Substitute Seduction (Sweet Tea And Scandal 2)

Harrison was showing every appearance of being a really great guy. Certainly one who deserved better than what she was doing to him. Guilt pinched her as she went to fetch her purse off the dresser. As she passed the closet a flash of teal distracted her. She’d added the clingy fit-and-flare dress to her suitcase at the last second. The color reminded her of Harrison’s eyes, a coastal blue-green she could happily drown in.

Growling at the impulses sweeping through her, London roughly stripped out of the blazer, unzipped her sensible blue dress and let it fall to the floor. A minute later she was sliding the soft jersey over her head and tugging it into place. Almost immediately London’s perception of the evening before her transformed. As she turned to the dresser and the bag that held her jewelry, the full skirt ballooned and then fell to brush against her thighs, setting off a chain reaction of sensation.

The mirror above the dresser reflected a woman whose eyes glowed with anticipation. She tugged her hair free of its restraining knot and let it fall around her face before fastening on a pair of long crystal earrings that tickled her neck as she moved. A quick glance at the clock revealed she was now running late. London scooped her clothes off the floor and draped them over the bed before sliding her feet into nude pumps and snagging her purse.

It wasn’t until she’d closed the hotel room door behind her and raced toward the elevator that she realized she was breathing erratically. Nor could she blame her agitation on the last-minute wardrobe change. She might as well face that she was excited to be having dinner alone with Harrison.

Since her hotel room was on the second floor, London had less than a minute to compose herself before the elevator doors opened. She stepped forward onto the smooth marble floor of the reception area.

At this hour the lobby was busy with people on their way to dinner or in search of a drink at the elegant bar. Suddenly she realized she hadn’t specified a particular location in the large open area to meet Harrison. But even before her concerns could take root, he stepped into her line of sight, looking handsome, desirable and a little dangerous dressed all in black. She released a pent-up breath as he drew near.

“Hi,” she said weakly.

“You look gorgeous.” He leaned down and brushed her cheek with his lips.

Goose bumps broke out on her arms. “Thanks.” London couldn’t believe he’d reduced her to single-syllable words. “So do you.” To her dismay, she felt her cheeks heat. “I mean, you look very nice.”

“Thanks.” He glanced past her. “Where are Maribelle and Beau?”

“She wasn’t feeling well, so they’re ordering room service and staying in.”

He frowned. “I hope that doesn’t mean they’ll miss the race tomorrow.”

“I think she’ll make a miraculous recovery,” London mused.

“Oh?” Harrison raised his eyebrows.

London cleared her throat. “She likes to play matchmaker.”

“I see.”

Did he? When London peered at him from beneath her lashes, she caught him observing her in turn. His look, however, was bold and openly curious.

“She thinks you’re a catch.”

“I mean no offense when I say that I’m not interested in what she thinks.” Harrison took her hand and led her toward the lobby doors. “I want to hear your opinion.”

“Do I think you’re a catch?” London knew her breathless state had nothing to do with their pace. It was more about the warmth of Harrison’s fingers against her skin. “Of course you are.”

He glanced at her as she sailed through the open door ahead of him. “You’re a little too matter-of-fact when you say that.”

“How else should I be?” Despite her earlier reservations, London was having a wonderful time bantering with Harrison. “Are you hoping I’ll spill the beans and divulge that I’m infatuated with you?”

“It’d be nice.” But his smile indicated he wasn’t serious. “Especially given how much you’ve been on my mind these last few days. It’s getting me into trouble with my team.”

He’d recaptured her hand once they’d reached the sidewalk. Was he serious? They’d only met three times and been out once. Surely he was feeding her a line. It was tempting to believe him. The flattery gave her ego a much-needed boost. Heaven knew it had taken a beating since Linc had ended their engagement.

“You’ve gone quiet,” he continued. “Don’t you believe me?”

“We barely know each other.”

“True, but I felt an immediate attraction to you. And I think you noticed the same pull. Why else would you agree to step out of your comfort zone this weekend and come watch me race?”

“Maribelle would’ve killed me if I’d turned you down.” It was a lame cop-out and both of them knew it. London gathered her breath. He’d generously arranged this weekend for her and her friends. She owed him better. “And I wanted to see what you did. Watching you during the practice laps was really exciting.”

His full smile nearly blinded her with its brilliance. “Wait until you see the race tomorrow. It gets a lot more interesting when forty guys put it all on the line.”

“I imagine it does.” She found herself grinning back. His enthusiasm was infectious. “Where are we going?”