you?”
“None of your business.”
“So you do believe there might be something to her prediction.”
“No.”
“Then why not tell me?”
“Okay, she said I was gonna be president of the United States.”
He laughed. “Which year?”
“She wasn’t specific. Told you she’s a fraud.”
“Madison, you have to tell me.”
“See? That’s where you’re wrong. I don’t. Where’s Tara? I’m starving.”
“You’re stalling, trying to come up with a phony story,” he accused, studying her closely. To her credit she stayed with him. Didn’t try to break eye contact. “That, of course, I won’t buy for a second.”
Her chin lifted a fraction. “She said my career was on an upswing, that I’d be fabulously successful one dayand I’d also have a wildly intense affair with a coworker. I freelance. That obviously won’t happen.”
There was more to it. No matter how blank she schooled her expression, the lingering pink in her cheeks gave her away. “I’m sure you pointed that out to her.”
“I didn’t waste my time.”
“If that’s it, why were you so reluctant to tell me?”
She blinked and looked away. “I don’t know.”
“Look, I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable. I’m just making a point. As much of a skeptic as you claim to be, she clearly did get to you.”
She made a face. “Okay, after what happened to Karrie, yeah, I did think twice. But I know better.”
He smiled. “Okay.”
“Now can we strategize our afternoon, or did you want to have to spend all night here?”
The thought appealed more than it should. Even his body reacted to the idea of spending the night with her. Up in the Haiku Suite. Naked. Tangled together in the satin sheets.
He mentally shook himself. She hadn’t given any signals that she was interested. She’d maintained a professional distance. What the hell was wrong with him? He knew lots of guys who traded on their celebrity and screwed any woman they could. He wasn’t one of them.
In fact, celebrity tended to put a crimp in his love life. He seldom dated. Too many nasty repercussions if the relationship failed. He’d already had one horrific experience, the details of which had ended up splashed across the tabloids. Half of it was even true, thanks to Alyssa, the woman he’d thought he could trust. The woman with whom he’d once imagined spending the rest of his life.
Her ultimate greed, manipulation and deceit disabused him of the notion. He’d heard she’d received a hundred grand for the article. His only consolation was that amount wasn’t nearly enough to accommodate her lifestyle. She’d probably gone through the entire sum in a month.
“Look, the idea doesn’t appeal to me, either, okay? So let’s decide how we want to best use our time.”
He looked blankly at Madison and realized how deeply he’d sunk into his own thoughts. It took him a moment to get it together. “You mean I start getting a say?”
“You’re kidding, right?” She scoffed. “Honey, if I were running the show, you would’ve had your shirt off already.”
The couple at the next table both shot startled glances at them.
Jack sighed. “I don’t think you said that loudly enough.”
Madison bit her lower lip. “I have this sudden urge to babble an explanation that I’m a photographer and we’re doing a shoot upstairs.”
“No.”
“Of course not.”
“Let it go.”
“Right.” She groaned softly. “Sorry.”
Any other time, hell, with any other woman, he’d have been furious. The tabloid vultures made up enough lies without being fed overheard conversations. But he couldn’t be angry with Madison. Not when she looked so miserable. “Hey, cheer up. There is a Santa Claus.”
“I know. He was my date last New Year’s Eve.” Her lips started to curve. “I’m not saying another word until we get upstairs.”
“I feel another bet coming on.”
“Don’t try and get out of lunch. You’re still buying.”
Before he could
“None of your business.”
“So you do believe there might be something to her prediction.”
“No.”
“Then why not tell me?”
“Okay, she said I was gonna be president of the United States.”
He laughed. “Which year?”
“She wasn’t specific. Told you she’s a fraud.”
“Madison, you have to tell me.”
“See? That’s where you’re wrong. I don’t. Where’s Tara? I’m starving.”
“You’re stalling, trying to come up with a phony story,” he accused, studying her closely. To her credit she stayed with him. Didn’t try to break eye contact. “That, of course, I won’t buy for a second.”
Her chin lifted a fraction. “She said my career was on an upswing, that I’d be fabulously successful one dayand I’d also have a wildly intense affair with a coworker. I freelance. That obviously won’t happen.”
There was more to it. No matter how blank she schooled her expression, the lingering pink in her cheeks gave her away. “I’m sure you pointed that out to her.”
“I didn’t waste my time.”
“If that’s it, why were you so reluctant to tell me?”
She blinked and looked away. “I don’t know.”
“Look, I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable. I’m just making a point. As much of a skeptic as you claim to be, she clearly did get to you.”
She made a face. “Okay, after what happened to Karrie, yeah, I did think twice. But I know better.”
He smiled. “Okay.”
“Now can we strategize our afternoon, or did you want to have to spend all night here?”
The thought appealed more than it should. Even his body reacted to the idea of spending the night with her. Up in the Haiku Suite. Naked. Tangled together in the satin sheets.
He mentally shook himself. She hadn’t given any signals that she was interested. She’d maintained a professional distance. What the hell was wrong with him? He knew lots of guys who traded on their celebrity and screwed any woman they could. He wasn’t one of them.
In fact, celebrity tended to put a crimp in his love life. He seldom dated. Too many nasty repercussions if the relationship failed. He’d already had one horrific experience, the details of which had ended up splashed across the tabloids. Half of it was even true, thanks to Alyssa, the woman he’d thought he could trust. The woman with whom he’d once imagined spending the rest of his life.
Her ultimate greed, manipulation and deceit disabused him of the notion. He’d heard she’d received a hundred grand for the article. His only consolation was that amount wasn’t nearly enough to accommodate her lifestyle. She’d probably gone through the entire sum in a month.
“Look, the idea doesn’t appeal to me, either, okay? So let’s decide how we want to best use our time.”
He looked blankly at Madison and realized how deeply he’d sunk into his own thoughts. It took him a moment to get it together. “You mean I start getting a say?”
“You’re kidding, right?” She scoffed. “Honey, if I were running the show, you would’ve had your shirt off already.”
The couple at the next table both shot startled glances at them.
Jack sighed. “I don’t think you said that loudly enough.”
Madison bit her lower lip. “I have this sudden urge to babble an explanation that I’m a photographer and we’re doing a shoot upstairs.”
“No.”
“Of course not.”
“Let it go.”
“Right.” She groaned softly. “Sorry.”
Any other time, hell, with any other woman, he’d have been furious. The tabloid vultures made up enough lies without being fed overheard conversations. But he couldn’t be angry with Madison. Not when she looked so miserable. “Hey, cheer up. There is a Santa Claus.”
“I know. He was my date last New Year’s Eve.” Her lips started to curve. “I’m not saying another word until we get upstairs.”
“I feel another bet coming on.”
“Don’t try and get out of lunch. You’re still buying.”
Before he could
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