Seduce Me

This time he did grin. “Okay, Mallory. You’ve forced my hand. I’ve learned something about you this trip and you don’t like an insult or a challenge. Are you afraid to take that walk on the beach? Does being alone with me scare you?”

She stiffened in her seat and Jack was pleased to realize he’d hit a nerve.

“That’s ridiculous,” she muttered.

Just then the waitress returned with their meals and Jack waited as she placed their breakfasts down on the table.

“Can I get you anything else?” she asked.

“No thank you,” Mallory said.

Jack shook his head.

“Then enjoy.” The waitress headed to the next table, leaving them alone once more.

Jack picked up his fork. “Might as well get started.” He glanced at his watch. “And plan on joining me on the beach in an hour.”

Mallory opened her mouth then shut it again, apparently realizing she’d been had.

He dug into his eggs, knowing he needed all the fortification he could get. Because Jack had learned another lesson last night.

When it came to Mallory, he could expect the unexpected.

MALLORY’S EGGS sat cold on the plate while Jack had devoured his meal. How could she eat when she’d been backed into a corner—a corner, heaven help her, she wanted to be in. But as much as she wanted to be with Jack, she couldn’t lose control of herself or the situation.

She was caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place. If she changed into her normal swimwear, the bikini she had hidden in her drawer, she’d not only be giving Jack what he wanted, she’d be ceding control. But he was right and she wouldn’t walk away from a challenge, or the plain fact that she wanted this time alone with him.

She placed her napkin on the table. “I’m ready, are you?”

He raised an eyebrow, obviously surprised by her willingness to pick up and go after the roadblocks she’d thrown up earlier. “Don’t you want to change?”

She stood and slipped open the button on her jacket, then took the garment off, leaving herself dressed in a camisole. “I’m fine.”

He shook his head. “You’re a stubborn one, aren’t you?”

She shrugged. “It’s part of my charm.” Leaving him to sign the check, which was a business expense anyway, she headed for the back door to the restaurant leading toward the beach.

No sooner had she opened the door than the fresh air and saltwater smells assaulted her. She blinked into the bright glare of the sun, focusing on the scene in front of her. Blue water stretched out to the horizon, disappearing into an equally blue sky with barely a cloud and only the sun to disrupt the soft banded hue. Mallory shook her head and took in the beauty. She’d lived in the bustling, congested city for too long. She’d also denied herself the luxury of relaxing vacations on tropical islands and beaches. The tangy scent of the salt, the soft breeze and the incredible view were heaven for her deprived senses.

Jack caught up with her on the sand, completing the perfection of the setting surrounding her. Not that she’d tell him that. She leaned down and slipped off her low pumps and slung them over her shoulder along with her suit jacket, letting her feet luxuriate in the cool, soft sand.

In silence they made their way down to where the water lapped at the shore. Leaving her shoes and jacket on a vacant lounge, she walked side by side with Jack, down the long and empty stretch of beach.

“When’s Mr. Lederman due back?” Mallory asked, breaking the silence.

“Sometime this evening is my guess.”

“I wonder what his real story is. I know we’re missing crucial pieces of information.”

A high squeaking noise sounded above them, white seagulls diving through the air, above the water. She glanced back down and caught sight of Jack, taking in his appearance and not caring if he noticed.

He’d shoved his hands into the back pockets of his swimsuit and his powerful legs propelled him along. She was grateful for the early morning hour and the lack of company joining them on the beach. She wasn’t ready to share the man or the moment, she realized, surprising herself.

“Divorce is never easy or honest,” he said. “Not between the spouses and not between client and attorney. Most relationships are the same. I ought to know considering I lived it as a child.”

“That’s so sad.” Her mother and father may not have been the best parents she could ask for, but they loved each other and honesty existed between them.

Mallory had never allowed her thoughts to veer in the direction of marriage and family. How could she when her career goals came first and didn’t mesh with the concept? That didn’t stop her from believing in the institution, though, or the possibility of a real and honest relationship between a man and a woman.