Hypnotic Seduction (The Seduction Series) (24 page)

….“
what an incredible ass.”

….“
X-rated body.”

Finally, Hannah couldn’t stand it a second longer and searched for Kevin to ask if he wanted to join her outside for a breath of air. She eventually found him in the kitchen with her mother who sat at the table, autographing the cover of Kevin’s
Immortal Sin
DVD while he peered down Candace’s low-cut dress.

When Hannah turned on her heels and raced out the back door, Kevin dashed after her. “Honey, what’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong!” she snapped. “You don’t have any idea why I’m upset?”

“Look, I know I’ve spent a lot of time with your mom today—but I did it for you. Don’t you want her to get to know me?”

“Yes. Except that doesn’t mean I want you to get to know her. I can’t believe even you have a copy of that filthy movie.”

“Come on, Hannah, I’m a healthy red-blooded guy. I bought it years ago. Long before we ever met.”

“I bet you’ve watched it plenty since then, though.”

The guilty flush in his cheeks said she wasn’t wrong. “Like I said, I’m a guy.”

“And it still gets you hot, even though you know it’s my mother?”

“Yes. But I don’t think of that character as Candace. She doesn’t seem like your mother.” Big surprise there. “Rather than being upset that I get excited by watching the freaking video, maybe you should sit through it a few times.”

“Why? So I can pick up pointers from Candace on how to turn you on?”

“Maybe. She could definitely teach you a thing or two.”

“Well, pardon me for saving myself for you.” Tears welled in her eyes. “Maybe when I have as much experience screwing men as my slut of a mother has, I’ll be able to satisfy you.”

“I’m sorry, honey.” He pulled her into his arms. “I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. I love that you were inexperienced.” He kissed the tears from her cheeks. “It’s just, sometimes I feel like you don’t enjoy it when I make love to you. I just want to make you happy.”

She should’ve called off the wedding that very second. But despite how much Kevin’s arousal from seeing Candace’s boobs hurt, at the same time, it had also reduced Hannah’s insecurity over her own large bosom. Of course, that was before she’d overheard him praising Gina’s kumquats.

Obviously, Kevin wasn’t very discerning in his preference of breast size. To him, a set of tits were still tits—large or small—and the only thing that could improve them was if they were naked.

Back then, she hadn’t had the self-esteem to realize she was worthy of someone so much nicer than Kevin.

Now, she not only believed she deserved an unselfish man who loved her unconditionally and without reserve—she
expected
it.

en•
e•my
  n. 1. One who feels hatred toward, intends injury to, or opposes the interests of another; a foe.

You’re in deep doo-doo when you can no longer discern between friend and foe.

If he could keep things impersonal and businesslike, everything would be fine. Jordan sucked in a deep breath and swung open the door to the executive suite. He stopped short, seeing Hannah bent over the filing cabinet.

What the hell was she trying to do to him? If her dress were any shorter it would be a blouse.

She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “Good morning.” Shoving the drawer closed with her knee, she turned, smoothing her hem down to a more respectable length. As she straightened, the scooped neckline on her dress revealed a generous amount of cleavage and a glimpse of her lacy bra to him. “You look tired. Didn’t you catch up on your sleep this weekend?”

“
No, I didn’t catch up on my sleep
,” he mimicked her perky tone. “What are you wearing? If it was any skimpier—”

“It’s called a dress.” She pirouetted in her high-heeled sandals like a ballerina, making the flared skirt of the baby blue garment swirl around her tanned thighs. “I won’t ask if you like it. Obviously, you don’t.”

That was where she was wrong. He liked it so damn much his fingers itched to pop open the tiny heart-shaped buttons down the front of her. In reality, the dress was no more revealing than what other women her age wore to the office, but on Hannah’s voluptuous figure it looked downright pornographic.

“You’re not some fashion model with an ironing-board chest, Hannah. Every man over five-seven will be peeking down the top of that so-called
dress
.”

“So? I told you, Jordan, I
’m done
being a wallflower. I’m not the same woman I was before my hypnosis.”

“You can say that again. It’s bad enough your toes are hanging out, tempting—”

“My toes?”

“Yes, damn it! You have no idea how sexy they are.”

“Good. I hope other men think so, too. After the way you made me
feel
on Friday, more than ever I want to find a guy who can turn me on that way again. It’s time I discovered what sex is all about. If I’m lucky enough to meet someone who can show me, I intend to marry him and have a houseful of babies.”

His stomach churned at the thought. “I don’t think we should be discussing this. If you recall, the plan was to leave what happened Friday in the past and put our relationship back on a professional footing.”

“I didn’t start this discussion. You did when you made that unprofessional crack about my outfit.”

“Consider the conversation closed.” He strode into his office and dropped his briefcase with a thud. A vase with two dozen long-stemmed roses sat on his desk. He snatched up the card nestled among the ruby red blooms.

Dearest Jordan,

Thank you for a wonderful evening on Friday and for being so understanding.

No signature. And no question as to who’d sent them. She knew what he thought sending roses meant—especially red ones.

Except....he hadn’t been the one to send them.

He stroked a velvet petal on one of the scarlet flowers and breathed in its heady perfume, reminded of Hannah’s soft skin and her sweet scent. For the first time in his life he was on the receiving side of a bouquet. And oddly enough, it felt incredible.

But as good as the flowers made him feel, knowing Hannah had been thinking about him as much as she’d been on his mind, also paralyzed him with fear. He didn’t want her to love him.

Since Friday evening, she’d had him fantasizing about long winter nights with her by the fire, summer weekends on his
yacht,
and watching her belly swell with his babies.

He had absolutely no desire to date any other women, much less sleep with them. And it scared the living hell out of him that she might actually want him. He didn’t dare let things go any further with her. Women had claimed to love him before, and in the end, it had only brought him pain.

A stab of guilt twisted inside him. Damn her. Why’d she have to make him feel like a creep? He should’ve sent some flowers to her at home yesterday for her birthday, except he hadn’t wanted her to read anything into the gesture.

If he reminded her again that they were putting the past behind them, he would sound ungrateful. But if he thanked her for the roses, it would seem as if he were open to possibly having an affair with her.

And that was out of the question.

As he wandered back to the outer office, he froze in the doorway. Damn it. Now, he wasn’t just imagining babies. He was actually
seeing
them. He blinked several times, attempting to clear the picture of Hannah at her desk, cuddling an infant.

No matter how many times he closed his eyes, each time he opened them, he still saw the same thing.

“You’re the sweetest little thing, aren’t you?” she cooed at the child, maternal yearning sparkling in her eyes. She looked so right with a baby in her arms.

He pointed a trembling finger at the chubby infant. “Who-whose kid is that?”

“What’s the matter?” She grinned. “Afraid one of your girlfriends overnight-expressed him to you?”

“Very funny. I asked you a question.”

“He belongs to Janice Russell.” Hannah rose and brought the baby around the desk. “She’d like to speak with you for a few moments if you can spare the time. I think she wants to thank you in person for the check you sent back to her.”

She’d come all the way from Virginia? He glanced around the empty reception area. “Sure. Where is she?”

“She took her other two children to the bathroom. She asked me to take care of this little guy.” She held the baby toward him. “Would you like a turn with him?”

Jordan backed away as if she’d offered him a bundle of TNT with a lit fuse. “No, that’s okay. I just came out to thank you for the flowers. I would’ve sent you some, but as I said a few minutes ago, we’re supposed to be resuming a professional—”

“I understand. And you’re welcome. I just wanted you to know how much I appreciated the good time I had on Friday.”

What about the incredible night she’d shown him? “The pleasure was mutual, Hannah. When Mrs. Russell gets back, show her into my office.”

As he turned, she grabbed his arm. “Wait. When the
Russells
arrived, I got an idea. Wouldn’t Taylor’s story be a great way to drive home the whole accountability issue you’re trying to address at the conference?”

“What’re you suggesting?”

“Present his case as an example of how kids get hurt when the professional community doesn’t do their homework. It would make a heavy impact for them to hear from someone who almost lost their child. Why not ask Taylor’s mom to speak to them?”

“Speak to
who
?” A petite, dark-haired woman strolled in the door, towing a little girl of about three by the hand. Following her was a boy who had to be six-year-old Taylor.

“Hello, Mrs. Russell. I’m Jordan Calder. I understand you wanted to see me.”

“Yes. We were visiting my family in New York this past weekend. Before we headed home this morning, I wanted Taylor to thank you personally for your generosity.”

Jordan hunkered down and shook the little boy’s tiny hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Taylor.”

Once again, Hannah had hatched a winning idea. Not only would the Russell family make a great addition to the conference, they were perfect for Calder’s whole new advertising campaign. Janice Russell could certainly use the extra income, and the little boy’s frail frame and big brown eyes would touch the public like Tiny Tim yanking on Scrooge’s heartstrings.

~*~

“It’s amazing how different you seem.” Callie stared across the lunch table at noontime.

“You’ve said that three times.” Hannah chuckled, inhaling the aroma of grilled chicken mingling with the smell of the delicious eggplant parmesan the cafeteria had on the menu.

“I know. I just can’t believe the change in you.”

“Neither can a lot of other people.” Everyone she’d seen that day had done a double take when they realized it was her.

“Hey, Hannah. Gee you look pretty today.” Hank
Stanzione
laid a piece of carrot cake on her tray. “It’s the last piece. I know how much you like it.”

“That’s so sweet. But no thank you. After all I ate on Friday, I’m sticking to just salad for a few days.”

“I understand.” He smiled and offered it to Callie, pushing it in front of her.

“Why not?” She laughed. “I stayed home and ate rabbit food all weekend. Thanks.” After Hank left, Callie arched her eyebrows. “There’s something you aren’t telling me.”

“I’m just going to the movies with Hank on Thursday.”

“You’re kidding? Him?”

“Why not? I know he’s no Jordan Calder, but he’s sweet. Not to mention, he’s the only man in this room who ever paid any attention to me before today.”

Callie nodded. “I guess that should count for a lot. I hear Renee is livid that Mr. Calder didn’t give her a chance to counter your bid Friday night.”

Hannah shrugged and loaded her fork with lettuce. “Even if he had, I still would’ve outbid her. Edward gave me
carte blanche
on his checking account. Clearly, his intention was for me to buy the date with his grandson no matter what the cost.”

“But I understand you made Jordan sweat a little first.”

“I sure did.” She ached to tell Callie what had happened in the limo, but she’d promised Jordan no one would know.

“Well, come on. What does he think of the new you?”

“At first he acted like a real jerk. But then he apologized and admitted he just hated having all the men there lusting after me.”

“You know what they say about guys. Life is all about
ass
for them. If they’re not trying to get a piece, they’re acting like one.”

Hannah laughed and sipped her ice water. “Let’s just say he kept staring at me this morning like an AA member gazing at a fifth of Scotch.” It was obvious he still desperately wanted her, but he refused to let himself indulge.

Callie sighed. “I’d give anything if Bryce would look at me like that.”

The fact her gorgeous friend had never been able to interest Bryce made Renee’s bitchy comment about his sexual orientation seem almost plausible. Hannah had read somewhere that occasionally gay men used Don Juan behavior as a cover. Regardless of the possibility, she refused to propagate the rumor.

“Would you really give anything, Cal? It’s not enough for a guy to only want you for your body.”

“It’s a start. Admit it, Hannah.
Guys
look at a woman’s appearance first, and if she’s lucky, his interest develops into something deeper. Look at the way all the men in this cafeteria are ogling you now.”

“True. Men never looked at me twice when I dressed like Granny
Clampett
.” Since taking a page out of
Elly
May’s book, she’d been asked out by half a dozen men.

Callie glanced around the cafeteria. “I think you’re about to have a lot more attention than you bargained for.”

She hoped so. Maybe a few admirers would make Jordan realize what he was passing up. “Still, I don’t want a guy who’s only interested in me between the sheets. I want him to love me in thirty years when I really do start looking like Granny.”