herwanted to hear what Max had been about to say. Probably better that she didn’tknow. She threw a smile at her sister. “Yes, we’re aware there’s a party tonight.”
“It’s the big PR launch for the hotel, you know.” Kaitlyn rolled her eyes as if
everyone should be as excited about an event as she always was.
“And it’s going to be fantastic,” Max said. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Kaitlyn glowed. “Thanks. Me too. I hope everything’s in place. I’m going to getthere early.” She turned to Shannon. “Which is why I’m here. I’m going to scootout of here, run home and change so I can get back to the restaurant.”
“You do that, and quit worrying. I can meet you there and help you out.”
“No, no, don’t be silly. I’m just a wreck. You know me and events. Take your time getting gorgeous,” she said with a wink, then turned to Max. “You should see this dress Shan is going to wear tonight. Mon dieu it’s something to behold.
Fits her like a second skin and really shows off her hot bod.”
“Kaitlyn!” Shannon said, feeling the heat tinge her cheeks.
Max turned to her, arching a brow. “Really? I can’t wait to see it. Nothing like abeautiful woman in a hot dress.”
Kaitlyn laughed. “See? I knew I liked you, Max. See you both later.”
After she left, an uncomfortable silence surrounded them. Shannon turned to thepapers on the table, neatly stacking them and hoping that Max would justdisappear.
“Hot dress, huh?”
She cringed, making a mental note to kill her sister later. “It’s just a dress.”
“Kaitlyn said it’s hot.”
“Kaitlyn’s trying to act like a matchmaker.”
“Really? Now that’s interesting.”
She glowered at him. “Don’t get any ideas. We are not a match. My family justhas this inherent desire to want to match me up with the first available man thatcomes along.” Hell, for all she knew he wasn’t even available.
“Because they care about you and want to see you happy.”
Quickly turning away, she concentrated again on the stack of papers. “I can findmy own man.”
“And have you?”
He’d approached and now stood much too close to her, close enough that hiswarm breath brushed the hairs at the nape of her neck. She shivered. “Have Iwhat?”
“Found a man.”
“That’s none of your business.”
“That means no.”
Gathering the paperwork and binders in her arms, she turned, holding them infront of her chest like a shield of armor. “Stay out of my personal business, Max.”
“What if I want to be part of your personal business, Shannon?”
“You can’t be.”
“Yes, I can be, and I intend to.” He leaned casually against the table, reaching out to run his fingertip down her arm. Now she wished she’d worn her suit jacket, because the touch of his skin against hers had her thoughts scattering like leaves on a windswept day.
“I have to go. I’ll see you at the cocktail party.” She brushed past him and hurried out the door, nearly running down the hall and shutting the door to her office. She dumped the papers on her desk and stepped to the window, watching the people walk by outside.
No, she did not want to have that conversation with Max. She didn’t want toknow what was on his mind. Hell, she already knew what was on his mind. Samething that was on hers.
Sex.
If the event tonight wasn’t a Storm affair, she’d hide out in her condo in herpajamas and eat potato chips. Avoidance was a good thing, sometimes.
But tonight was a cocktail party that had many functions. And tonight they’d meetwith the cream of the crop of New Orleans’ society and business. She had to bethere.
And so did Max.
Damn. She wondered if she had another dress to wear besides the one Kaitlyn haddubbed as “hot”. The last thing she needed tonight was “hot”.
Time to bring a fall chill to the air.
* * * * *
Max patiently waited while the elevator took him to the top floor. When
“It’s the big PR launch for the hotel, you know.” Kaitlyn rolled her eyes as if
everyone should be as excited about an event as she always was.
“And it’s going to be fantastic,” Max said. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Kaitlyn glowed. “Thanks. Me too. I hope everything’s in place. I’m going to getthere early.” She turned to Shannon. “Which is why I’m here. I’m going to scootout of here, run home and change so I can get back to the restaurant.”
“You do that, and quit worrying. I can meet you there and help you out.”
“No, no, don’t be silly. I’m just a wreck. You know me and events. Take your time getting gorgeous,” she said with a wink, then turned to Max. “You should see this dress Shan is going to wear tonight. Mon dieu it’s something to behold.
Fits her like a second skin and really shows off her hot bod.”
“Kaitlyn!” Shannon said, feeling the heat tinge her cheeks.
Max turned to her, arching a brow. “Really? I can’t wait to see it. Nothing like abeautiful woman in a hot dress.”
Kaitlyn laughed. “See? I knew I liked you, Max. See you both later.”
After she left, an uncomfortable silence surrounded them. Shannon turned to thepapers on the table, neatly stacking them and hoping that Max would justdisappear.
“Hot dress, huh?”
She cringed, making a mental note to kill her sister later. “It’s just a dress.”
“Kaitlyn said it’s hot.”
“Kaitlyn’s trying to act like a matchmaker.”
“Really? Now that’s interesting.”
She glowered at him. “Don’t get any ideas. We are not a match. My family justhas this inherent desire to want to match me up with the first available man thatcomes along.” Hell, for all she knew he wasn’t even available.
“Because they care about you and want to see you happy.”
Quickly turning away, she concentrated again on the stack of papers. “I can findmy own man.”
“And have you?”
He’d approached and now stood much too close to her, close enough that hiswarm breath brushed the hairs at the nape of her neck. She shivered. “Have Iwhat?”
“Found a man.”
“That’s none of your business.”
“That means no.”
Gathering the paperwork and binders in her arms, she turned, holding them infront of her chest like a shield of armor. “Stay out of my personal business, Max.”
“What if I want to be part of your personal business, Shannon?”
“You can’t be.”
“Yes, I can be, and I intend to.” He leaned casually against the table, reaching out to run his fingertip down her arm. Now she wished she’d worn her suit jacket, because the touch of his skin against hers had her thoughts scattering like leaves on a windswept day.
“I have to go. I’ll see you at the cocktail party.” She brushed past him and hurried out the door, nearly running down the hall and shutting the door to her office. She dumped the papers on her desk and stepped to the window, watching the people walk by outside.
No, she did not want to have that conversation with Max. She didn’t want toknow what was on his mind. Hell, she already knew what was on his mind. Samething that was on hers.
Sex.
If the event tonight wasn’t a Storm affair, she’d hide out in her condo in herpajamas and eat potato chips. Avoidance was a good thing, sometimes.
But tonight was a cocktail party that had many functions. And tonight they’d meetwith the cream of the crop of New Orleans’ society and business. She had to bethere.
And so did Max.
Damn. She wondered if she had another dress to wear besides the one Kaitlyn haddubbed as “hot”. The last thing she needed tonight was “hot”.
Time to bring a fall chill to the air.
* * * * *
Max patiently waited while the elevator took him to the top floor. When
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