Page 7 of Sex Coach

This was like pulling teeth .

Huffing out a breath, I replied, "Chicago. What about you? Where did you live before you came to New York? Did you come here for work ?"

"In a way," he replied. "I had a feeling you were from Chicago. It's in your voice ."

"You've got a good ear." Most people couldn't pick up on it after the years I'd spent going to college in Iowa, then the time here in the city. "I suppose you must enjoy the female persuasion, considering your line of work." I decided not to make it a question. He'd probably ask me if I enjoyed women in return .

Instead of answering right away, he reached over, picking up my glass of wine. I heard him swallow and then he put it back down in front of me. He had just drank my wine. I couldn't decide if I was irritated by the fact that he hadn't asked or...inexplicably aroused .

Why would I feel pleased by the fact that he was drinking from the same glass ?

What was the sense in that ?

Take a drink,a teasing voice inside my head whispered. Maybe you'll taste him on the glass .

My mouth went dry at the thought, and the only thing I had to drink was the wine, and I reached for it, desperate to wet my throat. To my credit, I deliberately made sure to keep from turning the glass so my lips wouldn't touch where his had .

"I didn't realize we were working up such a thirst," he murmured. His voice was so close .

I gasped as he traced a finger down my arm .

How in the hell did Gina do this ?

"I'm going to assume you're..." Great. I was babbling now. Feeling his watchful eyes on me, I kept mine focused on the glass. "I mean, I guess you're good at this. Otherwise you wouldn't very well have earned the name the King of..." My cheeks flamed, and I couldn't finish. "You know ."

"I assume I'm good, but I have to take my partner's word for it. Her word...her reaction. That's the key, you know. How she reacts. Paying attention to her." The finger that had trailed up my shoulder returned, this time skipping up my neck, then down. "Seeing if she likes having her neck touched, or she's too ticklish to enjoy it. I don't think that's the case with you ."

It sure as hell wasn't. I had to fight not to let my head fall to the side in open invitation .

"You know, I think I'm glad Gina couldn't come. Pity about the wreck and all, but I think I like you ."

My skin flamed, going tight in response to those simple words .

"There's not much to like ."

"Oh...we disagree there." He leaned in, his face so close I could feel the heat of his breath through my hair. Focusing straight ahead, I caught a glimpse of our reflections in the wine glass as I lifted it. He was practically nuzzling my hair. If I concentrated, I could hear him breathing in too. Like he was ...

Oh, hell .

He was checking me out. It was like he was deciding if he liked the way I looked, the way I smelled. I'd already decided I liked the way he smelled and maybe I was crazy, but there was something decidedly erotic about what he was doing .

How would his scent change if it was rubbed all over me ?

If it clung to me ?

I didn't know, but I was suddenly enamored with the idea of finding out .

And that thought terrified me .

"You..." Skin going cold, I grabbed my wine and tossed it back. "We really should get to work on this interview," I said, my voice shaking a little as the adrenaline that had filled me for the past few minutes started to crash, then wane. "I've hardly asked you a single question ."

"I'm all ears. Just what would you like to know?" As if he'd sensed the tenor of my questions had abruptly changed, he straightened in his seat, and I lost the reflection again. He flagged down the bartender. After he'd ordered some ice water, I felt the intensity of his stare settle back on me .

I managed to force out all of two questions before a whole new sort of distraction dropped into my lap .

The furor started up behind me, quiet at first, then spreading through the room until I couldn't hold back my curiosity anymore. I shifted around to toss a look back at the door, expecting another D+ list celebrity or one of the socialites who kept appearing in the papers .

Instead, I was treated to the full glory of the current Hollywood heartthrob who'd just racked up three Golden Globes – and his date .

---