cars passing by and the quick pattering of footsteps as people headed home.
Brenna searched her thoughts for something to say, but her mind seemed to be experiencing sensory overload. A room usually familiar to her now seemed strange, smaller more intimate, tinged with the scent of cologne and brushed cotton mingling with the taste of spices.
She watched Hunter bring his glass to his lips. They really were incongruous with the rest of him. They should have been stern not so sensual.
“I do find you handsome,” she said.
He choked and began to cough.
“Are you all right?”
He set the glass down. “I’m fine.”
“Is that how you accept a compliment?”
Hunter sent her a playful glare. “You surprised me.”
“I thought you’d be used to them.” Brenna began to grin. “There’s so much to compliment. Your eyes, your body, your mind.”
He leaned forward the flickering candlelight dancing in his dark eyes. “Thank you.”
Her gaze fell. “This meal is delicious.”
“Brenna—”
“I’ve found her.”
He hesitated. “Who?”
“Your fake fiancée. It wasn’t very nice of you not to come by the other day.”
“I was hoping that absence would make your heart grow fonder.”
“It didn’t. It only annoyed me.” She opened her folder and handed him a picture. “She’s attractive, educated, works in advertising, volunteers with numerous organizations, has never married but hopes to.”
Hunter glanced at the picture then set it aside. “I’m not interested she—” He stopped then stared at the picture again. Brenna wasn’t surprised. Sara always warranted a second glance, especially from men.
“I know her,” he said.
“Oh, then this should be easy.”
He looked at her horrified. “Are you kidding? I’d never go out with her again. I admit she’s attractive both in real life and on paper, but she needs a caution sticker: Men Beware.”
“She’s very sweet.”
“Saccharine. Took me two months to break up with her.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. Do you know how hard it is to break up with someone because they’re too sweet?”
Brenna opened her folder pleased she’d come up with a plan B. “Then there’s Carlotta Willington. She’s—”
He shook his head. “Completely unsuitable.”
“Why?”
“Too flighty. She has absolutely no common sense to keep her grounded.”
“Barbara Jason—”
He shook his head. “Her name should be Barbiturate.”
Brenna closed her folder and glared at him. “Is there a woman in this city you haven’t gone out with?”
“Yes. You.”
Brenna cut into her chicken with a short, determined motion. “I’m not going.” She chewed a moment then pointed a finger at him. “I’ve got the perfect woman.”
“Is she medium height, brown hair, wearing a nondescript jacket?”
She frowned. “Yes. How did you know?”
“The wicked grin pulling on the corner of your mouth alerted me that you wanted to dump one of your rejects.”
“Helen is not a reject.”
“Helen.” He nodded. “So the creature has a name.”
“First, Helen is not a creature and second how do you know her?”
“I met a woman who was leaving the building. She looked at me well...let’s just say a man usually gets such open invitations on street corners.”
“Do you frequent street corners?”
“I don’t have to.”
Brenna glanced at the ceiling. Poor Helen couldn’t even get a desperate man like Hunter interested.
Hunter was quiet a moment. “What kind of man are you looking for?”
“None of your business.”
“I bet you have a list hidden somewhere.”
Brenna felt her cheeks getting hot, but managed to keep her features neutral. “No, I don’t.”
He tapped the side of his head. “All up here I suppose.”
She scooped her rice.
“He’ll have to be in good shape.”
“Who?”
“Your perfect match. Since you won’t tell me your type, I’m forced to guess.” He tapped his finger against the table.
Brenna searched her thoughts for something to say, but her mind seemed to be experiencing sensory overload. A room usually familiar to her now seemed strange, smaller more intimate, tinged with the scent of cologne and brushed cotton mingling with the taste of spices.
She watched Hunter bring his glass to his lips. They really were incongruous with the rest of him. They should have been stern not so sensual.
“I do find you handsome,” she said.
He choked and began to cough.
“Are you all right?”
He set the glass down. “I’m fine.”
“Is that how you accept a compliment?”
Hunter sent her a playful glare. “You surprised me.”
“I thought you’d be used to them.” Brenna began to grin. “There’s so much to compliment. Your eyes, your body, your mind.”
He leaned forward the flickering candlelight dancing in his dark eyes. “Thank you.”
Her gaze fell. “This meal is delicious.”
“Brenna—”
“I’ve found her.”
He hesitated. “Who?”
“Your fake fiancée. It wasn’t very nice of you not to come by the other day.”
“I was hoping that absence would make your heart grow fonder.”
“It didn’t. It only annoyed me.” She opened her folder and handed him a picture. “She’s attractive, educated, works in advertising, volunteers with numerous organizations, has never married but hopes to.”
Hunter glanced at the picture then set it aside. “I’m not interested she—” He stopped then stared at the picture again. Brenna wasn’t surprised. Sara always warranted a second glance, especially from men.
“I know her,” he said.
“Oh, then this should be easy.”
He looked at her horrified. “Are you kidding? I’d never go out with her again. I admit she’s attractive both in real life and on paper, but she needs a caution sticker: Men Beware.”
“She’s very sweet.”
“Saccharine. Took me two months to break up with her.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. Do you know how hard it is to break up with someone because they’re too sweet?”
Brenna opened her folder pleased she’d come up with a plan B. “Then there’s Carlotta Willington. She’s—”
He shook his head. “Completely unsuitable.”
“Why?”
“Too flighty. She has absolutely no common sense to keep her grounded.”
“Barbara Jason—”
He shook his head. “Her name should be Barbiturate.”
Brenna closed her folder and glared at him. “Is there a woman in this city you haven’t gone out with?”
“Yes. You.”
Brenna cut into her chicken with a short, determined motion. “I’m not going.” She chewed a moment then pointed a finger at him. “I’ve got the perfect woman.”
“Is she medium height, brown hair, wearing a nondescript jacket?”
She frowned. “Yes. How did you know?”
“The wicked grin pulling on the corner of your mouth alerted me that you wanted to dump one of your rejects.”
“Helen is not a reject.”
“Helen.” He nodded. “So the creature has a name.”
“First, Helen is not a creature and second how do you know her?”
“I met a woman who was leaving the building. She looked at me well...let’s just say a man usually gets such open invitations on street corners.”
“Do you frequent street corners?”
“I don’t have to.”
Brenna glanced at the ceiling. Poor Helen couldn’t even get a desperate man like Hunter interested.
Hunter was quiet a moment. “What kind of man are you looking for?”
“None of your business.”
“I bet you have a list hidden somewhere.”
Brenna felt her cheeks getting hot, but managed to keep her features neutral. “No, I don’t.”
He tapped the side of his head. “All up here I suppose.”
She scooped her rice.
“He’ll have to be in good shape.”
“Who?”
“Your perfect match. Since you won’t tell me your type, I’m forced to guess.” He tapped his finger against the table.
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