Erected (Erector Set, Book One) (10 page)

Still, she had to swallow a small grin as she picked up the phone.

* * * * *

Josh had managed to get one preliminary sketch done when the grumbling in his stomach reminded him he hadn’t eaten yet today. Rising from the stool at his drafting table he stretched, trying to work the kinks out of his sore muscles. Which reminded him of why they were so sore today. And also reminded him with a blinding flash of irritation about the last exchange of words with Vanessa Bowen. No wonder he’d had such a hard time concentrating this morning. In his mind he played out scene after scene where he was letting her know exactly what he thought of her attitude.

He still had no idea what her problem was except maybe, like him, she had a history of bad experience. But hell, couldn’t she at least wait to see if he was like the other jerkwads who’d helped create that attitude?

A knock on his door jerked him back to the present. His brothers usually didn’t knock and today Tyler was out on a job site. But maybe Alex was treading lightly after his grumpy attitude earlier.

“Enter at your own risk,” he called out.

“I usually do.” His secretary Janice walked in, trying to conceal a smile and carrying a giftwrapped box topped with a huge pink bow.

Josh frowned. “What the hell is that?”

She glanced at the box in her hands. “I’d say someone’s sent you a present.”

“But what? From where? From who?”

She set the box down on his desk, moving aside a stack of folders to make room for it. “There was no card attacked so I’d guess it’s inside. The messenger said you needed to open it right away.”

Josh looked at the box as if it might bite him. “Do you think it’s a bomb?”

His secretary swallowed her laughter. “Some people might get ornery about your designs but not enough to blow you up. At least I don’t think so.” She nodded at the box. “Go ahead. Open it. My curiosity is killing me.”

Almost tentatively, Josh undid the bow and slid the ribbon away from the box. When he nudged the top open he looked inside and just stared.

“What the hell?”

Inside the square white box, nestled carefully on a bed of tissue paper, sat a perfectly baked pie, the crust gold-brown and a mouthwatering aroma drifting past his nose. He picked up a folded note that sat on top.

“This is supposedly apple pie but for me it’s humble pie. If you agree to another dinner with me I’ll be happy to eat the whole thing for dessert tonight. If you can get past my big mouth please call me. Ness.” And she’d written a phone number below her name.

Just like that his anger and irritation fled. Just from the short time he’d known her Josh figured she had to swallow a mouthful of pride to do this.

Okay, buddy. The next move is up to you. You can blow her off or see where this goes.

Waving a still grinning Janice out of his office he picked up his phone and punched in the numbers. He assumed it was her cell.

“Vanessa Bowen.” The voice was crisp. All business.

“Josh McMann.” His own voice was more casual. Nonthreatening.

“Well. Hi.” Now the edge was gone from her tone.

“The, uh, pie is a nice touch.” Then he laughed. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen humble pie served so nicely.”

“I really was a shrew this morning and I want to apologize. I just…”

“It’s all right.” He cut her off. Now was not the time for intricate explanations. “We can talk about that later. I called to let you know I accept.”

“Accept?”

Josh looked at the note again to make sure he’d gotten it right. “For dinner. That is what you said here.”

“Yes.” She sounded slightly breathless for some reason. “Dinner’s good. But tonight it’s really on me. I still owe you.”

It went against Josh’s personality to let a woman pay for a meal but she’d made a point of paying her debt to him before her latest accident. Okay, he’d play along.

“Does that mean you’re going to be picking
me
up?” he teased. A silence hummed across the connection for so long Josh wondered if she’d hung up. “Ness?” he prompted.

“Why don’t we eat in at my place.” Was that hesitation in her voice? “Just the friendly dinner that I owe you for rescuing me the night we met. Remember? I’m really not up to a restaurant again. Not tonight. So, is this okay?”

He didn’t want to read too much into the invitation. Despite what they’d shared the night of her accident and the mind-blowing sex that had kept them awake most of the previous night he knew better than to take anything for granted. He hated the fact he wondered if maybe she was softening him up. Regretting her bitchiness and seeing his fat wallet taking a walk.

Damn it. Stop that. Not everyone thinks the S in your name is a dollar sign.

Yeah, right.

Besides, she’s…different from all the others.

Go ahead, dumbass. Tell yourself that.

And what the hell did it say about him that he was having an argument with himself?

It shows caution and don’t forget it.

Okay, he’d let her play her games. Whatever they were.

“Your place is fine.”

“But don’t expect a fancy home-cooked meal,” she laughed. “I have a great Italian restaurant that delivers.”

“That works, too. What time?”

“Seven?”

“Good. I’ll bring wine.” He hesitated just a moment. “And the humble pie.”

She was laughing again when he hung up, a soft musical sound. Vanessa Bowen was certainly a complex puzzle. If she was trying to reel him in she was sending a lot of mixed signals. Or maybe it was just that she was so different from his usual flavor of the month. He guessed tonight would give him more clues.

* * * * *

When she left the office shortly after five Ness deliberately ignored Carolyn’s teasing, “Hot date again?”

“See you in the morning,” she tossed over her shoulder as she clunked out to the elevator, cutting off further conversation.

Why on earth she thought it was a good idea to have this dinner at her condo was beyond her. Someplace neutral where she met him would be the optimum idea. Just as she’d originally planned. Except Josh McMann seemed to toss all her brain cells into a mixer and scatter them.

She was still wrestling with all the reasons why tonight was a mistake but she was determined to show this man she had manners, could be gracious and appreciated the things he’d done for her.
Then
she could send him on his way. Before
he
dumped
her.
Which of course he would. Eventually. Like they all did, these high-profile alpha males. Ness wished she could figure out what it was about her that gave men the idea she was nothing more than a way station on their journey through life.

Sighing, she showered and slathered lotion on her body that matched the scent of her perfume (might as well leave him with a tantalizing remnant of herself). Then nearly gave herself a headache trying to figure out what to wear. Not too casual. Not sloppy.

Damn! Get your act together, Ness.

Finally she settled on a pair of embroidered jeans that she’d stitched a slit into for her cast and a silk blouse. She slipped her undamaged foot into a ballet flat and brushed her hair into submission. The lasagna from Franconi’s was warming in the oven along with the garlic bread and the salad was crisp and fresh in the bowl in the fridge. The table was set in the kitchen rather than the dining room. Informality would be the key tonight. Why on earth she was so nervous was a mystery to her. Okay, so he’d taken care of her two nights in a row. Not that she’d actually asked him to. And they’d had fantabulous, off the charts sex after he took her to the restaurant from dream heaven.

Now she wondered what came next. Josh McCann wasn’t
exactly
like every other bozo she’d dated. She didn’t know if that was bad or good. Just as she was beginning to wonder if her mind had turned into dithering mush the doorbell rang. And when she opened the door her mouth watered at the sight of him.

He, too, had opted for jeans, hugging his long legs and hips. With them he wore a cashmere sweater the exact blue of his eyes, the vee exposing just enough tanned skin and dark chest hair to remind her what he looked like naked. In one hand he balanced the pie box and in the other he held a bag with what was obviously a bottle of wine.

“Can I come in?” he teased. “Or do you want to stand here and look some more?”

Ness’ face heated and she backed away quickly, allowing him to enter. God, why did she always have to act like such an idiot with him? She was a high-powered executive, for god’s sake. A woman with her shit together.

Only apparently not with this man.

He moved into her condo, completely at ease.

“I’ll put the pie in the kitchen.” He winked at her. “I’m really looking forward to dessert.”

“I’ll bet.” She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. “I’m really sorry about this morning. I just—“

He put both the pie and the wine on the counter and held up his hand. “Later.” He nodded at the bottle. “Maybe after a lot of this. Where’s the corkscrew?”

“The bar in the living room. I’ll get it.”

“No, I will.” He nudged her into a chair. “Sit. I’ll pour the wine.”

She watched his capable hands as he uncorked the wine, poured it into the two goblets she’d left on the counter and turned to hand her one.

“Here’s hoping this is your last accident for a while.” His face was serious but mischief lit his eyes.

“Ohmigod, I certainly hope so. My insurance company is far from happy with me.”

He leaned his hips against the counter, completely relaxed. Ness almost had the feeling
she
was visiting
him.

Needing movement, she pushed herself up from the chair and pulled the tray of antipasto from the fridge.

“Let’s take this into the living room.” As she turned, her cast bumped into a chair and the platter jiggled in her hand.

“Got it.” Josh eased it from her and somehow managed to take the food, his wine and hers into the living room and make it seem so easy.

She settled herself on the couch, sitting so she could prop up her injured leg, and took a healthy swallow of wine. Josh sat on the other end of the couch, watching her carefully.

“So,” he said, “want to tell me what that was all about this morning? Whose sins am I paying for exactly?”

Ness stared into her glass. “I really want to apologize to you for that. It was a kneejerk reaction and completely uncalled for.” She grinned. “And I expect to eat the entire humble pie.”

“Uh huh. That was a cute touch, by the way.” He was still studying her. “But that doesn’t answer my question. What the hell was it all about? I don’t think I did anything to bring that on.”

Ness picked up a tiny snack from the plate and nibbled on it to give herself time to choose her words. No way was she going to lay out her history of why men treated her so casually. Left her the way she’d thought he was doing this morning. That would be just too embarrassing. And she still didn’t understand whether it was something in her that prompted it or she just kept picking the wrong kind of man.

“Ness?” he prompted.

She ran her finger around the rim of her goblet. “I, um, just thought you were trying to sneak out while I was sleeping.”
Like Jackson. And Clay. And a list far too long.
“Not that it wouldn’t be okay,” she added hastily. God, she certainly didn’t need him to think she was the clingy type.

“Obviously it wasn’t.” He set his glass on the table and leaned toward her. “I was only heading toward the bathroom. I can’t imagine what I’ve done to make you think I’m that kind of guy. So what’s really going on here, Ness?”

She sighed, realizing she’d done this whole thing all wrong. She’d expected the worst and was sure that was what she was getting. “Can’t you just accept my apology and let’s put it to rest?”

For a moment she thought he was going to push it. But then he scooted closer to her on the couch. He removed her goblet from her fingers and placed it next to his, his mouth tilted up in a crooked smile.

“How about if we just kiss and make up,” he suggested, his voice a low, sexy rumble.

He leaned toward her, his hands on either side of her head, caging her. She had told herself sternly there’d be no sex tonight. Just dinner and conversation. A final thank you. Then goodbye. But when he got this close to her every good intention disappeared. He smelled so magnificent, something woodsy and eminently male. She saw his firm lips moving closer, caught the stormy blue of his eyes. Felt the heat of his body surrounding her. She opened her mouth and met him halfway.

Yup. Making a big mistake here.

* * * * *

Josh had made up his mind that no matter how delectable Ness Bowen was he wasn’t going to drag her off to bed again. Dinner. More conversation. A chance to see what she was really all about. If she was real or just a better actress than the other women who wandered in and out of his life. He’d been badly fooled once before and even after the passage of time the wounds still ached. He loved her and she loved his wallet. The argument over the ridiculously expensive house she wanted to buy had escalated into a bitter breakup. Since then he’d been more than on his guard.