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“She might be his sister.”
“Sisters aren’t pretty.”
“Hah,” said a girl stomping out to the plate with a bat in her hands. “And brothers are, like, total jerks.”
Barton’s shoulders were shaking and Chelsea was afraid to catch his eye for fear he’d lose it. Out of sight of the kids, though, they shared a laugh.
“Were they your students?” she finally asked.
“Nah, this isn’t my school district. But they play here several nights a week. Kitty is the girl. She can pitch the stitches off a ball. As she says, that just slays her brother.”
“I’ll bet it does.”
“But Cory was right, you know.”
“About what?”
“When he implied that you’re pretty.”
Chelsea felt the warmth rising in her cheeks at the compliment. Being with Barton made her feel good. Maybe she shouldn’t worry so much and just enjoy it without taking everything seriously.
* * *
JORDAN DIDN’T SLEEP again that night. At six in the morning, he gave up trying, showered and dressed. At his desk, he loaded the pictures from his SD card into the computer and clicked through the shots he’d gotten the day before.
There were over a hundred, a few of the models as they worked, but mostly of Nicole. He’d told himself that she was, after all, the subject of the article, but he had mostly been fascinated with how the camera seemed to love her face. No wonder she’d hit the top echelon as a model. It almost seemed as if a bad picture couldn’t be taken of Nicole George.
Years ago he’d toyed with the idea of photojournalism, before deciding he preferred writing. That was another aspect Syd had liked about him doing the article; she wouldn’t have to send a photographer since he could handle it.
His body grew tight and hard as he viewed the picture of Nicole showing Jackie how to perch on the climbing wall. Her muscles were contracted and her lithe curves were more than evident under her classy business attire.
He understood why the photographer had wanted Nicole, rather than Jackie; she had the name and an allure that would help sell the product. But the guy was an idiot to use those sorts of tactics; she’d seen through him as if he were an empty aquarium. Come to think of it, she had done something similar to him in the car afterward. While someone might occasionally find a stealthy way around her, she was too bright for it to happen often. The problem was, he liked intelligent women. It only increased their appeal.
Jordan couldn’t entirely blame his wakefulness on Nicole. In childhood he’d been a chronic insomniac and he hadn’t been able to break the pattern as an adult. Maybe he didn’t want to break it. Something about the night touched on the mysterious, as if doors to the unknown were waiting in the darkness—not that he’d tell anyone how he felt. That sort of belief was too fanciful to confess.
He yawned. The few times he’d come close to dropping off, his imagination had drifted to a long-ago patio and the image of holding Nicole close in a kiss. Yet it wasn’t a teenage girl he saw in his mind, but the woman she’d become—pure fantasy, but enough to disrupt his already elusive sleep.
Turning off the computer, he went for a run, then showered, worked on his column, and at 10:00 a.m., headed out to the talent agency. The interview process was taking more time than originally anticipated, but he still hadn’t gotten that special something needed for the articles. Nicole was right about Syd maneuvering to push his skills; he was sure of it. He was enjoying the challenge, but would enjoy it more if he wasn’t wrestling with desire at the same time.
What was it that Nicole had said about not wanting romance, especially with a guy who’d chosen control along with his bachelor existence? Or something like that. Well, fine. He enjoyed his life and didn’t want the messiness that came from romance and commitment. His reasons might be different from Nicole’s, but they apparently both wanted to stay unattached.
At the agency by ten thirty, he bought two cups of coffee from the Crystal Connection. The shop had a side entrance opening onto the atrium. The building was interesting and very attractive for converted industrial space. He went outside to the Moonlight Ventures door. His sister smiled as he entered.
