Page 9 of A Fortunes of Texas Christmas (Fortunes of Texas)

“Are you lost?”

He smiled a stunning, megawatt smile that did little to alleviate the way her blood was now surging through her veins from a combination of loathing and lust. She’d already decided she hated him and had no intention of changing her mind on that score. He could smile at her all he wanted.

“No,” he replied flatly. “I was looking for you.”

Her suspicions soared. “Why?”

“Because I think I offended you earlier.”

She smiled übersweetly, plunged the fork into a pot and pulled off her gloves. “I’d have to care what you think to be offended, wouldn’t I?”

“I meant no disrespect, mademoiselle.”

“Sure you did,” she shot back quickly. “You wanted to put me in my place, and you did exactly that. I mean, what would a mere gardener know about big business...right?” She smiled again, with so much saccharine sweetness it made her teeth hurt.

He laughed deeply, and the rich, sexy sound echoed in her ears. Damn. Why couldn’t he be old and ugly? And not possess charm by the bucket load? And why had he come looking for her? It certainly wasn’t for some half-meant, absurd apology.

“Let me take you to dinner to make up for my...offense.”

He wanted to take her to dinner? Like, on a date?

She laughed out loud. “You’re not serious.”

“Perfectly.”

She laughed again, this time without humor. “Ah, no, thanks.”

“Do you need some time to consider the request?”

His formal, ridiculous manner turned her humorless smile into a scowl. “What I need, Mr. Beaudin, is to never see you again. Go away. I have work to do.”

“Surely you must take a break,” he said and pushed himself off the door frame. “If not tonight, perhaps tomorrow night?”

He strolled toward her, arms loosely at his sides, but with a stealth she found both exciting and annoying. She wanted him gone. “Give it a rest, Amersen,” she said, using his name for the first time and stretching out the vowels with an exaggerated drawl. “Your blue eyes and sexy accent might work in the city, but out here in my greenhouse, there’s no one to impress.”

“Except for you.”

His ego was astounding!

“I’m not interested in being impressed by you.”

“Why?”

She stared at him. “Huh?”

“Why?” he said again. “Or rather, why not?”

“Because...” She was uncharacteristically lost for words. “Because I...”

“Are you married? Do you have a boyfriend? Lover?” He asked the question with so much self-assured arrogance she couldn’t help but gape at him. “Someone who might object to my...interest?”

Interest? She laughed out loud. “Really, can you hear yourself?”

“Perfectly,” he replied, coming a little closer, so close that they were now barely a foot apart.

The air seemed to sizzle, and she fought the urge to step backward. She wasn’t about to be outmaneuvered by this man. She wanted him to know exactly how she felt about him, maybe starting with a swift knee to the groin area. Which made her glance down, then up, and then realize she looked as though she was checking him out!

“I have... I have work to do,” she said and fumbled over her words before meeting his gaze. “And I don’t have the time to—”

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