Let Them Talk

TALK OF THE TOWN

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

1

“ISABEL, HAVE YOU READ anything interesting lately?”

Isabel Bennett paused as she brought her napkin to her mouth. She should have anticipated the question. She got it all the time because she was the town librarian. But this question from Sean Hawkins was not as innocent as it sounded.

Sean didn’t do innocent.

Her gaze clashed with his across the dining table. Looking into his eyes gave her a jolt, as always. In the past, she’d ignored this feeling. Hidden from it. The force of the sexual attraction between them had made her nervous. Now she welcomed it.

“I have,” she replied carefully, glancing at her father, who sat at the head of the table. “But nothing that either of you would enjoy.”

“I may surprise you,” Sean drawled.

She knew that was true. He was constantly surprising, but even more so in the past month. She had always suspected that he concealed an animal hunger behind his cool blue eyes. But she had no idea just how ruthlessly he controlled his emotions and his body.

“What’s the title?” Sean asked.

“I don’t recall.” She pressed her finger against her lips as she tried to appear casual. But she never felt casual around Sean. He was the most aggravating man she knew and yet her pulse gave a hard kick whenever she saw him. He wasn’t handsome but she often caught herself studying his square jaw and crooked nose. Thoughts of running her fingers through his short blond hair or loosening the necktie he always wore frequently flickered across her mind. “It was a how-to book. Nonfiction.”

“How to what?”

Isabel narrowed her eyes at him but he seemed unfazed. Calmly, he curled his large hand around the delicate coffee cup in front of him before bringing it to his mouth and taking a drink. Sean already knew the title of the book, she realized dazedly. Where did he get his information? As her father’s second-in-command at the Bennett Company, Sean was smart and resourceful. But why did he have to use those talents to dig up dirt on her?

She was tempted to make up a title just to get out of this awkward situation, but she knew Sean would call her on it. The man was a worthy opponent and she had lost as many arguments with him as she had won.

Isabel struggled to hold Sean’s gaze as the heat crept up her neck. “It’s called How to Seduce a Man,” she said hoarsely. Fire leaped into Sean’s eyes but he gave her a warning look. She maintained steady eye contact with him until she heard the clatter of her father’s silverware hitting the fine china.

“Really, Isabel?” Keith Bennett said. “Why are you reading that?”

Because I need all the help I can get. Isabel shrugged. “It’s this month’s selection for the book club.”

Her father’s eyebrows dipped as he stared at her with confusion. “The Seedling Women’s Reading Circle allowed you to return? This is wonderful. How did you manage that?”

“The seduction book doesn’t sound like the kind of selection the reading circle would make,” Sean murmured as he set down his cup.