Read Online Switched, Bothered and Bewildered by Suzanne Macpherson - Free Book Online
Authors: Suzanne Macpherson
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giggled to herself. She just might be able to leave this better than she found it.
"Did I amuse you?" Jackson asked.
"I am amused, no doubt about it." She batted her eyelashes, set down her glass and went back to her dinner. Jana Lee felt like she hadn't enjoyed herself so much in years.
They stood in front of the Pitman Toys office as she tried to act cool about inserting her security card in the parking garage. A few fumbled tries and the door light hit green. "I'm a little clumsy," she said.
"I'll walk you to your car. Pops will take me back to my place. I rode the cable car in today."
He walked beside her, their footsteps echoing in the empty underground garage. Her feet were killing her. A girl just can't transition from clogs to skyscraper heels in one day and live to tell about it. She stifled a groan.
"This it?"
Damned if she knew. She dug in her purse and found the key chain with the unlock button and
hoped it would help her find Jillian's car. A tweaky beep-beep came from the left of them.
"There she blows/' she pointed.
"You are very funny you know? I didn't realize you had such a dry sense of humor."
"Funny me." Jana Lee bounced ahead of Jackson toward the sound of the car. When she'd absolutely claimed Jillian's Honda, she paused and turned to say goodnight. She stumbled back a little over those damned high heels, planting her rear end on the front end of the hood. Jackson swooped over to steady her. Right. He probably thought she was drunk. But she was cold stone sober. She'd had five cups of green tea and a three-hour dinner to shake off her one glass of wine.
He was as close as a breath. He held her arm where he'd steadied her and tipped her chin up with his other hand. "I've had a lovely evening. Shall we continue it?" he said.
Jana Lee saw his mouth take the position and his head angle in for a kiss. She grabbed his wrist and moved her face out of his grasp. She held his hand in midair for a moment. "No," she said.
Jackson looked more startled than he had when she'd slapped him. He de-angled, de-readied, and stared at her. She dropped her grip on his hand. Jana Lee was surprised at herself.
" Jackson, I didn't ask for that first kiss today. Well, maybe you didn't ask for my mistletoe kiss either. So we're even. But I'd like to start fresh.
Let's keep this casual and get to know each other slowly." She stuck out her hand. "Thank you for a lovely dinner."
Jackson 's face remained so stunned she wondered if he'd remain upright. He reached out for a polite handshake in a rather unconscious gesture. Jana Lee shook his hand.
"Well then, goodnight. I'll see you in the office tomorrow," she said. She wedged herself into Jil-lian's Honda Acura and shut the door behind her. She waved again to Jackson, who looked perplexed as he stuck his hands in his jacket pockets and walked away. She rounded the parking garage and smiled to herself. Jackson Hawks was going to be eating out of Jillian Tompkins's hands by the time she was done with him.
Boy, it was refreshing to play with her sister's life. Her car was pretty cool too. When the wooden arm popped up to release her from the garage, Jana Lee hit the gas.
Jackson had never in his life ended a date with a handshake, and that counted his first date at fifteen with Backseat Brenda Reese. At this moment, he didn't even know what to do with himself. He, the great smooth-talking Jackson Hawks had struck out?
He decided to walk home the twelve blocks to his duplex. The air would be good for him. When he emerged from the parking garage he sent Pops
home, assuring him he'd be fine. The sun hadn't set yet. It was an early-summer sun that stayed up late. He walked past people sitting on their front stoops, people from everywhere in the world. San Francisco was his kind of town.
Maybe he'd play Jillian's game and do the whole flowers, candy and courtship thing. He was bound to wear her down.
But why would he want to put in that kind of effort when he could have
"Did I amuse you?" Jackson asked.
"I am amused, no doubt about it." She batted her eyelashes, set down her glass and went back to her dinner. Jana Lee felt like she hadn't enjoyed herself so much in years.
They stood in front of the Pitman Toys office as she tried to act cool about inserting her security card in the parking garage. A few fumbled tries and the door light hit green. "I'm a little clumsy," she said.
"I'll walk you to your car. Pops will take me back to my place. I rode the cable car in today."
He walked beside her, their footsteps echoing in the empty underground garage. Her feet were killing her. A girl just can't transition from clogs to skyscraper heels in one day and live to tell about it. She stifled a groan.
"This it?"
Damned if she knew. She dug in her purse and found the key chain with the unlock button and
hoped it would help her find Jillian's car. A tweaky beep-beep came from the left of them.
"There she blows/' she pointed.
"You are very funny you know? I didn't realize you had such a dry sense of humor."
"Funny me." Jana Lee bounced ahead of Jackson toward the sound of the car. When she'd absolutely claimed Jillian's Honda, she paused and turned to say goodnight. She stumbled back a little over those damned high heels, planting her rear end on the front end of the hood. Jackson swooped over to steady her. Right. He probably thought she was drunk. But she was cold stone sober. She'd had five cups of green tea and a three-hour dinner to shake off her one glass of wine.
He was as close as a breath. He held her arm where he'd steadied her and tipped her chin up with his other hand. "I've had a lovely evening. Shall we continue it?" he said.
Jana Lee saw his mouth take the position and his head angle in for a kiss. She grabbed his wrist and moved her face out of his grasp. She held his hand in midair for a moment. "No," she said.
Jackson looked more startled than he had when she'd slapped him. He de-angled, de-readied, and stared at her. She dropped her grip on his hand. Jana Lee was surprised at herself.
" Jackson, I didn't ask for that first kiss today. Well, maybe you didn't ask for my mistletoe kiss either. So we're even. But I'd like to start fresh.
Let's keep this casual and get to know each other slowly." She stuck out her hand. "Thank you for a lovely dinner."
Jackson 's face remained so stunned she wondered if he'd remain upright. He reached out for a polite handshake in a rather unconscious gesture. Jana Lee shook his hand.
"Well then, goodnight. I'll see you in the office tomorrow," she said. She wedged herself into Jil-lian's Honda Acura and shut the door behind her. She waved again to Jackson, who looked perplexed as he stuck his hands in his jacket pockets and walked away. She rounded the parking garage and smiled to herself. Jackson Hawks was going to be eating out of Jillian Tompkins's hands by the time she was done with him.
Boy, it was refreshing to play with her sister's life. Her car was pretty cool too. When the wooden arm popped up to release her from the garage, Jana Lee hit the gas.
Jackson had never in his life ended a date with a handshake, and that counted his first date at fifteen with Backseat Brenda Reese. At this moment, he didn't even know what to do with himself. He, the great smooth-talking Jackson Hawks had struck out?
He decided to walk home the twelve blocks to his duplex. The air would be good for him. When he emerged from the parking garage he sent Pops
home, assuring him he'd be fine. The sun hadn't set yet. It was an early-summer sun that stayed up late. He walked past people sitting on their front stoops, people from everywhere in the world. San Francisco was his kind of town.
Maybe he'd play Jillian's game and do the whole flowers, candy and courtship thing. He was bound to wear her down.
But why would he want to put in that kind of effort when he could have
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