Read Causing a Commotion Online
Authors: Janice Lynn
Tags: #Humor & Entertainment, #Humor, #Literature & Fiction, #Romance, #Contemporary, #Romantic Comedy
Causing a Commotion (6 page)
“You think I don’t want you?” His expression turned somber, and he pulled her to him, fully, to him where his desire pressed into her belly.
She pretended to be calm, cool, and collected. In reality her insides shook and zeroed in on that proof of how much he wanted. “I think whether or not you want me is irrelevant after the way you treated me this afternoon.”
Her words sounded calm. She wasn’t. Not by a long shot.
“The way I treated you? You stole my taxi, stomped my foot, and left me with the bill.”
“You deserved worse.”
“What?”
“I liked you,” she dropped her gaze to his mouth, “really liked you, and you were a jerk. You deserved to eat decaying dog poo and die.”
He lifted her chin so that her gaze met his. Tingles of awareness shot through her at his fingertips pressing against her tender under-jaw.
“For the record, I am a jerk and have not pretended to be otherwise at any point during our limited acquaintance.”
She sucked air in, wanting to look away from his intense gaze, but holding steady. “Then we’re agreed.”
“Apparently.” His other hand toyed at the line of her skirt again, but didn’t re-dip beneath the material. “I liked you, too. Really liked you.”
“I could tell by all the warmth emanating my way as you stared out your window, and I stared at your back.”
“I don’t like actresses.”
“Which is a direct contradiction to your claim of liking me since I am most definitely an actress.”
“Actresses are trouble in the worst way.”
“Yet you choose to harass and dance with one. Aren’t you just the adventurer?”
“You’re different.”
“Why?” she challenged. “Because I’ve been offered a job on your show and you can’t stand the thought of it?”
The skin over his cheekbones pulled tight.
Bingo
.
“You turned the job down so that’s irrelevant.”
Au contraire
. “I may change my mind.”
His fingers bit into the flesh beneath her chin. “Oh?”
He didn’t want her to change her mind. Interesting.
And more incentive to say yes.
“I turned the job down because I didn’t think myself the talk show type. Then I got to thinking, I do know a lot about talk shows. I mean, I watch Ellen at least four times a week. And I’m a total Dr. Phil freak.”
“That qualifies you to be on my show? I report on world news, politics, economics, environmental issues. I interview people with real jobs who make a difference in the world.”
He sounded so self-righteous it made her defenses shoot up. “Well, apparently J.P. thinks I’d make a good co-host or he wouldn’t have asked.” She glared at him. “The more I think about it, the more I think I should agree.”
“Then stop thinking.”
“What?” He hadn’t said what she thought he’d just said. She knew he hadn’t.
“You shouldn’t take the position.”
“Why?”
He stopped, and she got the impression of a war lord pausing to strategize his attack plan. She was right. His frustration visibly melted, and he met her gaze with imploring eyes.
“Because I want you,” he growled low and seductive. “I think you want me and, if that’s the case and we embark on a personal relationship, working together would be a bad idea.”
This wasn’t a battle he’d win. Puppy dog eyes and sexy stare or not.
“Then it’s a good thing you’re wrong, because I most certainly do not want you. Not anymore,” she clarified at his questioning look.
His mouth tightened. “No?”
“I think you’re an arrogant jerk and a snob and not someone I would choose to have a personal relationship with.” Okay, so maybe that was stretching the truth, but the look on his face was worth it. “Our working together wouldn’t be a problem in that regard.”
“Oh really?” He didn’t look convinced.
“Really.”
“If you dislike me so much, it seems logical that you wouldn’t take a job where you’ll be forced to work with me on a daily basis.”
That was it. Why he’d come over. Why he’d asked her to dance. Why he’d been charming. It didn’t have a thing to do with real interest, only his desire to make sure she didn’t take the job. She lifted her foot to stomp his good toes.
No, she wouldn’t ruin her new Jimmy Choos. Not for this jerk. She’d seek revenge for his callous treatment another, more effective way.
A way that would get under his skin and burn like salt poured over a wound.
“You’re probably right, and I have already told J.P. no.” She smiled, relaxing in his hold.
His expression eased a little, but his eyes remained suspicious. With just cause. “Coming onto my show would bore you to tears. Even J.P. said so.”
“I doubt you’re that bad,” she cooed, her mind racing, plotting, planning his arrogant demise. It wasn’t as if she couldn’t use the money.
He brushed his hand up her jawline, brushed a strand of hair away from her face. His gaze held hers. “You have a way of insulting me with your compliments.”
“Compliments? Have I paid you a compliment?” Her smile didn’t falter. How much did a talk show position pay? Maybe she could pay off her credit cards and put back a rainy day fund. “Must have been a mistake if you thought I’ve paid you any flattery at all.”
“Must have.”
The song ended and she pulled away, but he caught her hand. “You still haven’t told me your name.”
“Caught that, did you?” She laced her fingers with his and in a flirty move, pressed her full length close to his hard body. A spicy blend of man and sandalwood filled her nostrils, but she refused to get side-tracked by pheromones and his heady appeal. Darn him for that during a time when she was more vulnerable to being alone.
“What do you want me to call you?” His voice sounded low, gravely, seductive.
“I don’t want you to call me,” she lied.
His gaze narrowed. “Tell me.”
“Call me whatever you like.”
“I’d like to call you by your name.”
She laughed. “Calling me your worst nightmare would be more appropriate.”
“Shit.” Frustration rang in his tone.
“My guess is that rear-end of yours is so tight you couldn’t if you tried.” She grinned. His mouth dropped open, his eyes wide with shock. Mission accomplished. With that she pulled free and took off to find J.P.
She wanted to hear more about this job.
Chapter Four
“Who is she?” Maria Rosewood Arnold asked her husband when his gaze once again went to the blonde on the Karlton Regal’s grand ballroom dance floor.
Maxwell glanced briefly in her direction, then returned his attention to Colin and his dance partner. “Jessie Davidson. The network offered her a co-host position on Colin’s show.”
Maria studied the woman more closely. Something about her seemed familiar. “She has talk show experience?”
“She’s an actress.”
“An actress?” Acid burned Maria’s throat. Had the woman slept with her husband to get the offer? “Isn’t that a little odd for a co-host for the Colin Crandall Show? I mean, Colin’s all politics and exposes.”
“Not for long. We’re changing the line-up of his show. Going to spice things up.”
“But his history with actresses? Don’t you think this is bound to stir trouble?”
Maxwell shrugged, his attention clearly more on the couple than their conversation.
“He’s agreeable to this?” She couldn’t believe Colin would be. Not nose-to-the-grindstone Colin who’d kept squeaky clean for the past two years. Actually, he’d barely made a blep on the radar screen.
Maybe he’d started drinking again.
Her own life certainly looked better after downing a few.
“Doesn’t matter if he’s agreeable.”
“Which means he’s not.” He didn’t look too disagreeable to dancing with the woman, though. Actually, Colin appeared to be enjoying himself. Which was an oddity. Colin’s trademark was his overt seriousness. The man rarely cracked a smile. As a long time Colin Crandall fan, she knew. No one told the news like Colin. At least, they hadn’t.
His career would have ended a few years ago after he was involved in an actress’ death. Not believing in his guilt, Maria insisted Wolf sign him in an airtight contract to tie him to the network. She’d been sure he’d be found innocent of the charges and the world would forgive him.
He’d been found innocent, but Colin didn’t want forgiveness. He seemed to like his two-bit early morning talk show that only stayed on the air because her father controlled Wolf. And she controlled her Daddy. She’d had her father around her finger for as long as she could remember.
Her husband was another story altogether.
She bit back a sigh. She couldn’t hold Maxwell’s attention for five minutes, much less wrap him around her finger or any other body part. Sometimes she wondered if it weren’t for the money and power that came from being married to Aaron Rosewood’s daughter if Maxwell would have married her.
Or if he’d stay married to her if not for the power.
Her gaze ran over the strong lines of her husband’s face. Gray streaked the dark black hair at his temples and the crow’s feet at the corner of his eyes were more deeply embedded, but otherwise he looked exactly the same as he did on the day they’d married. The happiest day of her life.
But that had been ten years ago and a lot of things had changed with the passing of time.
Things like how her husband looked at her.
How he looked at other women, like the perky blonde.
Once upon a time, Maxwell watched her with that gleam in his eyes. That gleam that said he would possess her no matter what the consequences.
“Colin seems quite taken with her,” she said, gauging her husband’s reaction. “Perhaps she’s changed his mind.”
“I doubt it.” His gaze never left the woman, irritating Maria further. “She turned down the network’s offer.”
That surprised her. Why would the woman turn down the opportunity to work for Wolf? To work with Colin? Maxwell?
Then again, there was something to be said for playing hard to get. Colin looked more twitter-patted than Maria thought possible. Like he was drunk without the aid of alcohol.
And Maxwell, well, she hated to think of what lengths she went to in effort to get him to look at her the way he watched the blonde. These days, no matter what she did, her husband ignored her more often than not.
She touched the taunt skin between her brows. The doctor promised she’d be able to move her forehead again within a few days.
Small price to pay to be almost wrinkle-free, though.
Not that Maxwell noticed her youthful appearance.
Or anything else about her.
“Would you like to dance?” The question slipped out of her mouth before she had a chance to think. Otherwise, she’d never have set herself up for disappointment.
Maxwell glanced her way before shaking his head. “You know I’m here to work. Your father expects great things from Wolf, my father expects great things from me, and I aim to deliver. You should understand how important networking is at these kind of affairs.”
Yes, she knew a lot about these kind of affairs.
Enough that when the blonde pulled away from Colin and headed toward the dessert buffet, she wasn’t surprised her husband left her to go ‘network’ in that direction.
Affair, indeed.
She turned to a passing waiter and ordered another glass of wine. Perhaps if she got drunk and danced on the table naked Maxwell would be inclined to bring her home.
* * *
J.P. dropped a chocolate-covered strawberry onto his plate and turned to head back to the table where Jill and Rob sat.
Jessie sauntered toward him, a sassy swing to her gait.
Behind her, Colin stood on the dance floor, his eyes glued to the woman walking away.
J.P. smiled. Jessie definitely made an impression. Not that he’d expected anything less. The woman was born to be a star. He’d known it when he chose her for
Jane Millionaire
. He’d never begrudge that Jill had taken her place, not when it meant Rob being so damn happy, but he’d longed for the excitement working with a woman like Jessie would provide. She shook things up.
Like right now and the way she was shaking her hips. Half the men in the room eyed her. Colin Crandall in particular.
J.P. smothered his laughter. Colin looked stupefied.
Jessie stepped up and plucked the strawberry off J.P.’s plate and took a bite. “Tell me about this job on the Colin Crandall Show.”
Yes
. “What would you like to know?”
“What exactly would be my job?”
He didn’t need her to elaborate to know what she really asked. “You’d be Colin’s equal.” At her arched brow, he added “In every way.”
“But it’s the Colin Crandall Show.” She plopped the rest of the strawberry into her mouth and closed her eyes to savor the sweet fruit.
J.P. swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. Not that he was interested in Jessie—-Rob would kill him, but just because he was older than the hills didn’t mean he was dead below the belt.
