Page 31 of Some Like It Scandalous
The door opened and Armand leaned inside, his polite smile dissolving into amusement at her perch. Letting go of the handle, he leaned against the doorjamb. “Did the stack attack you?”
“No.” She made a face. “I got caught up in the reading.” She busied herself trying to put the papers back into the organized manner he’d delivered it. She’d taken out several of the charts to match the numbers, however, and that meant they were in the disarray spread around her.
“I was going to invite you to dinner personally since you didn’t answer my text.” A hint of hurt echoed beneath the words—the barest note of it.
“I turned off my phone.” She winced and fished under the stack behind her until she came up with the device and showedhim the black screen. “Apparently all the news outlets have the number now. I think they found my Facebook too.”
“Ah, the beauty of the Internet. Did you make sure to block your phone number on the social media sites?” He folded his arms, seemingly taking up residence in the doorway.
“Personal data isn’t published…” She considered the statement even as she began to say it. She only had an account to begin with because her sister insisted. The whole family used the site, they shared pictures, kept in touch, and occasionally others were added to the circle. She forgot she had it most of the time.
“I’ll ask our tech guys to take a look if you’d like. They can correct the settings and block the traffic so you don’t have to hide from your family.”
Her face warmed and she grimaced. “I’m surprised any of them are talking to me. Penny said Mom chased a half dozen off the farm this morning.”
“If they need assistance—” He straightened.
She waved her hand. “No, they have shotguns and the local sheriff is helping. They’ll be fine. Brandon’s overseas with his Marine unit, so they’d have to go pretty far to bug him, and everyone else is just laughing about it. I have a feeling Penny will be on ACE any day now.” In fairness, her sister had stopped chortling about it, but her impulsive behavior remained legendary in their family for a reason.
“You didn’t tell them about the threat.” It wasn’t a question.
Anna shook her head. “No, it would only worry them. The last thing we need is Penny deciding to fly in and rescue me—or worse, everyone else in my family showing up.” Her brothers would threaten Armand, and Penny would be all agog at the wealth—but it was her parents. She didn’t want to face their disappointment or their determination to “settle” matters. The Novaks were not shy or restrained in any opinion.
“She’s in New York—studying at the Metropolitan School of Art, right?”
He knew that?Of course he knows that…but…why does he know that?
“Security checks. I wanted to make sure your family was okay.” He answered before she could even give voice to the question.
“But you knew before.” It was a statement.
“I’ve…kept track of you through the years.” His tone hinted at embarrassment, but his expression proved less revealing.
Her lips pursed. She didn’t know whether to be flattered or outraged. The flip-flopping in her belly became a downright hand jive of a dance. “Yes, she’s studying contemporary modernism…”
“Aren’t they the same thing?” The hesitation tickled her. Did she know something about art that he didn’t?
“Well, you would think.” She set another stack aside and wondered just how many papers were in this motley pile. She couldn’t quite make a path to get off the bed. “But apparently, contemporary refers to the materials and modernism refers to the application.”
Armand shook his head slowly. “Not sure I’ve heard of that?—”
“Turning trash into art—people have been doing that for years. Penny just took it a step further. She uses trash as a canvas and then makes it colorful garbage.” The corner of her mouth curved. She gave her sister a hard time, but Penny had talent—amazing talent. “And maybe she could do something with this disaster now that I think of it.”
“Leave it for now. Dinner is ready and I don’t want it to get cold.”
“Okay, but if I move, half of this topples onto the floor and it’ll be a bigger mess.”
He walked across the room and grabbed one of the stacks at the end. Balancing it neatly, he set it on the dresser, then held out his hands. “Stand up and I’ll get you out of there.”
Her breath hitched. But he waited patiently while her mind whirled that thought around and she bit her lip.
“I won’t drop you,” he promised solemnly.
Oh what the hell—if he wanted me that bad, he could have had me on the table yesterday…Ignoring the twinge of disappointment that he hadn’t, she uncurled herself and stood carefully, wincing as one set of papers slid sideways. With a wobbling step, she landed right in his waiting arms. Armand balanced her easily and lifted her over the stacks. She wrapped her arms around his neck and their noses bumped.
Laughter bubbled up and she shook her head. “I remain ever graceful.”
He didn’t put her down, and although she’d changed into a pair of pajamas, he didn’t comment on her clothing either. The green silk pajama set covered everything, but the heat of his body poured through it and set hers on fire. “Yes, you do.”
