Anything You Can Do(47)

Then she opened the door.

"Austin, come in."

His script went right out of his head, along with any other coherent thoughts he might have had.

She wore a short, white terry cloth robe, her long legs emerging from the bottom and going on forever. Her wet hair was tousled atop her head, damp tendrils trailing onto her face. And to make matters worse, it took her several seconds to mask a look of delight at seeing him.

"I thought I'd see if Gordon was anywhere around," he mumbled, seizing on the first thing that came to mind.

"I haven't seen him. Did you check his office?"

"Ah, no. It's almost eight o'clock. Surely he's not still working." Eight o'clock and she'd obviously just showered. "Are you getting ready to go out?"

"No, I've been for a run. Would you like to come in and call Gordon's office? He's been working some long hours."

She held the door wide for him, and Samantha dashed out, plumed tail wagging in greeting. He reached down for the little dog then straightened, his gaze scant inches from her long, long legs.

"Thanks," he choked out, sidling past her into her living room. Cradling Samantha in one hand, he went to the wall phone above the kitchen bar and punched in his home number, the only number he could remember at the moment. "No answer," he said, a misleading but not false statement.

Bailey had, meanwhile, taken a seat on one end of the sofa, tucking her legs and bare feet under her. Even if he'd been under oath, he couldn't have remembered what he'd originally planned to say to her.

"You're welcome to wait a few minutes and call him again," she invited.

He made his way to the opposite end of the sofa, facing her. That robe scarcely covered the essentials. How could she have answered the door wearing it when she had no idea who was out there? At the thought of her naked body barely hidden by the tiny garment, he squirmed uncomfortably. Samantha abandoned him with a disgusted look at his inability to remain still and moved to the middle cushion, settling down as a furry chaperone.

"So Gordon's not at home or at work?" Bailey asked.

Since Austin hadn't been checking on Gordon's whereabouts, he had no idea. "Hot day for a run," he said, electing to change the subject rather than have to lie.

She shrugged, leaning forward to stroke Samantha's head. The V-neck of her robe fell away, and he glimpsed the ivory contours of her breasts. "It was an okay run," she answered.

So distracted was he by her provocative attire that Austin almost missed the subtle changes. Her voice was different, and she tensed ever so slightly. Someone who knew her less well than he would never have noticed.

"Where'd you run?" he asked, trying to keep his thoughts on her odd reaction and off his reaction to her.

"Springcreek Park." She kept her gaze averted from him.

Springcreek Park? Why had she gone all the way across town to run in a park that just happened to be the scene of the Miller/Wilson accident? "That's a long way from here," he said, leaning closer to study her expression.

"Do you want to try to call Gordon again?" she asked.

"Call Gordon? What for?" The words were out before he remembered his excuse for coming by.

But Bailey hadn't forgotten. Her eyes lifted boldly to his. Damn! For a minute there, he'd had control, but now he'd lost it.

Bailey exulted in her victory. She'd not only diverted him from her embarrassed thoughts, but had actually caught him. He hadn't been looking for Gordon at all. He'd come to see her.

"Would you like a drink?" she offered, gracious in her triumph. "I'll get us some sodas."

He'd had her off balance for a while, she admitted to herself as she rummaged in the refrigerator, staring at her as if he was ready to spring across the sofa and grab her, making her all too aware of her state of undress. Okay, she'd deliberately chosen not to change clothes when she'd seen him walking across the parking lot. Her attire might, she had hoped, give her the advantage. And he had been flustered, all right, but somehow she hadn't been able to capitalize on it.

Then he'd started talking about Springcreek Park, reminding her of the scene she'd almost witnessed as well as the similar scene she'd been a part of. And she'd become the flustered one.

"Would you like a glass?" she asked, offering him the cold red can.

When he shook his head, she sat back and waited for him to make the first move.