Her Tender Touch

Abby pointed to his hands. “The handshake is too hard.” She nodded at him. “And the stare too long. You haven’t blinked or moved your gaze once since I started talking. To someone else, that’s an aggressive move. Is that what you’re trying for?”

“I thought I was being attentive.”

She smiled. “No, you don’t. You don’t want to be here.”

Jason lifted a brow, but again, didn’t respond.

“How long have you been doing this?” he asked.

“Don’t ask questions you already know the answer to.”

“Why would I do that?”

“I don’t know, you tell me. You’re a meticulous man. I don’t think you’d hire someone you knew little about. My website and brochure say plenty about me, as do client testimonials, so, please, don’t waste our time.”

“I wanted to see if you’d lie.”

“You’ll have to ask me another question. Later. Right now I’m here to help you.” She stood. “We’ll start with your handshake.”

He reluctantly stood. “I see you don’t believe in chitchat.”

“Time is money.”

“I have a lot to spend.”

“The sooner we start, the sooner you’ll succeed.”

He shook his head, amused. “Do you always talk like that?”

“Like what?”

“In platitudes?”

“Doesn’t matter. Now, the handshake is important. It says a lot about you. You don’t want one that is too strong or too weak. You want a firm, assured, but quick connection. Let’s try it again.” She held out her hand. “Hello, I’m Abby Baylor.”

He took her hand in his. This time his grip was not too strong; instead it was amazingly gentle but firm. “Jason Ward.”

“That was great! Perfect. Now, look down at our hands. Do you see how nice the grip is?” She glanced up at him. “You’re not looking.”

“I prefer looking at you.”

Abby’s heart picked up its pace, and she took a deep breath to calm herself. She couldn’t afford to be attracted to him. He was a client; he couldn’t be anything more. She had to stay in control. “You have a hard time when you’re not the leader, don’t you?”

“I don’t mind you being the leader, but that doesn’t mean I have to follow all your directions.”

She pulled her hand away. “Yes, it does. Listening to me means that you trust me.”

“I don’t give away my trust easily.”

“If you want me to help you, you’ll have to learn fast.”

“I have no trouble learning fast,” he said in a low voice. “But when it comes to trust, I always take my time.”

Abby swallowed, wishing her heart would return to its normal pace. “Fine.”

“I’d like to practice the handshake again.” He moved in closer to her.

“You don’t need to. I told you, you were perfect.”

Jason flashed a wolfish grin. “I’m far from that.” He held out his hand.

“Okay, one last time. This time you do the introductions.”

He extended his hand. She took it.

“Hello, Ms. Baylor, I’m Jason Ward, and I look forward to working with you over the next several weeks.”

She knew the words to say, but they wouldn’t escape her mouth. Her throat felt dry; her face felt warm. She was in trouble. He was not only both terrifying and magnificent, he was sexy as hell. He softened his grip, making it restraining but also tender—staying on the side of decency, so she couldn’t scold him, but eliciting very indecent thoughts in her mind. Unsettling her. He made her realize how large his hand was, how hot his palm felt against hers. Abby pulled her hand away and folded her arms. He was more devious than she thought. Maybe he was getting her back for her cold greeting—whatever the reason, she couldn’t fight him on equal terms. He clearly had the advantage. But she couldn’t let him have an emotional advantage; she had to stay distant and professional.

“That was perfect,” she said in a bright voice, hoping he couldn’t see his effect on her. “You really are a fast learner.” She had learned that stroking a man’s ego always worked in her favor. She just needed him as a client, nothing else. She took a step backward.

“I am a fast learner, but you’re also a good teacher.”

“Yes, and I also know when I’m being tested. That bone-crushing handshake before was a test, wasn’t it? What were you trying to find out? Whether I’d run away or not? Whether you could frighten me? Did I pass?”

He folded his arms, and a slow smile spread across his face. “Yes.” He shrugged. “I wanted to see how desperate you were.”

“I’m not desperate.” She moved to go behind her desk, but he blocked her path.

“Eager, then,” he smoothly corrected.

“What do you mean by eager?”

He took out his cell phone and typed in a few things, then held the screen out to her. “Finishing Touches isn’t doing as well as it used to. You were right. I am meticulous and did my homework. I know a lot about you, Ms. Baylor.”

“And I obviously don’t know enough about you. I knew you were a jerk, I just didn’t realize how big.” Abby stared at the screen in humiliation, feeling exposed and ashamed. She didn’t care if he did or didn’t want to be there, but she’d at least thought he respected her. “I see,” she said coldly. She pushed past him and walked to the door.

“Where are you going?”

As far away from you as I can get. “I’m not going anywhere. You’re the one who’s leaving,” she said, although she hated the thought of failing before she’d even begun. She’d been so hopeful about this meeting. She’d imagined succeeding with him and seeing her business soar—instead he’d shown her how close to the brink she was. “You’ve made it very clear that this won’t work, and I agree with you,” she said, opening the door wider, a signal for him to leave.

“I had to do it,” Jason said in a flat, grim tone, walking toward her.

Abby stepped backward but found herself with nowhere to go and her back against the door.

Jason shoved his hands in his pockets. “I hate needing anyone. Especially for something like learning how to ‘work with people.’ I don’t see why I should have to use someone like you. I’m good at what I do. I like my life, but for some reason people seem to have a problem with the way I do things. I don’t like to depend on anyone. Finding your weak spot makes me feel fine about you knowing mine. You need me as much as I need you.”

She didn’t want it to be true, but he was right. “I demand respect,” she said. “No more tests.”

He held up his hand as though stating an oath. “Agreed.”

“I can help you learn business etiquette.” When he didn’t look convinced, she continued. “I know it may sound strange, but in the corporate world, knowing the rules is what really counts, not just making money. You need to change your business approach, because you are your business. I’m going to show you how to be strong but not rude, kind but not weak and bold but not a bully.”

“How?”

“You’ll see.” She sniffed the air. “My goodness, do you always smell this good?”

He blinked. “What?”

She leaned in closer and sniffed again. “Hmm.” She leaned back and nodded. “I can already tell right away what some of your problems are. First of all, you smell amazing, but a little too much so—it’s distracting. Is it cologne or aftershave? We may have to change it. Also, I know that you don’t like wearing suits, but this present look—” she studied his khakis and the sweater he was wearing “—may be too casual for you. You’re sexy, but your clothes work against you because you’re projecting an aggressive sexiness that both attracts and repels at the same time. You have a very intimidating build and you’re very smart, brilliant in fact, but you don’t look it.”

She held up her hand. “I’m not saying you look stupid, it’s just that your mind isn’t the first thing people think about when they look at you.” It certainly wasn’t for me. “Your build and your face work against you in the business environment where they no doubt worked for you on the streets. You’ll need the right armor. You don’t hide your feelings well either. Right now I know I said something that’s made you angry. I’ll find out what later, but I shouldn’t know that. I’ll teach you how to guard your feelings.” She shoved his shoulder backward. “I’m going to remove this big chip from your shoulder and help you get the respect you want. I can see that’s what you’re hungry for. You want to prove yourself. That’s a bad thing.”

Jason lifted a brow in a silent question.

“When you want to prove something to someone else, you make that person important. By making them important, you make them matter. And if you make them matter, they own you.” She walked back to her desk and sat. “We’ll have three rules. One, you will learn to look away. It will be brief, but necessary. Two, you’ll alter your appearance, not radically but enough, and three, you will not swear. Every time you swear, you’ll give me one hundred dollars.”

He swore. “A hundred?”

She held out her hand. “You can afford it.”

He bit his lip, reached into his pocket and handed her a hundred dollar bill.

Abby carefully folded the bill and put it away. “Now, humility—”

“Is a trait I prefer not to fake.”

“Do you really want my help?”

“No, I already told you that. I really don’t want to be here. Take dogs and cats, for example. I have no problem with them. During high school I volunteered at a local veterinary clinic. I loved it. I never had to worry about hurting their feelings.”

“We’re not talking about cats and dogs. We’re talking about you being able to interact well with human beings so that you make the kind of connections you need to have a successful business.

“You mean, learn how to engage in small talk and suck up to people to get what you want and—”

“What have you heard?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re talking in vague statements—‘sucking up to people’ and ‘hurting people’s feelings.’ You don’t strike me as the kind of person who cares what people think, but when it comes to business, I’m sure you know it’s important. Something must have happened for you to be here. What’s one opinion or something someone has said that you want to change?”

He hesitated.

“Nothing you say will leave this room, but I need to know how you’re perceived so that I can help you.”

“Your description of me was pretty accurate.” He stretched his long legs and sank farther into the plush chair.

“Not accurate enough. What do people get wrong about you?”

Jason frowned. “I didn’t come here for a counseling session.”

“Are you scared to tell me?”

His gaze pierced hers. “I’m not scared.”

“Are you afraid that I’ll think the same?”

“I’m not afraid either.”

“Then, tell me. What’s stopping you? You can trust me. What are they saying about your brand?”

“My brand?”

“Yes. Say you’re a car. What are people saying about it?”

“It’s cheap, comes from a bad lot. It has a good engine but nothing else.”

“And what do you want them to say?”

“I want to be a stellar model. You know, a BMW can break down and no one will say that it’s worthless, but I’m like a...a few mistakes and I’m no good and no one expects me to be.”

“Exactly, so you have to be clever. Because you don’t have the background, you have to create an image that is incorruptible, so that people can come up with excuses for you so that they’ll look good. You’re an easy target right now. We’ll change that.”

Before ending the session, Abby gave Jason some paperwork to complete and made an appointment for him to attend the next meeting of the local Chamber of Commerce. “You are to dress in business attire, and make sure you introduce yourself to at least three people and exchange business cards. Oh, and by the way, I’ll be the keynote speaker at the event. I’ll see you next week.”

“Isn’t it customary to shake hands at the end of a meeting?” Jason asked when Abby remained seated behind her desk.

“No, and in some countries the man waits for the woman to hold out her hand first.”

He held out his hand. “Fortunately, I’m not in one of those countries.”

Abby sighed, stood and took his hand. He shook it, then brought it to his lips. “I’m sorry about the handshake,” he said, his breath warm against her skin.

Abby swallowed, fighting to keep her tone neutral instead of breathless. “You’re forgiven.”

He kissed the back of her hand, then released her. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she said, the back of her hand feeling as if it were on fire. “And don’t kiss a woman’s hand like that unless you want to get into trouble.”

Jason only grinned, his eyes making it clear that he welcomed trouble and all its consequences.

* * *

Jason got in his car, then pumped his fist in the air. Thank you, Mom. Christmas had come sooner than he’d expected. He’d never imagined that the right woman for him would show up like this. She had intrigued him from the moment he laid eyes on her. Not because she was attractive, which she was, or smart, but she wasn’t afraid of him. That was the biggest turn-on. She’d boldly met his gaze, as if challenging him to see how far he would go. The handshake was nothing. He’d had to restrain himself from pulling her closer so that he could inhale her perfume and feel her body against his. He wanted to see what she was like when she wasn’t thinking of business. He wanted to make her think of something else. He now had a new goal.

His cell phone rang. He looked down at the number and grinned. “Right on time.”

“How did it go?” Beatrice asked. “Did you scare her away?”

“She doesn’t scare easily.”

“That’s good. So you’ll give her a chance?”

I plan to give her a lot of things. “Yes. You can pat yourself on the back. You were right. She’s just what I need.”

* * *

Abby had prepared herself for a number of things. But fierce attraction hadn’t been on her list. She’d assessed him well, but she hadn’t assessed him completely. He’d constantly caught her off guard, at one moment insulting her, then complimenting her in the same breath, not giving her a chance to know which it was or how to respond. Should she be pleased or offended? He knew more about his appearance than he was letting on. She wondered if he really thought he needed her services. He obviously didn’t seem to think he needed to change.

What she hated most was how he made her heart race—that he made her notice him as a man instead of as a client. She hadn’t felt that way in a long time. His behavior was nothing new. She’d been hit on by clients before, but he was different. She wouldn’t be able to brush him aside. She briefly glanced at her hand, still feeling the sensation of his skin against hers.

He was a lot bigger than she’d expected. Gruffer, too, but she wasn’t intimidated; she could already see him transformed.

He’d surprised her with his calm manner. She’d been ready for his temper, outrage, a cool superiority. But he’d displayed none of those traits. She’d learned early on that it was best to keep her distance. Her cool demeanor kept a safe wall between herself and her clients, but Jason Ward was quickly melting it. And she couldn’t let him. Abby knew she would have to push away any preconceived notions and see what he was really about if she was going to help him.

* * *

“So, what is he like?” Judith asked Abby the next day. “I was worried about you. I could hardly concentrate. How awful was he?”

Like I’d tell you. “I really shouldn’t discuss clients.”

“I do it all the time.” There was a moment of silence. “That difficult, huh?” she said with pity.

“He’s a fast learner.”

“Is that supposed to mean something?”

“Exactly what I said.”

“You know, if you don’t feel comfortable with him, you don’t have to do this. Just admit you can’t do it. There are other clients.”

But none like Jason Ward, Abby thought. She couldn’t wait to see him again. Because he was a challenge, nothing else. She’d seen his magnetism, and she would use it to keep a distance. She’d seen where her words bothered him; when she’d mentioned that women found him attractive, his gaze had gone hard. She’d have to figure out why. She was very curious. What was the key to unlocking the man behind the armor?

“I’ll be fine,” she said, but she already knew that was a lie.

Chapter 4

Jason stared at his reflection in the full-length mirror. It had been a long time since he’d cared about how he looked, but Abby had changed his mind. He wasn’t into wearing a double-breasted suit or matching finely crafted leather shoes. The casual merino wool slacks and pressed silk shirt and tie would have to do. He wanted to make sure he made the right impression.

Unfortunately, things didn’t quite turn out the way he wanted. The Chamber of Commerce meeting was being held in one of the main office buildings downtown, and due to a major water break, traffic had to be rerouted. Although he had left with plenty of time to spare, deciding to take himself instead of using his driver, Jason found himself walking into the meeting forty-five minutes late. Abby was just finishing her presentation when he entered, and did not acknowledge him. She closed her speech and took a seat up front. Jason sat patiently through the next two presenters, then when everyone was dismissed to spend the rest of the time networking, he hastily made his way over to where Abby was sitting.

“Sorry I was late,” he said. “There was a major water problem and parking was limited and...”

“That doesn’t matter now. Just shake hands and be nice.” She turned to leave.

“I’m sorry I missed your presentation.”

“I told you it doesn’t matter.”

“But you’re angry.”

She folded her arms. “I’m disappointed. Would you have been late if you had an appointment with the president?”

“What?” Jason paused, wondering what she was up to. “If you had been the president, I hope your secret service men would have made arrangements for your guests to be escorted through the mess outside, so they wouldn’t have...”

Abby glanced around the room. “All of these other people made it on time. You know why? Because they checked before they left, and added enough time, so they would make it. Isn’t that right, Mr. Brant?” She turned and spoke to a slimy-looking gentleman standing just behind her.

“It sure is. I checked my phone and GPS to make sure I’d get here on time. I wasn’t going to miss your presentation for nothing,” he said, his eyes raking over Abby’s body in a way that made Jason grit his teeth.

Look, but don’t touch, Jason thought, sizing the man up just in case he had to make himself clear.

When Jason didn’t reply, the other man continued. “A fine woman like her deserves to be the focus of a man’s attention. Isn’t that right, Abby?”

Abby laughed a little nervously, but Jason could tell she felt uncomfortable. “Mr. Brant, that’s not—”

“I mean, if I could get just a few minutes alone with...”

Jason’s temper snapped. That was as much as he could take. “I need to see you outside for a moment.”

“Jason, it’s okay.”

“Now.” His gaze never left the man.

Abby grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the door. “Jason, I have to talk to you.”

He glared at the man, then let her lead him outside. “What?” he asked, once they were in the hall.

“Congratulations. You have just failed your first test.”

“Test? I thought we weren’t doing tests anymore.”

“You can’t, but I can. I’m the teacher, remember?”

He rested a hand against the wall behind her. “Yes, I remember.”

“Nicholas Brant is a dear friend of mine.”

“You mean what happened in there was an act?” he asked, doing his best to rein in his temper.

“Yes,” Abby said in a clipped tone. “I wanted to see what you would do. How you would respond.”

“How was I supposed to respond?”

“With more tact. Not so aggressive. You looked like you wanted to slug him.”

“I did.” He sighed, hating that he’d disappointed her when today had meant so much to him. He’d wanted to make a good impression, but he kept failing. First, missing her presentation and now, this. “I didn’t like how he was treating you.”

“And that’s not the problem,” Abby said, softening her tone, as though he were a wayward child she wanted to correct. “You could have just led me away.” She smiled briefly. “However, the look you gave him was eloquent enough.”

He drummed his fingers against the wall with irritation. “That sounds like something from out of a textbook, not real life. What would you have done if you were me?”

She paused. “If I were you?”

“Yes. What would you have done if you saw a beautiful woman you were attracted to being disrespected by another man?”

Abby opened her mouth to say something, then closed it and shook her head. “That’s not a fair question.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s hypothetical. What really happened in there was about a man who was embarrassed about being late, who was annoyed that he had to come here in the first place and who wanted to handle his frustration by throwing some punches.”

Jason narrowed his gaze. “I thought you knew me better than that.”

Abby licked her lips. “I do.”

He watched the motion with interest, wishing he could moisten them some more for her. “Then why would you discount the fact that I’m attracted to you?”

“How you feel about me is not the issue here.”

“How come?”

Abby licked her lips again. He groaned inwardly, wishing she’d stop doing that. “Do I make you nervous?”

“You make me angry.”

He sighed, wanting so badly to kiss her, he had to grip his hand into a fist. “I’m sorry I missed your presentation,” he said with sincerity. “I won’t do that next time.”

“Don’t worry, there won’t be a next time. Right now you need to focus on smiling and shaking hands.”

He caught and held her gaze. “The only hand I want to hold is yours.”

“Jason.”

His gaze dropped to her lips. He wanted to do more than hold her hand. “Don’t pretend you don’t feel it, too.” He met her eyes, seeing the sizzling awareness in her gaze that mirrored his. “From the first moment, I knew you were the one.”

She shook her head. “I can’t risk it.”

“What?”

“Anything more than a personal relationship with you.” She shook her head again. “I mean professional.”

He grinned, pleased she was flustered. “You were right the first time.”

“No, I wasn’t. I can help you, but not if you’re going to play games.”

His grin fell. “I’m not playing games.”

“What happens if you’re disappointed?”

He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“What if I let you kiss me right now and it’s awful?”

“It won’t be.”

“Will you stop working with me?” she continued. “Or will that satisfy your curiosity enough to let you realize that—”

Jason didn’t hear the rest of her words. Only one important thing echoed in his mind. “You’re going to let me kiss you?”

Abby threw up her hands. “Were you listening to a word I said? I said there are con—”

* * *

She didn’t get to finish before his mouth covered hers. Abby felt herself sinking into sweet ecstasy as his mouth claimed hers, and he crushed her body to him. His demanding lips caressed hers, his large hands exploring the hollows of her back. He was hard and hot, sending her senses reeling. In his arms she no longer felt like a cold day, but like a hot summer night. She now knew—not just imagined—what he felt like.

He fumbled behind her, opened the door to an empty room and pulled her inside. Jason was delicious, like double fudge chocolate, and although he could be misunderstood, she felt she knew him more than any man she’d ever met. When she heard him groan, then suck in his breath in surprise, she pulled away and noticed her hand had dipped dangerously below his belt. He was clearly aroused. She shoved him away, horrified by her behavior. “I am so sorry,” she said, coming to her senses with a painful thud.