Page 7 of Kiss Me Forever

What she really wanted was to shake him up and get him to confess all sorts of scandalous secrets to her. But so far, she seemed to be the one feeling a little off balance.

"Thank you," he said. "By the way, if I offended you with the bulldog remark, I apologize. I had no idea you were standing there."

"So you're not sorry that you said it, only sorry that I heard you." She sent him a direct look and waited for him to squirm, but he didn't, and it was rather disconcerting. Instead of anger, she saw another smile play across his lips.

"Would it surprise you to know that I was very fond of my aunt's bulldog?"

His smile grew broader and more persuasive, and Andrea had to fight with herself not to respond. She decided to change the subject. "What plans do you have for this evening, Mr. Donovan? My boss mentioned something about dinner."

"Why don't you call me Alex, and I'll call you Andrea? As for tonight, I have reservations for dinner at the Crystal Terrace."

It was just what she had expected, the most expensive and trendiest restaurant in San Francisco. "Very nice. But you don't have to impress me. I'm much more interested in the real man than the image."

"Really?" he asked dryly. "Then you're the first in a long time. Let me sign one contract, and we'll go."

Andrea nodded. While he was reading through some paperwork on his desk, she walked across the room to take a closer look at the train. It was incredibly detailed she thought. Whoever had built this had done it with a great deal of love and passion.

"You can start the train if you like," Alex said.

"Oh. No, thanks."

"You can't break it. It's built for kids."

"It seems expensive."

"It is, but it's also meant to be played with. Did you ever play with trains when you were a child?"

She shook her head. "Never. I grew up with a sister and mother who both thought the only toys appropriate for girls were dolls and play kitchens."

"Then you've missed out."

She shrugged. "I wouldn't say that." Although she had wished for more variety when she was younger. She'd been a tomboy at heart.

Alex walked around his desk and flipped the switch, sending the train on its way. "My favorite story growing up wasThe Little Engine That Could. I see my life like that train, just chugging away toward the top of the mountain."

She raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? Your career is more like the flight of a jet airplane than a slow-moving train. You made your first million before age twenty-five and seven years later you're theMan of the YearforWorld News Today.If that's not moving fast, I don't know what is."

Alex grinned. "You might have a point. What about you? Are you on a fast jet or a slow train?"

"Me? At the moment, I'm on a horse going backward."

Alex burst out laughing, a genuine smile crossing his lips. "You're very candid, aren't you?"

"Yes. It sometimes gets me into trouble."

"I'll bet."

"I hope you'll be just as honest with me. I want to do an in-depth story on you, Alex. I want the world to know the real you—what makes you tick, what you think about, worry about, what your vision is for the future."

"Your readers don't care about that. They just want to know who I'm dating."

"Well, I want more."

"Why did they give you this assignment?" he asked, a curious note in his voice. "I've read some of your work. It's serious and rather intense."

She was shocked that he'd read her articles and a little skeptical. "Which one did you like the most?" she challenged.

He gazed back at her. "Probably the one on pesticides in drinking water. It gave me chills. I haven't been able to turn on a faucet without thinking about it."

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