Billionaire Bad Boy by C.J. Archer Page A

voice. "Call
me when you get in."
    The next message was also from him. "Bob said you
left the office half an hour ago so either you've changed your mind about
talking to me and you're listening to this right now, or you've stopped on the
way home from work. I'm going with that option because my ego's too fragile
today to cope with the other one. How about dinner?"
    The machine beeped for the third message. "I'm on
my way," Zack said. "If you're there and you've chickened out, don't
even think about leaving or I'll just visit you tomorrow at work and embarrass
the hell out of you. Besides, I've got something I want to show you."
    Oh boy. She suddenly felt weak at the knees and had to
sit lean against her kitchen bench to steady herself. Zack wanted to see her. Why?
Probably he wanted to get revenge for last night. If she had any sense she'd
leave the house right now, but she was sorely lacking in the sense department
lately. Besides, she'd made the first move by leaving messages on his phone and
now she had to face the consequences.
    She thought about all the things she could possibly
say to him. 'Sorry' sounded lame but it was all she came up with in the end.
    She flipped open the lid on the ice cream tub. Situations
like this called for serious thinking and she could only think if she was calm.
Ice cream had that effect on her, especially the chocolate kind.
    When the doorbell rang, she jumped, knocking the ice
cream tub off the bench. Chocolate fudge splattered on the floor. She returned
the tub to the bench but left the ice cream that had fallen out for Snoopy to
lick up.
    She opened the door. Oh boy . Zack wore a
tuxedo. He looked hot enough to melt any woman's defenses and Annie could feel
hers pooling in the pit of her stomach. His hair was combed back into sleek
waves and his chin was hairless, quite an achievement considering he seemed to
have a permanent five o'clock shadow.
    "Wow," she breathed, then bit her lip
because she hadn't meant to say it out loud.
    He lifted both eyebrows. "Do I pass your
inspection?"
    She nodded. "But you're going to look a little
over dressed next to me. I haven't exactly got anything that meets those
standards."
    He held up a bag which she hadn't noticed him
carrying. "Don't worry. I bought you something."
    "Zack, you shouldn't have."
    "Well, I can't go around with a shabby looking
woman on my arm, can I?"
    "Shabby! I might look ordinary, but shabby's
taking it a bit far."
    He grinned and chucked her under the chin. "Teasing
you is like taking candy from a baby." He pushed past her and held out the
bag. "Try it on."
    "What if it doesn't fit?"
    He held out his hands and shrugged his shoulders in a
gesture typical of his Italian heritage. "I spent an entire day shopping
with you, I think I know your size."
    She still didn't move so he took her by the shoulders
and steered her toward the bedroom door. "Promise I won't walk in on you
naked." He handed her the bag, gently shoved her through and closed the
door before she could protest.
    But that wasn't going to stop her. She opened the door
and poked her head round. "This could take a while. I have to put makeup
on and do something with this hair."
    "I know. The booking's for eight. Snoopy will
keep me company until you're ready."
    "I doubt it. He's in the kitchen licking my floor
clean of chocolate fudge. He's in doggy Heaven."
    Zack put one arm against the door frame and leaned
towards her. He smelled edible. He looked cheeky. "So that's why you were
late? Stopped off for ice cream, eh? That a comfort thing?"
    Annie had the great satisfaction of slamming the door
in his smiling face.
    ***
    Zack felt like a teenager as he waited for Annie to
finish dressing. He paced the cleanly licked floor of her small kitchen, then
stopped mid-stride as Snoopy cocked his head to one side and looked up at him.
    "You're right. I'm behaving like an idiot." He
helped himself to the tub of ice cream. "This isn't a date. It's two
friends having a nice