Read Online Wildest Dreams (The Contemporary Collection) by Jennifer Blake - Free Book Online

went on. “All right, the answer is business and pleasure; I decided to mix a little of one with a lot of the other.”
    “What is it, exactly, that you do?” She propped her elbow on the table edge and rested her chin on her palm as she waited for his reply.
    “There are people,” he said lightly, “who would tell you I do nothing at all, and do it very well.”
    “A playboy?” she commented doubtfully.
    “Not quite.”
    “I thought not. I seemed to remember that you were in New Orleans on business.”
    “Ah, yes, I wasn’t sure you would.”
    “That night stayed with me,” she said with asperity. “It’s not often I nearly get mugged.”
    “I thought, just for a second, that there might have been something else to make it memorable.”
    She gave him an inquiring look that was spoiled by the return of color to her face.
    “I think you know what I mean,” he said, propping an elbow on the table in his turn as he smiled into her eyes.
    She was saved from answering by the arrival of their food. Rone sat back in his chair to allow his plate to be placed in front of him; still, she was conscious of his gaze upon her. When they had been left alone again, she was ready. Picking up her fork and attacking a mushroom, she said, “You were going to tell me about your job.”
    “Was I? Maybe I was at that. Actually, I deal in illusions.”
    “A magician?”
    “I should have said filmed illusions.”
    “Right. A movie mogul then.”
    “Not exactly,” he said with a wry grimace. “I produce commercials.”
    She wasn’t sure whether she believed him; there was a mocking undertone to his voice that might have been directed at himself instead of her. Regardless, it was all too apparent that he was getting a kick out of teasing her. She said slowly, “Now, do you really?”
    “It’s a perfectly legitimate occupation.”
    “I’m sure it is, but I just expected you to be some kind of high-powered executive.”
    “Boring and restrictive. I prefer to be a free agent. Tell me again the places you mentioned to the police as being on your itinerary. I’ve just decided that I may need to visit them myself, maybe scout locations for a new European layout.”
    “Instead of a British layout, you mean?” she queried.
    There was warm amusement and something more in his smile. “No, I don’t mean that at all. The business that brought me here won’t take long. But since I’m here, and so are you, I have this sudden urge to join forces, to traipse around behind you in your travels. Would you mind?”
    She stared at him with her fork holding a bit of egg suspended in the air. His irresponsible attitude didn’t sit right, somehow, with the forcefulness of his personality.
    “Don’t look so surprised,” he said. “Have you never done anything on impulse?”
    “I’m here with you at this moment. That’s as close as I’ve come so far.” She managed to keep the words light, though it wasn’t easy.
    “And even this is against your better judgment, isn’t it?”
    “Can you blame me? I don’t know you any better now than I did the night we first met.”
    “At least I know your name now, even if I did have to get it off your luggage tags.”
    “That hardly counts.”
    “No, ma’am. I guess not, ma’am.”
    “Don’t do that! I don’t mind if you call me Joletta, really I don’t. It’s just that—”
    “Right,” he said with a shake of his head. “You’re a conventional woman and you can’t help it. So forget I said anything—”
    “Surely you didn’t expect me to agree?” She should leave it alone, she knew, but something in his manner gave her the feeling that she had been too abrupt.
    “There’s always hope. But I’ll say in my defense that I wasn’t suggesting that I share your bed, or even your room.”
    The muscles in her abdomen tightened in pure reflex. Her voice tight, she said, “I didn’t think you were.”
    “Good,” he said, “I’m glad we settled that.”
    Was his voice a