth’s china, a hot electric flash drove through Lil’s core. Part of her wanted to grab him by the belt buckle that ate Dallas and pull off his pants, too. She ignored the renegade impulse. It wasn’t at all ladylike.

  “Thank you, Mr. Granger,” she said firmly, taking over. “Really, you didn’t have to use your shirt for cleanup.”

  He moved aside and shrugged. “I got ten more in my carry-on bag. No big deal. I do apologize for bustin’ your dishes. I really, really do. Can I buy you a new set? I know how you women are about matched sets of things.”

  You can’t replace a sentimental, family piece. Lil poured club soda over the soiled area of the rug. “No, no, of course not. These things happen. You’re very sweet to offer, though.” She forced herself to smile at him, set him at ease again, minimize his embarrassment and guilt. That was the polite thing to do.

  But it was a bad idea, since she couldn’t seem to look away from his pectorals and that quite stunning abdomen and…no. She would not look lower again. There are some packages that are not meant to be opened.

  As she blotted up the stain, he must have noticed Jane in the doorway. “Haaaaaaaaaaaaa.”

  “Hi,” Jane said, a tremor of amusement in her voice.

  “Dan Granger, ma’am. Klutz at large.”

  “Jane O’Toole. You’re obviously not from around here.”

  “Amarillo, darlin’. Pardon me while I grab another shirt from my bag.”

  “Oh, feel free,” Jane said.

  Lil and Jane both watched as he rummaged through a beat-up canvas duffel next to two large suitcases—Lil had told him to bring anything he planned on taking to London—and pulled out a spare shirt. They continued to watch as, oblivious, he raised his arms with a ripple of muscle and then stuck his head through the neck hole, with yet another ripple. Lilia’s mouth went dry and she found herself on the receiving end of an infuriating smirk from Jane. “Nice to meet you, Dan,” she said. “I’ve got to get back to work.” And with a knowing grin in Lil’s direction she did so.

  Well, that settled it. Even if Granger spoke proper English, was the last virile man on the planet, and her life depended upon it, Lil would never “go there.” Because Jane wouldn’t ever let her live it down.

  Granger was now digging deep into the pocket of his Wranglers, which only served to pull the fabric hard against his—that, uh, most interesting bulge. Lil pressed her lips together. She knelt down and concentrated on sweeping the shards of Nana Lisbeth’s cup and saucer into the dustpan.

  “Here,” said Granger’s voice. “I’d really feel better if you’d take this.”

  She looked up, straight into his crotch and dropped the dustpan. The shards scattered again. He held out a wad of green bills.

  Soft laughter came from the hallway and she saw Shannon disappearing into the kitchenette. Lil had to admit that she and Granger must make an interesting vignette: she on her knees in front of him, while he held out a wad of cash.

  “Mr. Granger, I couldn’t possibly—”

  “Dan,” he said. “Just call me Dan, honey.”

  That was another thing they needed to address: he couldn’t walk around calling every female he met “sweetheart,” “darlin’,” or “honey.” “Mr. Granger, I know that things are different down south, but—”

  “Dan,” he repeated, squatting down with her and gently taking the dustpan from her hands. They spoke at the same time.

  “—you mustn’t use terms of endearment with women you don’t know, as you risk—”

  “Don’t worry, in London I’ll call the ladies ‘love.’”

  “—offending them.”

  They squatted on her rug, knee to knee and face-to-face. She could see the pores in his skin, the tiny lines on his lips, the intense, hungry look in his eyes.

  He swept the shards back into the dustpan. “Besides bustin’ your china and trashing your rug,” he drawled, “do I offend you, Lilia?”

  She opened her mouth to say yes. Then no. Then yes.

  His blue gaze engulfed her, spread over her skin like the soft sting of an astringent; cool and hot at the same time. After a moment, he reached out an index finger and stroked along her jaw to just under her chin. He tilted it up and angled his face over hers while her heart galloped around in her chest like a mad thing. He was much, much too close to her.

  She was much, much too close to him.

  And she didn’t want to do a damn thing about it.

  SHE’S AN EXOTIC porcela
in doll. Perfect, delicate features. Dark eyes full of foreign ritual and pageantry. Lips that whispered of mystery and private pleasures.

  She’s the kind of woman who was born on a pedestal, though. An untouchable Audrey, full of silver screen mystique. A china figurine with a painted-on skirt that no man ever got beneath.

  A damn shame. Dan would like to see what Lil’s hair looked like tumbled around her face and neck, instead of in that sleek style she wore. He’d like to see that prim blouse of hers unbuttoned, skimming just over what he imagined were small, pink nipples. He’d love to see her barefoot, with her skirt hiked up to a point just shy of indecency.

  And if he didn’t stop his thoughts from wandering down this path, he was going to embarrass himself. He hadn’t missed the self-conscious flush on her cheeks at their former position: him handing her money while she balanced on her knees in front of him.

  And seeing how prim and proper she was, how utterly alien that position probably was to her, turned him on even more. He’d also seen her glance at places she shouldn’t, which sent quick lust spiraling through him. He wanted to get primal with this exotic little Audrey; see if Miss Manners knew what to do with a real man.

  Of course, smashing a woman’s good china was generally not the way into her bed. That had been a real smooth move.

  He’d seen the sudden flash of anguish when the cup hit the floor, even if she’d quickly disguised it. He felt like a shit-heel.

  Were you born in a barn? Mama had yelled at him once.

  I don’t know, Mama, you tell me. A rude response, one that did him no honor. But one that channeled his anger at her and her disappearance and her social climbing.

  He still couldn’t believe he was here at friggin’ charm school. Dan reminded himself that he was doing this for Claire, and Claire alone.

  And regarding this weird attraction to Lilia London? He’d taken Psych 101 in college. That old goat Freud would probably explain it as a rebel, subconscious urge. Was his lust for the china doll an instinct to literally screw manners? Yep. That’s all it was. Dan was sure of it.

  3

  LILIA RETURNED to her senses and backed away from the animal and his magnetism before he got any closer and…and…kissed her or something. God forbid.

  Because kissing clients was not acceptable. And judging from this man’s awful performance in her office just now, she needed to get right to work on him.

  She sat in her Queen Anne chair and demurely crossed her feet at the ankles, knees together. She clasped her hands in her lap and smiled while Dan made himself comfortable—or tried to—in her visitor’s seat. He dwarfed the antique, and she heard an ominous creak as he tried to lounge against the back of it.

  Dan froze, hearing it, too. He shot her an uneasy glance. “This thing gonna hold up under my weight?”

  “It should be fine,” Lilia told him, praying that this was indeed so. Like most of the pieces in her office, the chair had belonged to Nana Lisbeth, who hadn’t believed in reproductions. She’d been terribly old-school and formal.

  Dan spread his knees, ready to frog-leap out of the chair at a moment’s notice. She hid a smile.

  “Shall we get right to work, then?”

  “Why not.”

  “Fine. Then let’s begin by going over your, ah, performance since you arrived.”

  “My performance?” Dan seemed taken aback.

  “Your…behavior. And ways in which it can improve.”

  He shrugged and then nodded.

  “Now, for starters, let me say that the correct way to behave is almost always what makes the people around you comfortable. I’m probably about to make you rather uncomfortable, but it’s in the spirit of learning, all right? And I apologize beforehand.”

  “All righty.”

  “Let’s talk about greetings. When you came in, I believe you said, ‘howdy.’ Is that correct?”

  “Yup.”

  “Let’s change that to merely ‘hello.’ And ‘yup’ to ‘yes.’ Then there’s the issue of your Western hat. That absolutely must come off before you enter a building.” In fact, it should be left behind in Texas or burned.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am, I did know that. I just lost my manners when I saw how gosh-darned pretty you are.”

  Lil flushed. “Thank you. But that leads us into another issue. Your compliments are charming, but for Connecticut or England, they may be a bit effusive.”

  “E-what?”

  “Florid.” Seeing him look more confused than ever, she added, “Too much. Over the top.”

  “I can’t tell a woman she’s pretty?”

  “You can, but perhaps in a less familiar way. Now, when I offered you coffee, you said—”

  “Don’t mind if I do.”

  “Yes, please,” Lilia corrected. “And you always say ‘thank you’ when a beverage is given to you.”

  “Okay.”

  “When I offered you the plate of cookies and fruit, you put an entire cookie into your mouth. That’s not acceptable. You need to make it last at least three bites, and of course you’ll never talk with your mouth full.”

  “No, never,” he said solemnly.

  “Now, let’s talk about your boots. While they are indeed very fine, they never, under any circumstances, belong on a desk or any other kind of furniture.”

  He muttered an apology and looked slightly shame-faced.

  Lilia forged ahead. “Breaking the cup and saucer was an accident, and it could have happened to anyone. However, you should never again disrobe in a place of business.”

  “I was trying to save your rug!” he exclaimed.

  “I do realize that, and I thank you. However, a paper towel would have sufficed.”

  “You ladies sure didn’t seem to mind the view.”

  She blinked rapidly. “Regardless, no public shirt removal. Is that clear?”

  “Yes, mistress.”

  No mistaking the mockery in his voice. She glanced sharply at him. “You find this amusing, Mr. Granger?”

  “Yes, ma’am, I do.”

  “It’s really no laughing matter.”

  “Sorry, Miz London, but I can laugh at just about anything. It’s a fault of mine.” His hazel eyes danced.

  As faults went, she supposed that one wasn’t too awful. One needed a sense of humor to survive in this world.

  Lil studied his face, which was framed by short, wavy, chestnut hair—the same color as the sprinkling of it she’d seen on his bare torso. She had the oddest desire to tangle her fingers in it, rake them over his bare skin, burn her cheeks against the bristle on his own.

  The man had a most disturbing effect upon her. She’d never wanted to rub herself shamelessly against Li Wong, or run her fingers through his chest hair. Probably because he’d had a total of three chest hairs, and was otherwise bald as a baby’s…

  “I wasn’t laughing at you, Miz London. Just at your, uh, dedication to your job. And the fear on your face as you realized just how raw your material was.”

  Lil raised an eyebrow. “The boots on my desk were a bit much. Even you know better than that. You were testing me.”

  “Maybe,” he admitted.

  “I may be small, Mr. Granger, but I’m not stupid or fainthearted. I’m not afraid to take you on.”

  He grinned and openly evaluated her body. “You are tiny,” he said. “What size are you? Do they make a size that small?”

  “Never, ever, ask a woman her dress size or her age, Mr. Granger. Or her true hair color. Those are not socially acceptable questions.”

  “What if you’re just asking in order to buy her a gift?”

  “You make an educated guess. If the item doesn’t fit, she’ll exchange or return it. But a gift of clothing really isn’t proper. Jewelry, yes. A scarf, a silver compact, chocolates or perfume—all perfectly acceptable.”

  “How ’bout lingerie?”

  “Out of the question, unless—” Lil felt heat warming her cheeks “—you’ve been, ah, intimate for quite
some time.”

  He looked at her boldly. “Intimate, huh?”

  Impossible, but Lil could actually feel his gaze undressing her…unbuttoning her blouse, unhooking her bra, pushing up her skirt and discovering that she wore no panties under her stockings, because she couldn’t stand thongs but considered panty lines utterly unacceptable.

  Heat bloomed between her thighs, shocking her, and she pressed her knees even more firmly together.

  “Mr. Granger, as long as we’re on the topic—which isn’t socially acceptable, either, by the way—”

  “You brought it up.” He grinned that shameless grin of his.

  To her horror, she realized that she had indeed brought it up…and not only the topic. Where was her self-control? She’d looked at him there again, and Granger’s package had, ah, supersized, in fast food parlance.

  She swallowed.

  His lips twitched. He didn’t appear to care! He swung one booted foot over another, crossing his legs.

  Thank you, God. “As I was saying, it’s not proper for you to…openly evaluate a woman like that.”

  “Like what?” he asked softly, a devilish smile now playing over his lips.

  “You know exactly what I mean. You weren’t discreet in the least.”

  “Is it proper, Miz London, to stare at a man’s equipment while he’s in your visitor’s chair?”

  She opened her mouth as fire rushed along her cheeks. She shut it again. She searched for the breath his words had knocked out of her body. Finally she was able to speak. “I did no such thing, Mr. Granger.”

  “Is that what you call a little white lie, Miz London? Because I call it a big ol’ fib.”

  “Mr. Granger!”

  “Ma’am?”

  She took a deep breath and steepled her fingers on her desk. “Even if I were lying, which I assure you that I am not, it is not socially correct to call me on the lie. Conversation should be smooth, and one steers away from topics which could be…”

  “Sticky?”

  Her nostrils flared and she did her very best not to glare at the man. “Difficult.”

  Apparently he decided to give her a respite, for he asked about the framed pictures on her wall. “Who’s the older couple?”