do
mine too."
"This early in the relationship?" The
green flecks in her eyes seemed very bright as the winter's sun shone through
the storefront window and lit her face from the side. "What
relationship?" she demanded, snatching two quarters out of his hand.
"I've never met you before."
Oh, right. He wasn't supposed to recognize her.
Rules of The Club. "Maybe we should get to know one another then." What the fuck? Why did he say that?
Apparently her reaction was similar. Her eyes
widened and a dash of pink colored her face. "For what?"
He hesitated. "You're new in the city. I
could show you around." This was not supposed to be happening. He didn't
want any deeper involvement with this girl. She was barely out of her teens for
pity's sake.
"I don't need a tour guide."
"Take you to dinner then." His tongue
was working rogue, ignoring his mind completely.
"No, thank you. I don't date my
employers."
Jack stared at her lips. "You're all
prickles, Ms Miller. What's your problem?"
"My problem is people telling me I have a
problem, when I merely want to get through my work day without getting
hurt."
"Hurt?" What could she possibly know about hurt?
"People who don't think the rules apply to
them generally end up causing hurt for those with the misfortune to stand too
close. I follow rules Mr. Marchetti."
Was she referring to The Club rules of no
contact outside the place? Or simply of her own rules about dating and
work? She spoke very determinedly,
warning him off. As if he was a young man sixteen years her junior, instead of the other way around.
"Rules are made to be broken," he said.
"See, that annoys the heck out of me. Rules
are made to be followed. If they were made to be broken there would be no point
in making them. It's illogical."
He laughed, digging his hands into his pockets.
"Are you kidding me?" Didn't she know he had women lining up to catch
the eye of New York's most eligible widower? She couldn't be serious about
sticking to The Club rules of no contact in the outside world. He was the one who had something to
lose. She could only benefit from his attention.
"Why would I kid you?" she asked
gravely. "I have plans for my future career and right now I'm too busy for
a private life." After pondering his face for a moment, she gave a terse
sigh, flung her bag strap over her shoulder and picked up the little cardboard
tray with her bagel and coffee. "So we can stand here talking about the
possibility of a doomed, brief relationship that will end in betrayal, tears,
possibly broken furniture and definitely my career in a shambles. Or,
alternately, I could just get back to work and you can get back to...whatever
it is you do with your day. Mr. Marchetti. You see, rules are there for a
purpose. To keep order."
"Maybe I'll fire you." He was only
joking of course, but she didn't laugh.
"And your cause would be?"
"Being a smart mouth to your boss."
"Nothing to do with me turning the boss
down?"
"Oh, that? Good God, no." He grinned
and scratched his chin. "I'd forgotten about that already. Plenty more
fish in the sea."
"Mind you don't find one with poison
spines, Mr. Marchetti." She walked to the door of the shop, coffee and
tray tilting precariously.
Jack gave up his place in line to dodge around
her and open the door. She muttered her thanks and he watched her go. He was an
old-fashioned man at heart. Loved a woman in a pencil skirt. Especially if she
wore stockings and suspenders underneath, and he had the distinct impression
that Marianne Miller did.
Well, he ought to be relieved. He'd found out
what he needed to know and she definitely wasn't planning on running to any
tabloids. She'd made her feelings plain. Clearly she joined The Club because
she wasn't looking for a more meaningful relationship. She was all about the
sex. So was he.
But he caught his reflection in the glass door
and saw he was frowning. From her reaction anyone would think dating him might
ruin her reputation. Yeah, she was a
mine too."
"This early in the relationship?" The
green flecks in her eyes seemed very bright as the winter's sun shone through
the storefront window and lit her face from the side. "What
relationship?" she demanded, snatching two quarters out of his hand.
"I've never met you before."
Oh, right. He wasn't supposed to recognize her.
Rules of The Club. "Maybe we should get to know one another then." What the fuck? Why did he say that?
Apparently her reaction was similar. Her eyes
widened and a dash of pink colored her face. "For what?"
He hesitated. "You're new in the city. I
could show you around." This was not supposed to be happening. He didn't
want any deeper involvement with this girl. She was barely out of her teens for
pity's sake.
"I don't need a tour guide."
"Take you to dinner then." His tongue
was working rogue, ignoring his mind completely.
"No, thank you. I don't date my
employers."
Jack stared at her lips. "You're all
prickles, Ms Miller. What's your problem?"
"My problem is people telling me I have a
problem, when I merely want to get through my work day without getting
hurt."
"Hurt?" What could she possibly know about hurt?
"People who don't think the rules apply to
them generally end up causing hurt for those with the misfortune to stand too
close. I follow rules Mr. Marchetti."
Was she referring to The Club rules of no
contact outside the place? Or simply of her own rules about dating and
work? She spoke very determinedly,
warning him off. As if he was a young man sixteen years her junior, instead of the other way around.
"Rules are made to be broken," he said.
"See, that annoys the heck out of me. Rules
are made to be followed. If they were made to be broken there would be no point
in making them. It's illogical."
He laughed, digging his hands into his pockets.
"Are you kidding me?" Didn't she know he had women lining up to catch
the eye of New York's most eligible widower? She couldn't be serious about
sticking to The Club rules of no contact in the outside world. He was the one who had something to
lose. She could only benefit from his attention.
"Why would I kid you?" she asked
gravely. "I have plans for my future career and right now I'm too busy for
a private life." After pondering his face for a moment, she gave a terse
sigh, flung her bag strap over her shoulder and picked up the little cardboard
tray with her bagel and coffee. "So we can stand here talking about the
possibility of a doomed, brief relationship that will end in betrayal, tears,
possibly broken furniture and definitely my career in a shambles. Or,
alternately, I could just get back to work and you can get back to...whatever
it is you do with your day. Mr. Marchetti. You see, rules are there for a
purpose. To keep order."
"Maybe I'll fire you." He was only
joking of course, but she didn't laugh.
"And your cause would be?"
"Being a smart mouth to your boss."
"Nothing to do with me turning the boss
down?"
"Oh, that? Good God, no." He grinned
and scratched his chin. "I'd forgotten about that already. Plenty more
fish in the sea."
"Mind you don't find one with poison
spines, Mr. Marchetti." She walked to the door of the shop, coffee and
tray tilting precariously.
Jack gave up his place in line to dodge around
her and open the door. She muttered her thanks and he watched her go. He was an
old-fashioned man at heart. Loved a woman in a pencil skirt. Especially if she
wore stockings and suspenders underneath, and he had the distinct impression
that Marianne Miller did.
Well, he ought to be relieved. He'd found out
what he needed to know and she definitely wasn't planning on running to any
tabloids. She'd made her feelings plain. Clearly she joined The Club because
she wasn't looking for a more meaningful relationship. She was all about the
sex. So was he.
But he caught his reflection in the glass door
and saw he was frowning. From her reaction anyone would think dating him might
ruin her reputation. Yeah, she was a
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