Page 47 of Second Act
Chapter 12
Jessica had come close to wearing scrubs for her dinner with Hugh. After all, he’d claimed he would be fine with that, and she wanted to test him to see if that was true.
Instead, she’d fallen back on the New Yorker’s uniform of black trousers, black boots, and a silky black top with a draped V neck. She’d broken out her long-disused curling iron to add some soft, sexy waves to her hair and left it loose and shining around her shoulders. A gold chain dotted with chunks of polished carnelian circled her neck a couple of times and lay against the bare skin of her décolletage. She might not be a movie star, but she could still play up her assets.
Of course, that would appear to conflict with her avowed intention of not sleeping with Hugh. If she’d wanted to help herself keep her vow, she should have worn a bulky, shapeless turtleneck.
But the flicker of heat in Hugh’s eyes when she opened her front door gave her a little blip of satisfaction.
He transferred the heat to her by brushing the warm, chiseled curve of his lips against her cheek. “You look beautiful. And don’t make some comment about that being an empty compliment just because I hang around with movie stars.” He focused that intense gaze on her and repeated, “You. Look. Beautiful.”
She reminded herself that he was an actor, so he could project sincerity at will, but something made her believe him this time. “Thank you. So do you. As always.”
He wore black trousers, a black shirt open at the neck, and a pale gray woven blazer. The monochromatic color scheme made his turquoise eyes blaze like lasers. But she caught a flash of discomfort cross his face. He made a dismissive gesture, and she nearly pointed out that he didn’t take compliments any more graciously than she did. “Come in out of the cold while I grab my coat.”
“You won’t need it. The limo driver will let us out right at the door.”
“Right. I forgot about that handy feature of riding in a limousine.” She picked up her purse and a red wool wrap from the front hall table. “Okay, then.”
Hugh leaned forward to glance through the hallway door into the living room. “Aidan’s making good progress on the wallpaper stripping.”
“He is.” Much to her surprise. Her brother was sticking with a project despite it being boring, dirty, and without compensation. She chose to interpret his actions as showing both maturity and appreciation for his sister, which warmed her heart. “He’s going to strip and refinish the woodwork next.”
Hugh nodded his approval. “Is he job hunting, too?”
“Sort of.” Aidan had been invited to come in for an interview at ExDat.
“Meaning?” he asked.
“He has one job interview scheduled for next week.”
“I wish him luck.” Hugh put his hand on the small of her back to steer her toward the front door. She was sure she could feel the exact outline of every point of contact through the thin silk of her top, the heat of his palm a counterbalance to the piercing cold of the night air.
To steady herself, she said, “Speaking of interviews, I have one scheduled with a vet who wants to work part-time at the clinic.”
His fingers pressed more firmly against her back for a second. “You sound excited about it.”
“I could use the help, so I’m hoping she’s as qualified as her résumé says she is. And that her references check out.”
“Do you think they won’t?” He opened the limo door for her.
She looked up at him. “Not a lot of vets want to work in South Harlem part-time, so I’m a little concerned that something in her background makes it hard for her to find another position.”
“Maybe she just wants to go where her help will be most valuable.” Something about his tone made her try to read his expression, but his face was in shadow.
“I hope so.” She bent and slid onto the leather seat of the limo. Hugh closed the door, leaving her alone in the luxurious car for a few seconds. She skimmed her fingers over the polished wood paneling and admired the subtle lighting. A privacy screen shut the passenger compartment away from the driver, turning the space into a cocoon of intimacy.
Hugh entered the limo on a waft of chilly winter air that made her shiver. The cold didn’t usually affect her that much, but being around Hugh seemed to heighten her senses. Now the rich scent of his soap drifted past her nostrils, and she couldn’t resist a deep inhale.
“When’s the interview with the vet?” he asked.
“The interview? Oh, it’s Saturday.” She’d been sidetracked by the memories his soap evoked.
He nodded. “Maybe you can get an extra day off after you hire her.”
“IfI hire her.”
“I’m being optimistic.”
