Christmas Star (Contemporary, Romance) by Roz Denny Fox Page A

his lunch. “Being lied to, as well as insulted, is more than I can take. If the senator’s brother knows so much about your plans, let him get your gel-plates.”
    Starr had to shut him up before he inadvertently let any more slip. Harrison would have a fit. “Stanley, people are watching.”
    “Let them watch. I’m calling a cab. Are you coming or not? Leave your non friend the tab—he can certainly afford the prices here. In fact, I believe I’ll send him a bill for my tie.”
    Without waiting to see if Starr followed, Stanley pushed past the waitress and headed for the door.
    “Will he be back?” the confused woman asked Clay.
    He shrugged and deferred to Starr.
    Her response was to request the check. As the waitress pulled a sheaf of bills from her apron pocket and thumbed through them, Starr did her best to ignore Clay.
    “So that’s your daughter’s idea of a stud?” he said the moment the waitress left. “You should really pay more attention to her education, Mom.”
    Uncomfortably aware that every eye in the place was trained on them, Starr scooted out of the horseshoe-shaped booth, choosing the long way around. “You are—”
    “Despicable?” he filled in, standing when she did.
    “Did you follow me just to make my life miserable?”
    His dark brows drew together with chilling speed. “I told you, but you don’t seem to get it—I want you out of my brother’s bed. Instead, it sounds as if the two of you are planning a rendezvous on my turf.” His arm snaked out and he caught Starr’s chin. “Tell me, Starr. How does Stanley fit in? Or does he simply make a good cover?”
    Her lips parted and her cheeks burned. It was all she could do not to blurt out the truth, Harrison and his secrets be damned. She wanted to smack that know-it-all smirk right off his face—except that as she stared into his eyes, she found herself slipping again. Found herself wanting his kiss.
    If she stood on tiptoe, their mouths would be mere inches apart....
    Clay groaned. “This is insane,” he muttered, his senses tumbling like a barrel going over Niagara Falls. “Let’s get out of here. Now.”
    Laughter from the next table penetrated the fog that clouded Starr’s reason. She blinked, then savagely bit her lip. How could she have let this happen? And in so public a place. “No.” She wrenched herself back, only to discover that no bonds held her in check.
    Clay flushed. “You feel the chemistry between us. Don’t try to deny it. Forget my brother,” he said, lowering his voice. “He has a family, dammit.”
    He sounded anguished. And that was why Starr wanted to say something. Wanted to make him understand—without revealing any of Harrison’s secrets. “The senator and I... We...” Clutching her purse, she shook her head. After all, what could she really say?
    With a distressed cry, Starr reached into her purse for some cash and threw it on the table. Mindful of the curious stares of other diners, she hurried from the room.
    Clay sank back against the cushioned seat, and wondered how he always managed to provoke her when that hadn’t been his intent. And it wasn’t as if he hadn’t given her every chance to explain, damn her.
    Caught in a maelstrom of doubt, Clay stood and matched the cash she’d left, then added some more to compensate for the mess.
    “Goodness,” someone gushed behind him. It was Miss Congeniality, the waitress who’d handled his order. “Your friends weren’t very hungry,” she said. “Oh, I see the gentleman had an accident.” She lifted a corner of Stanley’s soggy tie.
    “Yes. Do you have something you can clip the label out with? I feel responsible, and I’d like to buy him another tie.”
    “Well, aren’t you the sweetest man? Sure, give me a minute.”
    Clay didn’t feel very sweet as he waited for her to return with scissors. Her eyes invited more than the thanks he gave her, but Clay pretended not to see. His mind refused to rid itself of a certain