Alan: I’ll go first. By the way, I’m Josh’s attorney and I was there the day Tess first walked into his –Peg: And I wasn’t? By the way, I’m Josh’s secretary and Tess walked into my office while you were with Josh, Alan. I was talking to her before she even saw you or Josh. Wait a sec, that’s not entirely true. She had seen Josh already. Or at least those photos of him in the –
Alan: Point taken, but I was in his office when he first saw Tess. I saw the look on his face. I knew what was coming.
Peg: Right. For those of you who’re reading this blog and don’t know what Alan saw coming, here’s a little hint from Chapter One in Close to Perfect:
Josh rubbed the side of his neck and looked past his own reflection to the rest of the office. Beyond it was a glass wall that separated his space from Peg’s.
She was standing beside her desk as she spoke to a young woman whose back was to him.
Josh’s fingers paused on his neck. The pain was forgotten as his gaze drifted down the young woman’s thick, dark hair. It fell in gentle waves to her narrow shoulders, all soft and natural.
Nice.
His gaze inched lower.
She was slender and tall and dressed in a suit that Brooks Brothers never thought to design. Foolish boys. That suit was unbelievably nice. The jacket was fitted, while the slim skirt was slightly above the knee with a side slit to make walking easy and to give a man just a hint of her very nice thigh.
That thigh was currently hidden, but that didn’t stop Josh from exploring what he could of her beneath that suit. The fabric appeared lightweight and silky – from here it seemed to be the color of a ripe peach – and hugged her so well that she looked both elegant and sexy.
His thoughts whispered, Turn around.
She did.
Without pause, Josh swiveled his chair so that he was facing his desk and her.
Alan immediately stepped into his line of sight.
Peg: That was a definite no-no, wasn’t it, Alan?
Alan: Okay, so I didn’t know he was trying to see Tess. My mind was on those tabloid photos of him.
Peg: Coming out of his pool naked for all the world to –
Alan: As if we need to be reminded of that? I was trying to protect his interests. When Tess came into his office I thought she was one of those crazy ladies who was after him.
Peg: And that’s why I had to pull you out of his office when Josh was trying to interview her for the job as his bodyguard.
Alan: In all my days I never witnessed an interview like that.
Peg: Lighten up. It was awesome the way they took to each other. For those of you who don’t know what we’re talking about, here’s another excerpt from Chapter One of Close to Perfect – it happens during Tess’s interview with Josh:
“I wouldn’t joke about something like this,” he said, “especially after those humiliating pictures.”
Humiliating? Tess’s gaze turned inward, remembering each. Until this moment, she hadn’t considered that a man as beautiful as Josh would be humiliated by those pictures. They were nearly artistic. Of course, he hadn’t asked for that exposure. He hadn’t suspected it. It must have really blindsided him, making him look ridiculous to the business community.
Turning her face to his, she whispered, “He shouldn’t have done that. I’m sorry.”
Josh was so surprised by that response he didn’t know what to say. He was far too used to Peg’s lighten up, give it a rest, it could be worse, or anything else that was all too flip.
But there was genuine understanding in Tess’s voice.
There was comfort in being this close.
Her cheek was silky and moist against his; her hair was as soft and fragrant as he had imagined.
She was an amazing woman, and it took all the will Josh owned to ease back.
He was glad he had.
Her gaze was so sincere, seeing only him, not the wealth, not the status, it stole his breath. “Thanks.”
Her color heightened; those delicate nostrils flared.
Without thinking or considering the consequences, Josh touched her cheek.
Her lids fluttered, but she didn’t move back. After the briefest hesitation, she lifted her hand and gently stroked the inside of his wrist.
Her touch was thrilling, yet comfortable, and more powerful than sex or all the money the world had to give. It was a caress that touched every part of Josh, and made him want more.
He searched her gaze and saw unexpected trust mingled with a female yearning that hardly needed to be questioned, and could not be denied.
Without pause, he lowered his mouth, gently brushing his lips over hers.
They were velvety, her sigh so soft only he was privileged to hear it, and to feel those lips yielding to his.
He explored that exquisite flesh, he enjoyed it, then felt humbled as Tess parted her lips, inviting him inside.
Josh’s first reaction was to seek immediate relief, savage and wild; his second was to be tender, searching, making certain she enjoyed his touch, scent, and unbearable need as he slipped his tongue inside.
She suckled him without pause, as if she had been born for this and him. Her heat and response thickened his cock, making him bold as he drew her closer so that he could deepen the kiss.
Again, she responded, until Josh couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t think.
He wanted this to last forever, but already she was pulling away, then putting even more distance between them as someone continued to hammer on his door.
Josh ignored that intrusion, following her, instead.
Noting that, Tess gave him one of her hard stares.
This time, Josh wasn’t intimidated. Her lips were still moist from their kiss, one she had fully participated in.
“Yo, Josh?” Alan suddenly said from behind.
Fuck.
Peg: That was another definite no-no, wasn’t it, Alan?
Alan: I was only trying to protect Josh’s interests.
Peg: You were hot for Tess, admit it.
Alan: Holy crap, what man wouldn’t be? She wears a freaking gun. She carries a pair of freaking cuffs in a garter.
Peg: The cuffs and garter are only when she’s with Josh. And I do believe we’ve excited you enough for now, Alan. To all of you out there, Tess will be blogging the next time. She wants to tell you what Josh was really doing while she was getting rid of one of his ‘fans’ her first day on the job. See you then.
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