Lethal Exposure by Lori Wilde Page B

lungs and made him ache to toss her over his shoulder like a Neanderthal and cart her back to his cave. Never mind that a handful of Confidential Rejuvenations’ employees were witnesses.
    He raked her over with his eyes.
    Her cheeks pinked at his perusal. The sun had set and Dante had lit tiki torches. The flickering light cast shadows over her face. Her flaxen curls were pinned loosely to her head and a few long whispery wisps had escaped to float around her face. He pictured himself leaning across the table, pulling out those hairpins and watching the rest of the silky strands tumble around her shoulders.
    Dangly sapphire earrings that matched the color of her eyes shone with a luminescent glow. He was close enough that he could see the hint of pink lace on her bra peeking below the V-neck of her sweater every time she leaned forward to spear a morsel of food. He remembered exactly what she looked like underneath her clothes and his throat tightened in response.
    “How long have you been in business?” Vanessa asked.
    “Since I got my MBA five years ago.”
    Dante filled Vanessa’s glass then stepped over to tipple wine into Julie’s, but she put her palm over it and shook her head. “I’m going to be leaving in a bit.”
    “So soon?” Elle said. “But it’s not even late yet.”
    “I’ve had a long week.” Julie was still looking at Sebastian, her blue eyes gleaming like glacier ice in the sun. Icy hot, sizzling, the image swallowing him whole.
    “You can’t tell us anything juicy about your clients?” Vanessa asked Sebastian.
    He took a sip of wine. “I represent a very famous pop star who’s currently in a facility much like Confidential Rejuvenations.”
    “Courtney Sparks?” Tanner asked.
    “No naming names,” Sebastian said. “But I’m the reason she’s in rehab instead of jail. I convinced the paparazzo who’s foot she ran over that it was an accident.”
    “In other words,” Julie said, “you lied.”
    He noted it was the first thing she’d said to him since he’d walked into Dante and Elle’s backyard.
    “No,” he corrected. “I looked at all possible options and chose the one most favorable for my client.”
    “Face it,” she said. “Your profession requires you to lie.”
    “Do you have a problem with the way I make a living?” he asked lightly, but inside he was battling some unexpected feelings. Irritation, surprise and a bit of bewilderment.
    “Are you trying to pick a fight with me, Ms. DeMarco?” He narrowed his eyes. What was she so mad about?
    “Who’s up for more wine?” Dante asked, hopping up from his seat. “I’ve got more wine.”
    “The salad is delicious, Elle.” Julie pushed back from the table. “I think I’ll have seconds.” She hurried over to the buffet table without a backward glance.
    “It is good salad, Elle. I think I’ll have seconds as well.” Sebastian followed Julie.
    When he reached the buffet table, he muscled in close to her. “What is your problem?” he demanded in a harsh whisper.
    “My problem?” Her whisper was as angry as his.
    “You’re calling me a liar in front of your friends.”
    “Well, if the truth hurts…” She grabbed the thongs and smacked a bunch of romaine lettuce dotted with parmesan cheese onto her plate and drizzled Caesar dressing over it.
    Her attitude was bothering the hell out of him. He shot a glance over his shoulder, noticed that everyone was pretending to eat but they were really eavesdropping. “You’re saying I lied to you?”
    “Duh, yeah.”
    “Give me that.” He took her plate and set it on the buffet table beside his, grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her around the side of the house.
    She jerked her arm away from him. “Stop manhandling me.”
    “I’m not manhandling you, it’s that I don’t want all your friends to overhear our conversation.”
    Julie frowned. “Maybe you should have thought about that before you showed up here.”
    “Ah,” he said, realization