A Little Harmless Secret (23 page)

Anna cleared her throat and tried her best to sound soothing and not irritated. “But you said yourself you were thinking of moving up to Athens at the end of the month. I think that will be good for you.”

He stood, his frown still deep, unshed tears in his eyes, and spoke rather loudly. “I thought you cared about me, about my art.” Then he stormed out of her restaurant and, Anna hoped, out of her life.

“That was intense.” Myra sighed dreamily as she refilled Anna’s coffee. At eighteen, Myra still thought dramatic scenes were romantic. At twenty-seven, Anna just found them aggravating and time-consuming.

She rose to her feet and allowed the tension to drain out of her as she glanced over at Myra. Short and small-boned, with fair skin, light blue eyes and pale blonde hair, Myra always reminded Anna of a fairy or water sprite.

“Why don’t you take your break, Myra? I can handle this crowd for thirty minutes.”

Myra looked ready to agree, then something over Anna’s shoulder caught her attention.

Anna turned, annoyance boiling in her belly, sure it was Brad returning to give it one last try. When she saw Max striding toward her, all that irritation melted into warmth. Because he was her friend, her
best
friend, and she loved him. Like a friend.

Friends had really hot oral-sex dreams about each other—didn’t they?

She smiled. He responded with a grin that sent a wave of heat tingling along her skin. Every hormone in her body did a little jump to stand at attention. She hoped he attributed her hard nipples to the AC as she forced herself not to rub them.

“Max, what are you doing here in the middle of the day?” Anna hugged him. The familiar scent of his aftershave, mixed with whiskey, surrounded her. Something was up, because Max never drank before five.

“Took a long lunch.” His absent tone told Anna his mind wasn’t really on her or their conversation. “You busy?”

“I was going to let Myra—”

“Don’t worry, Anna. I can wait a little bit.” Myra eyed Max with her usual guarded admiration.

Myra was wary of Max. Most people were. Over six feet tall and big-boned, Max hardly ever smiled, giving the impression that he was always serious. Which was true in a lot of ways. But he did have a wicked sense of humor, drier than the Arizona desert. With his chocolate-brown eyes and wavy blond hair, Max should have looked like a big teddy bear. Dressed in a slate gray suit, a black shirt and red tie, he appeared lethal. And dangerously sexy. Oh God, was he sexy.

Anna cleared her throat. “Want something to drink?” He shook his head. “Okay. Why don’t we head on back to my office?” She grabbed her coffee and led Max to the small room behind the service counter.

Entering first, she headed for her comfy desk chair. Max closed the door behind him. When she’d taken over the restaurant a couple years ago, the tiny room had been painted gray, with much of it peeling off. She’d painted the room lavender, giving it a softer appearance, and hung a large mirror behind her desk. It helped give the illusion that the room was bigger. If she was going to be stuck handling paperwork, she wanted to make sure she didn’t feel trapped in a square box. She didn’t do well in any kind of box, square or otherwise.

Anna slid her sandals off and propped her feet on the desk, showing off her blue nail polish and the new toe ring she’d picked up in Gainesville. She took a sip of her coffee and set the mug down. “What’s up, Maxwell? You don’t take off in the middle of the day. Ever.”

“Cynthia called off our engagement.”

Of all the things he could say, that was the last thing she expected. For a few seconds, her mind froze trying to compute what he had just told her. Then, her feet landed with a thud on the floor.

“
She
broke it off?” The woman obviously needed some professional help. Cynthia Myers had been lucky to get a man like Max.

Max shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. One side of his full, sensuous mouth quirked and a zing of heat blazed through her. Her nipples tightened against the lace of her bra. Wet heat flooded her sex. Anna crossed her arms over her breasts.

“Yes. She said we didn’t
suit
.”

Anna snorted. “I told you that five months ago.”

“No, what you said is two people as uptight as we were would drive each other crazy in a month.”

“I also said the sex would suck. And not in a good way.”

Max chuckled and she shivered as the sound sank into her, heating her blood. The man was entirely too sexy for her well-being. He was uptight, as she had said, but something lurked beneath the surface that hinted at a darker, more sensual side. A little part of her wanted to tap into that, unleash it, and see just how wicked he could be.

Not good, Anna
.

She needed to stay away from all thoughts of sex and Max. Especially since so many of those thoughts ended up with just how wonderful he would look naked and just how wonderful it would be to be naked at the same time. She decided to change the subject.

“Well, I guess it was the day for breakups.”

His smile faded and his eyes narrowed. Even looking annoyed he sent her hormones bouncing. It was actually something very odd for her. So many times when a man became difficult—which was a given with any man—she cut him loose. Anna didn’t have time or energy to deal with it. But with Max, it seemed to set off another whole level of excitement in her body. Definitely weird.

“You and Brett broke up?”

“No, Brad and I broke up. I wish one of these days you would remember my boyfriends’ names.” She tried to inject reproof in her voice, but it was hard when a touch of breathless arousal threaded it.

“Keep them longer than four weeks, and I might.” Humor lightened his eyes and eased his scowl. Knowing he would brood if she didn’t get his mind off his broken engagement, she played along.

“I dated Vic for two months.”

“Anna, the man was in a coma for three of those weeks. I don’t think you can count that.”

She frowned and leaned back in her chair again. “Anyway, he just left right before you came in.”

“What’s the black look for?”

“Brad made a bit of a scene before he left.”

“Ah, young Brad was upset you dumped him.” He settled in the chair she had situated in front of her desk.

Because she was truly miffed, when she spoke her voice was a bit sharper than usual as she asked, “What do you mean young?”

“He’s two years younger than you.” Even though he said it jokingly there was something behind it that bothered her.

“Cynthia is the same age as I am, and that makes her four years younger than you.”

He shifted in his chair and stretched out his legs. Max grunted and then changed the subject, which meant he knew she was right and he had no argument. “Anyway, Mom and Dad took it pretty well. I don’t think Mom liked her very much. Of course, I’m just assuming everything from the tone of her voice.”

“How do they like Greece?”

“I guess okay. No complaints. Mom’s just glad Dad isn’t messing with Chandler Industries.”

“Hmmm. Well, I think this calls for a celebration.”

“Celebration?” His bewildered tone made her smile.

“Yes. For the first time in a long time, we’re both without significant others at the same time.”

His eyes widened, and an emotion Anna couldn’t define came and went in them. Which was decidedly odd because after so many years of friendship, she could usually tell what Max was thinking.

“I hadn’t thought of that.” His voice was void of any emotion.

“I say strawberry margaritas and enchiladas at my place tonight.” She paused and he grunted. Knowing him the way she did, she took that as his usual “yes” grunt. “I’ll be out of here by four, and then stop off at the store. I have to pick up a couple of things. How about six?”

He rose to his feet slowly. “I guess I need to get back to work.”

“See ya later, Maxwell.”

He nodded and left, shutting the door quietly behind him. The room seemed a bit cooler and lifeless after he left. Anna’s mind drifted into forbidden terrain, which was anything that involved Max and her feelings for him. From the moment he kissed her years ago, she hadn’t been able to forget it. If she were truthful with herself, she’d always had a crush on him. After that one little kiss, the crush had turned into full-blown lust, but years of friendship had turned those feelings into something deeper, something much scarier than passion or lust.

Shaking free of those thoughts, she hurried out to relieve Myra and send her home for the day. It was approaching three, and there wasn’t much to do other than close up. Anna could handle the books. And John, her cook, could handle the kitchen. She’d have enough time to get home and clean before Max arrived.

And, if she kept herself busy, Anna wouldn’t have to think about the fact that she had probably just lost her mind. She’d wanted Max for so long, the temptation with both of them free would probably overwhelm her good judgment. What little of it she had.

Tequila and Max. She licked her lips. A delightfully dangerous mix.

Now available everywhere, the third installment of the popular Cursed Clan Series!

LOGAN

A man who always sees beneath the surface.

Logan
 has lived his dream of being an artist for hundreds of years. He’s painted some of the most beautiful women in the world, but none of them compare to Meghan Campbell. When they are paired up to go after the next jewel, resisting her becomes almost impossible, but he knows he must. The witch is hiding something and until he knows what that is, he cannot fully trust her.

A woman who can lure any man.

As a witch with siren abilities, 
Meg
 has never had a problem with the opposite sex. That is, until she met Logan. The irritating man seems to be the one person in the world who doesn’t succumb to her spell. Unfortunately, he is the one man she really wants. No matter how hard she tries, he resists her.

As they embark on their quest for the next jewel, tempers flare and passion ignites. But when a new layer of the curse is revealed, they discover their failure could put lives in danger. The two must work together to fight the rising power against them and hope that those who support the Clan survive the fight.

Enjoy this excerpt from Logan!

She heard the sound of feet down the hall and knew her morning solitude was about to be broken. When Jack slid into the room laughing, she smiled in reaction until she saw his companion.

Logan
.

The man brought about too many feelings to count. Dealing with him on half a cup of coffee was just not fair. And of course, he looked amazing. All that messy hair, his bedroom eyes, and the stubble he hadn’t shaved…how was a woman supposed to ignore all that beauty.

“Morning, Miss Meghan. How are you this morning?” Jack asked, drawing her attention away from Logan.

“I’m very fine indeed, Sir Jack.”

He giggled like he always did. “I am not a sir.”

She widened her eyes. “But you are the son of Angus, are you not?”

His smile grew. “I am.”

She looked up at Logan. “Good morning.”

“That’s your opinion,” he mumbled as he headed for the coffee. It was out of character for the artist. He’d always seemed to be in a good mood until the last few days.

“Did you wake Logan?” she asked Jack.

“Yes, but I needed to wake him. I had a dream,” he said sounding more like the solemn boy Maggie had told her about.

“Oh, don’t you know not to let dreams bother you?”

“Some of Jack’s dreams are premonitions,” Logan said as he placed his coffee at the head of the table. Where she liked to sit.
Bugger
.

“I understand. But, if they are premonitions, there is nothing we can do about it now.” Meg knew that better than anyone and had paid a steep price. She returned her attention to Jack. “So, Sir Jack, what would you like for breakfast?”

“I can get my own,” he announced.

Logan, for his part, had prowled over to the sideboard to get himself some food. As she had thought before, he hadn’t been what she would have pegged as a stereotypical artist. He had the look. But, his temperament had been one of…well, a normal, every day person. Artists, and she had dealt with more than one in her day, tended to be moody and well, more trouble than they were worth. Meg didn’t like moody men. She liked them to be happy and somewhat needy because that’s how she had earned her living for so long.

Still, it was hard to ignore the way he moved, or those long, artist’s fingers. She could just imagine what he could do with those special appendages. Lord, to feel them dance over her flesh—

Jack made a sound and he was looking at her strangely. Oh, bugger. The boy could definitely read thoughts from time to time.

About Melissa Schroeder

Born to an Air Force family at an Army hospital
USA Today
Bestselling author Melissa Schroeder has always been a little bit screwy. She was further warped by her years of watching Monty Python and her strange family. Her love of romance novels developed after accidentally picking up a Linda Howard book. After becoming hooked, she read close to 300 novels in one year, deciding that romance was her true calling instead of the literary short stories and suspense’s she had been writing. Since her first release in 2004, Melissa has had over 30 short stories, novellas and novels released with multiple publishers in a variety of genres and time periods. Those releases include the Harmless series, a best-selling erotic romance series set in Hawaii. A Little Harmless Sex, book 1, was one of the top 100 bestselling Nook Books of 2010.

Since she was a military brat, she vowed never to marry military. Alas, fate always has her way with mortals. Her husband just retired from the AF after 20 years, and together they have their own military brats, two girls, and two adopted dog daughters, and is happy she picks where they live now. She spends her

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