Page 6 of The Present

“What would you have said if I’d really asked you to sleep with me?”

Tess went still, the cold forgotten. Should she tell him the truth? Her hand clenched around the ball of keys. “I’d have said yes.”

His eyebrows swooped upwards. “Really?”

Damn, that had apparently been the wrong thing to say. Now he probably thought her a slut, just like Janice had said. Boldly, she stared into his dark eyes. “Yes, I would have. But only because it was you.”

He leaned back, cocking his head. His gaze lowered, resting on the velvet box still clutched in her hand.

And now she’d made it worse. Did he think she’d have slept with him just to get the earrings? He had said they were payment rendered. “I mean, I like you, Hal. You seem like a nice guy.” Until now. “Here.” She thrust the box at him. “I wouldn’t have done it for the earrings. I’m sure Janice has told you all about my money troubles. So you know I need the money, but I…I wouldn’t have done it for that. Or with anybody else.”

“Oh.”

She couldn’t read his voice and the dark shadowed his face. But he hadn’t taken the earrings back. “It’s just that…Like I said, I like you. I think Janice was awful to you, and you deserve someone better. You’re a good guy, and I…that’s why I would have done it.” Tess’s voice dropped to a whisper. She shoved the box into his hand, turned and headed toward her car. Her breath puffed in the crisp air, making her shiver harder.

“Tess.” He’d run after her and now stood right behind her as she struggled to get the key into the door. His arm on her shoulder stopped her efforts and goosebumps crawled down her back. “Here.” He put the velvet box on the roof of her car. “I gave those to you, no strings attached. If you thought that’s what I meant, I’m sorry. It wasn’t.”

Suddenly, Tess could breathe again.

“Although I’m glad we got a bit of revenge on Janice.” He chuckled and turned her around to face him. “I’m sure somehow I’ll be the villain of the piece when she spreads it all over the office next week. I know she’s your sister, but…”

“My one consolation in life is that I had no hand in picking Janice to be my sister.” She smiled and her stomach unclenched. “I’ve always secretly thought she had to be adopted. We are nothing like each another.”

“As I’m finding out to my relief.” His gaze warmed her up amazingly quickly. “Oh, shit.” To her surprise he all but ripped off his jacket. “Didn’t you wear a coat?” He wrapped his Armani jacket around her, enveloping her in his warmth and the clean scent of an expensive cologne.

“I had to abandon it at Janice’s.”

“Along with my herringbone. Damn.” He frowned, then shrugged. “I really liked that coat. I’ll give her a day or so to cool down, then show up at her door and ask for it back.”

Hal was gutsy, she’d give him that. “If she hasn’t already thrown it away.”

He shrugged. “Then they’ll have another one I like just as well at Gucci.”

The man must be made of money. Him and Janice, totally out of her league. She needed to go home and try to sort out this very weird evening. “I guess I should be going…” She started to shrug out of the jacket, really sorry to relinquish its warmth.

“Just a minute.” He stopped her, then pulled the garment back around her shoulders. “You’ll freeze on the way home. Give it back to me later today.”

“You want me to bring it by work?” Tess frowned. The last thing she wanted was to run into Janice.

“Not hardly.” He chuckled and smoothed the lapels down, lightly brushing her breast in the process.

Her nipple sprang to attention, and she sucked in her breath. His touch set her body on fire, even through the thick fabric.

“I guess that was my lame way of asking you if you want to have dinner with me tonight?” He peered avidly into her face. “Maybe go to a movie with me on Christmas Day?”

His words thrilled her, but something made her hold back the answer. “Why?”

“Why go to a movie?”

“Why do you want to go anywhere with me?” She’d thought he was a nice guy, but maybe…just maybe he wanted a little more revenge on her sister. If so, sorry, she was out of here. “I’m not the kind of girl a guy like you dates unless he wants something very specific.”

His frown came back, blacker than before. “I told you—”

“Like more revenge on Janice.”

“Oh.” His features relaxed. “No, that’s not it at all.” He snorted, which sounded so funny coming from him, she almost laughed. “I’m done with Janice. Our theatrics just now were enough for me.”

Why did she not believe that? “It’s just you seem to be taking your breakup awfully well.”