Tall, Dark & Reckless. HEATHER MACALLISTER

heard the growing intensity in his voice as he sketched out his plans for the story. He clearly loved what he did and Piper caught herself wishing she felt the same passion about her work. It wasn’t that she disliked what she was doing—she enjoyed helping people identify personality issues and quirks and how they affected them and those around them. Or as one of her corporate clients said, “You show us the hot buttons so we won’t push them.” But these days she had way more of the why-can’t-I-get-a-second-date women clients than corporate consultations.

      Maybe once the online Piper Plan was established, women could figure out their man problems on their own and Piper could … could … She was unable to complete the thought. And that was her problem.

      Later. She’d puzzle it out after the meeting. For now, she’d focus on that.

      Mark was finishing up his pitch. “I’m going to head over to El Bahar to investigate. If my information is true, and I think it is, then this will be huge.” He sat back.

      Piper believed him. How could anyone not? Negligent good looks coupled with the contained, focused intensity he’d learned speaking into webcameras equaled sincerity. People would believe anything he said. And if they were aware they were being manipulated; they wouldn’t care. Piper didn’t and she recognized it. Mark made people want to believe him. The man had charisma and an agenda, which made him dangerous.

      And he was barely trying. Piper kind of wanted to see him when he was operating at full power. Maybe she’d access the OMG archives and watch a few podcasts.

      “And OMG will have the exclusive,” Travis was saying.

      See? Mark had even distracted Piper from her objective today and she was letting them make their case for the budget dollars without a fight.

      “To get the excitement started,” Travis continued, “we’ll be promoting the heck out of Mark’s return during our Guys Annual Super Bowl Party.”

      Piper nudged Dancie’s foot, alerting her that she shouldn’t let Travis control so much of the meeting.

      Dancie took the hint. “To fill the gap until Travis and Mark’s numbers are up, I have a proposal to build on Piper’s dating column popularity.” She reached for the green folder. “There’s an added advantage because it opens up a new revenue stream so my division won’t be wholly dependent on ad money.”

      Dancie slid the green folder toward her father. “Expanding on what I said in the quarterly report, we’ll have an interactive website with a software program called The Piper Plan to go along with the book—”

      “Fluff,” BT pronounced. “You got lucky with some female fluff.” Without looking at the folder, he tossed it back at Dancie.

      Fluff? BT had dismissed hundreds of hours of research as fluff? Without even looking at it? Suddenly, Mark wasn’t the only one doing a slow burn. Yeah. Nothing like having your work insulted to get the juices flowing. “Mr. Pollard, my work—”

      “The matchmaking business?” He raised an eyebrow. “The one that can’t find my Dancie a man?”

      Piper was not going to let him get to her. “It’s not a dating service. I counsel clients about compatibility, particularly when management teams have to decide between equally qualified job candidates. I analyze personalities. Certain types always get along and certain types always clash. And not just romantically. My theory applies to work relationships, roommates, sports teams, careers—”

      “You write a dating column for us,” BT interrupted.

      She wished he wouldn’t keep doing that. “I—Yes.” Piper exhaled. He just wouldn’t let that go. “But my theory is based on extensive research.”

      “Your research is based on fluff.”

      Travis snickered, but Travis would. And Mark’s reaction? Piper wasn’t about to look at him because appearing to care what he thought would show weakness and she was already in a battle to be taken seriously here.

      “But it’s profitable fluff,” Dancie said, not helping.

      “Thanks a lot,” Piper muttered.

      “And we can make it more profitable.”

      “Profitable until all the air goes out of it,” Travis said. “Then you’ve got nothing. That’s why I build on the standards—your beer, your football, your barbecue—so when my fluff collapses, I’ve still got a safety net.”

      “Did you just call Mark fluff?” Piper asked. Probably unwisely. “Since you had to depend on your beer, your football and your barbecue this year.”

      She felt Mark’s gaze laser in on her and she glanced at him. How could those blue eyes look hot and cold at the same time? She suppressed a shiver.

      “Of course not.” Chuckling, Travis looked at Mark, and then quickly away. “But he gives the meat, if you will, to the OMG news division and gives us … the, uh …”

      “Fluff?” Piper supplied, living dangerously. She heard Dancie’s breath hiss between her teeth.

      A beat went by. “I give the Guys of Texas readers a look behind the scenes.” Mark kept his gaze fastened on her. “A lot of groundwork goes into my news stories.” His voice grew stronger. “News stories that change people’s lives. News stories that change the world.”

      Implying that her work did not.

      “That’s a great tagline,” Travis said in a fake hearty voice. “Isn’t that a great tagline?” He turned to his father. “We’ll have Mark at the Super Bowl with us—”

      “You said he would already be overseas,” Dancie added.

      “Video conferencing, Dancie.” Travis gave an impatient wave. “With hi-def, it’s almost the same as being there in person.”

      “I’m glad you feel that way,” BT told him. “Because you’re going to be watching the next Super Bowl on that giant big-screen TV you’ve got downstairs.”

      TRAVIS WENT STILL. “What do you mean?”

      This is going to get ugly, Mark thought. Travis did love his Super Bowl parties.

      BT leaned forward. “I mean that the salary for Mark’s new partner is coming out of your Super Bowl budget.”

      Partner? Mark didn’t like where this was going.

      “What new partner?” Travis turned to Mark. “You didn’t say anything about—”

      “Thanks,” Mark said to BT. “But I don’t need a partner. I’ll be fine.”

      “Good to hear. But you’re still going to be working with a partner.”

      Never. “I work alone.”

      BT shook his head. “Not anymore. You take too many risks, Mark.”

      So he’d heard. “That’s how I get stories nobody else does. They hesitate. Hang back. Or they have to wait for authorization. I go for it.”

      “Sometimes you shouldn’t.”

      “Sometimes I don’t. You never hear about those times.”

      “I sure did last year.” BT drew a long breath.

      Here it comes. The man was entitled to a lecture, Mark supposed. BT hadn’t said a whole lot at the time Mark had been rescued. Then again, he’d been injured and, as Travis had pointed out, getting a lot of media attention. But that was last year and BT clearly wanted to assert his authority before sending Mark back into the field.

      So be it. Mark would take the verbal spanking, apologize, and then they could get back to business, although he’d prefer not to have this conversation in front of Travis’s sister’s and Piper’s assessing gaze.

      Mark sensed that she wasn’t