Tall, Dark And Daring. Joanne Rock

son we’ll resume our practice schedule next week. Joey is really turning into a pro on his snowboard.”

      The woman beamed with maternal pride. “He looks up to you so much. Thank you for all you do for him.”

      Tessa blinked again as the maid left. She tried to gather her thoughts. “What time is it?”

      He dropped down to sit on the edge of the bed and waved the clock radio in front of her nose. “It’s quarter past seven. I was just starting to wonder if you were going to keep our appointment when I got a call about the noise up here.”

      Her sleepiness evaporated as the full impact of Mitch’s presence in her bedroom hit home. He sat so close his thigh pressed against her waist and hip. In light of the awareness zinging through her, the goose down comforter separating them seemed as substantial as a bargain brand tissue.

      She was definitely not dreaming.

      “I guess I fell asleep.” Too many cross-country trips for her clients. Too many Jell-O shots the other night. Only one more week and she’d reclaim her life.

      He barely suppressed a laugh. “How could anyone fall asleep to the musical stylings of a German oom-pah band?”

      She wriggled a few inches away from him in a vain attempt to halt the hormonal overload his thigh had instigated. The fact that she was naked beneath the sheets didn’t help matters, either. If she had to stand much more of this, she’d be wrestling Mitch to the mattress in no time.

      “Sorry I’m late.” She tried to discreetly pull the covers closer to her chin. “If you give me five minutes, I’ll meet you downstairs.”

      She hoped he would take the hint and go before she spontaneously combusted.

      “Are you sure you’re up to it?” He skimmed his hand over her forehead and leaned closer, a wolfish grin spreading over his face. “You feel kind of warm to me.”

      He didn’t know the half of it.

      Those long fingers called to mind the nights he had touched her, teased her in ways she hadn’t experienced before or since.

      Heat kicked through her even though she wasn’t about to let herself be swayed. “I’m fine. I’ll be in the lobby in no time.”

      She waited for him to leave, a prisoner of her nakedness under the covers.

      He straightened but remained on the bed.

      Mitch stilled his questing fingers, but his eyes were as predatory as ever. “Just out of curiosity, what have you got on under there?”

      Every nerve ending leaped to life at his pretended interest, yet she would be damned if she would acknowledge it. Besides, she could handle his teasing. This was much easier than his caring.

      “It’s really none of your business.” It strained her dignity to look coolly professional when she had a rat’s nest for a hairdo and had no choice but to lie down.

      “I notice your bathrobe is hanging on the back of the door.” His voice turned husky and low as he jerked his thumb toward the length of navy blue terry cloth. “My guess is that it’s a hell of a lot less than that.”

      Her skin tingled. Still, she pointed toward the exit. “I want you to go now.”

      “Do you really?”

      No.

      “Yes.” She forced a determination into her voice she definitely didn’t feel.

      “If we were playing our old truth or dare game right now, Tessa, I think I’d have to penalize you for fibbing.” He trailed a finger along her bare shoulder and then skimmed the length of her arm.

      The touch reverberated through her, tickling nerves all the way to her thighs.

      Lava streamed through her veins at the memory of past penalties. Mitch had been so very inventive….

      But as delicious as those memories might be, Tessa had a job to do. She would never get it done by drooling over a man whose idea of commitment was to hire a management staff for his hotel property while he hopped the globe and broke hearts.

      “I’m not here to play games this time, Mitch.”

      The quiet seriousness in her voice seemed to call him from his teasing flirtation.

      He scrubbed his hand over his forehead and nodded. “You’re right.”

      She realized how unfulfilling being right could be when she experienced a rush of aching loss as he backed away from the bed.

      He held up his hands in mock surrender. “No games this time.”

      “No games.” Clutching the sheet more tightly to her, she assured herself that’s what she wanted.

      Mitch had nearly reached the door when he paused at the dresser to examine a sheaf of papers she’d left there. “Can I take your Mogul Ryders file to occupy myself until you come downstairs?”

      He scooped up her papers and began leafing through them.

      “Could you wait with that? I’ll only be five minutes.”

      Engrossed in the file, he barely acknowledged her. “See you then,” he mumbled, folder in hand. He shuffled to the door as he read, seemingly oblivious to Tessa’s protest that her notes were still too rough for his review.

      At last the outer door finally closed.

      Frustrated he’d absconded with her work, but very happy to have escaped the temptation of his presence, Tessa breathed a sigh of relief.

      That was close.

      Much too close.

      How was she ever going to stay out of Mitch’s bed when she’d found herself naked with him inside their first twenty-four hours together?

      She headed to her suitcase to choose her most conservative suit for their business dinner. After the close encounter in her bed, she needed a no-nonsense armor to ward off any stray charm he might fling her way.

      Because no matter how appealing Mitch might be, Tessa had no intention of failing in her dare. She’d conquered the bunny hop, by God. She could darn well keep her hands off an overgrown playboy for one week.

      MITCH WATCHED Tessa storm into the lobby about fifteen minutes after he left her room. He’d had just enough time to read over the file she had told him not to touch.

      He could tell by the gray tweed suit and the all-business French twist of her hair that she was mad. The stern set to her jaw and the pursed lips reinforced the impression. But he could not compel himself to regret filching her file on Mogul Ryders. The marketing plan she’d sketched out for his enterprise was ingenious.

      He handed over the sheaf of papers as a peace offering. “You’re brilliant.”

      “You’re a thief.” She snatched it out of his hand and tucked it under one arm.

      So much for charming her. “Sorry, Tessa. You hadn’t even closed the folder. Once it caught my attention, I could hardly put it down.”

      “You shouldn’t have been in my room to start with,” she grumbled.

      He would bet she had no idea how the damp hair curling in sexy waves around her neck defeated the rest of her uptight hairdo.

      “I suppose you would have been happier if I’d let you go deaf? C’mon, Tessa.” He nodded toward the front doors, eager to pick that sharp brain of hers. “Let’s have some trout and start this evening all over again. You can wow me with your plans.”

      Thankfully, she seemed to forget her annoyance once they got outside. Tessa was like a kid in the snow. She held out her hand to catch the snowflakes and tilted her nose in the air to let them fall on her cheeks. She even forgave him enough to take his arm as they crossed the slippery parking lot. She’d traded in her heels for black leather boots that hugged her calves.

      He