Page 6 of The Fix Up

“Langley Enterprises is your family business?”

“My great-grandfather started it. My grandpa became president after him, and then my father, and now…”

He trailed off there, his voice sounding a bit glum, and Holly ached to ask for details, but she bit her tongue. It wasn’t any of her business.

“The men in my family are charismatic leaders,” he said. “My grandfather probably invented the wordhobnob. I, on the other hand, graduated from Yale at eighteen with honors and with the dubious distinction of never having kissed a girl.”

“Ah,” Holly said, the memory of his kiss prompting her to lick her lips. “Apparently you’ve had time to hone your skills since then.”

He laughed, a deep, throaty tone that made her wonder what sort of sounds he’d make in bed. “That’s kind of you to say. You think I should just tongue-wrestle my colleagues at professional functions?”

Oh God…

If those were the kinds of thoughts running through her head, there was no way in hell she should take any job that put her in close proximity with this man. She’d shared one moment with him at the furniture store. As cute as he was—as hot as that kiss had been—this was business. Her career. Her life. She couldn’t afford to get mixed up with a client, even if he did make her flush just from the memory of his lips on hers…

“Look, Mr. Langley?—”

“Ben.”

“Ben.” Slip-up number one. Yet another sign she needed to back off. “I have to be honest. This is a little outside the realm of my normal corporate branding work. I typically develop high-level campaigns to influence the public’s perception of a company or a product.”

“In this case, consider me the product. I’m the face of the company, and I need help. I’ve spent the last ten years working my ass off for Langley, but my closest colleagues were protons and polymers.”

“I take it the protons and polymers weren’t concerned about your hairstyle?”

“What’s wrong with my hairstyle?”

“Nothing, if you’re into that whole rumpled ‘just got out of bed’ look.”

Which I kinda am.

Holly bit her lip, hoping she hadn’t offended him. Hell, maybe sheshouldoffend him. Maybe then he’d hang up himself and she’d be off the hook. “I don’t know that I’d be right for this job,” she said at last. “But if you believe First Impressions is the best PR firm for your needs, I can personally select someone from our staff to work with you.”

A silence followed for several seconds, and she wondered if the line had gone dead. Maybe he really had hung up.

“Someone else?” he said at last. “I was hoping it would be you. At least with you, I know we already work well together.”

Yeah. That was kind of the problem. If that kiss was any indication, they worked a littletoowell together.

“Besides,” he continued before she could voice another objection. “I reviewed the bios for your whole staff on the website. There’s no one else on your team with the same mix of skills you have in corporate branding, public speaking?—”

“Ben, I’m sorry, the situation would simply be too…unusual.”

She let the word hang there between them for a moment, hoping he understood what she was driving at. Then again, even Holly wasn’t sure what she was driving at. Why was it so terrifying to imagine mixing business with a guy she found so attractive?

You know damn well why.

He cleared his throat. “If it’s a matter of money, I can assure you, I’ll pay whatever fee you think is necessary. Triple it if you think the assignment isunusualenough to warrant it.”

She grimaced and tapped her pen on the desk. The money was tempting, but she wasn’t that desperate. Was she? She closed her eyes. “I’m sorry. But I’m sure you’ll find a PR firm that’s more suited for your needs. Good luck to you.”

Then she hung up before that sexy voice could talk her into something entirely more dangerous than a job.

Like his bed.

CHAPTER3

Two hours later, Holly sat numb in the office of a loan officer at her bank. In one hand, she gripped a tepid cup of weak tea. In the other, she clutched the paperwork spelling out her worst nightmare.

---