The Look of Love (The Sullivans #1)(15)

A slight shiver came over her as she remembered the way he’d looked at her with such intense desire the previous night. What would have happened if he’d thrown in this focus? This determination? Would she have ended the night alone in that big, delicious bed?

Or would she have had company?

She barely managed to pull herself down to earth in time to hear him say, “Here’s the deal, Amanda. Either you get back over there and do your job or I call a cab and let your agent know that this is the last time you and I will have the privilege of working together.”

“But Chase,” the girl whined, “it’s not fair!”

He shrugged, and pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. “Napa Valley. I need the phone number of a cab company.”

The girl all but leapt across the field to grab the phone from his hand, her sharp nails raking even harder across Chloe’s skin as she abruptly let go. Of course Chase was faster than the girl, raising his hand high above his head and stepping to the side so that she had to catch a vine to keep from falling.

Chase put the phone back to his ear. “Yes, I need an airport pickup at the Sullivan winery.”

“No!” The girl shrieked so loud Chloe’s ears rang. “I’ll go back and do whatever you want.”

Chase didn’t shift the phone away from his ear as he simply told Amanda, “You won’t question me again.” It wasn’t an inquiry. It was a statement.

The girl agreed, nodding her head. Hard. “It’s just that I found out that my boyfriend is sleeping with my roommate and I hate them both and I’m so upset.”

At that point, the girl changed tactics, clearly doing her best to blink her huge eyes at him and look equally pathetic and beautiful. Chloe knew if she ever tried to pull that off, she’d just look like she had a nasty cold.

“I’m really sorry I’m messing up the shoot.”

Surprisingly, a hint of a smile played on his lips. Was Amanda being forgiven that easily? In Chloe’s experience, men weren’t so forgiving. “Apology accepted. Now why don’t you head on back and get your makeup cleaned up.”

The girl turned and trotted back on her mile-long legs, leaving Chloe and Chase alone.

“Teenage girls.” He mock-shivered. “After dealing with my sisters for so long, I should have known better than to work in a field that depends on them.”

“What’s going on here?” Chloe realized, too late, that she sounded like a bad fifties movie come to life, the matron walking in on a scene she couldn’t comprehend.

“I’m a photographer. We’re shooting a magazine spread here for the next few days.”

Oh. Now things were starting to make sense. Feeling suddenly awkward, she said, “I was just coming out for a walk. It’s so beautiful.”

“Lovely,” he murmured, and she was instantly reminded of the way he’d said, “My God, you’re lovely,” the previous night.

Feeling her cheeks go hot again, she dropped her gaze to the dirt. “Thanks for setting out breakfast.”

She watched his feet move closer, until he was standing close enough that she had no choice but to lift her head to face him. “I’m glad you liked it,” he said softly, and then he was brushing his fingertips across her cheek to the corner of her mouth. “You’ve just got a little bit of chocolate right here.”

There was nothing for it but to stop breathing entirely while he was touching her. She couldn’t remember a man ever being this gentle with her before.

And then he moved his finger the slightest bit, so that it was in front of her lips, and some previously latent devil inside of her—the same one that had convinced her that masturbating in the tub last night would be a good thing—had her opening up her mouth and licking the chocolate off.

She heard a groan come from way down deep in his chest. “Chloe.”

Oh God, she was this close to kissing him, a man who was still a stranger despite the fact that he’d seen her naked and provided her a warm, safe place to spend the night.

No!

Stumbling back, the branches from a tall grapevine lancing her between the shoulders, she said, “You should get back to work. They’re probably waiting for you.”

But he didn’t move, didn’t so much as shift his weight. Instead, he simply smiled at her, that intense heat still in his eyes. Along with something that truly had her shivering in her shoes.

Determination.

Focus.

“I’m sure they’re still working on Amanda’s makeup,” he told her, but she heard what he was really saying loud and clear. I’m not going anywhere. So why don’t you stop trying to run and just give in to what we both want? It’ll be good. I promise.

Wanting desperately to negate the hot, pulsating desire between them, she said, “All caps is a bit much, don’t you think?”

He frowned for a split second before he caught on and grinned again. “I figure if I’m going to have a nickname like Hotstuff, I might as well own it.”

How could she do anything but grin back at him? He was just so darn likeable. It wasn’t his fault that he was sexier than sin. She shouldn’t keep holding that against him.

“Come with me.” He held his hand out. “I’ll introduce you to the crew.”

She looked down at his hand. She badly, so badly, wanted to take it. But she couldn’t.