A Word with the Bachelor by Teresa Southwick Page B

my first book?”
    â€œWow, there’s not a lot of forgive-and-forget in you, is there?”
    â€œNo.”
    She stared at him, hoping he would expand his answer, possibly explain what it was about Lucy’s innocent remark that had hit a nerve. But he stared back and said nothing.
    With a confidence she wasn’t even close to feeling, Erin walked over to his desk and sat down in one of the chairs facing it. “How’s the book going?”
    â€œFine.”
    â€œGreat.” That was a lie and she knew it, but she smiled anyway. That deepened the frown on his face. “I’d love to read what you have so far.”
    â€œThat’s not part of my process.”
    She was this close to telling him what he could do with his process. Just in time she stopped herself because she had an epiphany. He was doing his best to goad her into losing her temper. This was him reverting back to his behavior from the beginning, trying to get her to go away.
    â€œIt’s not going to work, Jack. And I’m a little disappointed in you.”
    â€œNow what did I do?” The words were defiant, the tone bored, but it was all to cover the fact that she’d surprised him.
    â€œI thought we were getting along swimmingly and now you’re trying to get me to quit again. And I have to say the surly act isn’t very original. You’re a creative guy. Surely you can do better than this.”
    He swiveled his chair away from the computer monitor and gave her his full attention. “What are you talking about?”
    â€œThis disappearing act of yours. We agreed to touch base once a day and you’ve violated our truce.”
    â€œI saw you at breakfast.”
    â€œThat’s not what I mean and you know it. We had a routine and for some reason you’ve gone rogue.”
    His lips twitched. “Gone rogue?”
    â€œYou’re doing things alone. Not playing well with others. Shutting me out.”
    â€œNot true.”
    â€œOh, please. I dare you to tell me how I’m involved in the work.”
    â€œIn case you’ve forgotten, I leave you a list of research topics every day.”
    There was an air of self-righteous superiority because he thought he had her on a technicality. As if what he gave her to do was seriously a job and the material he had her look up was important to what he was supposed to be working on.
    â€œReally, Jack? Medieval weapons. South American coups and the history of orchids? We both know it’s a smokescreen, throwing me a bone to keep me out of your hair.”
    â€œThat’s harsh. Mac Daniels could be a key player in the disruption of a South American political power grab.”
    Erin got the feeling he was enjoying his own power grab just a little too much. He was holding all the cards and that wasn’t okay with her anymore. In a physical contest he could take her down with both hands tied behind his back. The man had training. He knew three hundred ways to incapacitate an opponent with a Q-tip.
    All she had was her wits. Charm and feminine attributes could be weapons, too, but she wasn’t sure she had a sufficient amount of either.
    â€œName one topic you’ve ever given me to investigate that you actually plan to use in your story.”
    He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desk. “What do you have there?”
    â€œThese?” She held up several folders. “It’s everything that I’ve worked on since I got here.”
    â€œWhat’s in the top one?”
    She’d been around him long enough to know a bluff when she saw it. Jack couldn’t remember what he’d had her looking in to. That’s how important it was.
    Erin opened the file folder. “How to tease, tempt and tantalize your lover with words.”
    â€œThat was on the list?”
    â€œTechnically the focus of it was how to talk dirty. But I fine-tuned the theme.”
    â€œAh.” He nodded. “How