Mitch wasn’t so sure of that. “Money isn’t going to be the best argument here, I’m afraid.”
“What do you-” Nelson stopped. “Oh yeah. The lottery. So if it isn’t money it has to be something else. Find out what it is and work on it. When are you seeing her next?”
“I saw her last night, socially, and she agreed to see me this morning.”
“Did she, now?” Nelson sounded gratified, as if a balky student had finally done something right. “That’s good. I’m glad you’re following my instructions to the letter. So, tell me, does she have as much appeal in person as she does on camera?”
Does she ever. And then some.
“Yes. And she works it. The event last night was a fund-raiser, and she walked in there like a star. She’ll be a huge draw publicitywise.”
“All the better. We can use some big guns on the talk shows and the publicity circuit, drumming up support for the network. Not to mention high-level meetings with advertisers. Make sure she knows that’ll still be part of her job, not just sitting pretty in the studio.”
“Sure.”
“Call me right away when you get her commitment. I want this wrapped up by Wednesday at the latest. And then I’m going to let all the other networks know we scooped them.”
Mitch frowned. Wednesday? No way could he pull a deal of this size off in that short a time. Did Nelson have something else to prove-something that involved saving face and putting one over on the competition?
If so, why hadn’t he come down here to woo Eve Best himself? Why send Mitch? But these were questions he knew Nelson wouldn’t answer. The guy only knew how to bark orders and bully people into giving him what he wanted. He didn’t share his motivations or the confidences of the stuffed shirts on the executive team. Nelson was old-school, even though he was only ten years or so older than Mitch himself.
“Wednesday.” No human could make that deadline, but he’d ask forgiveness when he got there. And there was something else bugging him. “What did you mean a minute ago when you said I was following your instructions? When have I not?”
“I told you to romance the socks off her. Probably not a very difficult job, eh?”
Mitch frowned. The words held an unpleasant aftertaste. Or was he being too sensitive where Eve was concerned? “She’s being a good Southern hostess and showing me around.”
The details of last night would never cross his lips to anyone, much less his boss. And the simple fact that Nelson assumed any contact with Eve would be to further their success at the deal made Mitch feel…less, somehow. Tainted. This electric attraction between the two of them had nothing to do with what they did for a living. It was bigger than that. The problem was, he had to keep his feelings to himself, no matter what he wanted personally.
Not that he’d ever say a word about them to Nelson.
“Look, I have to go,” he said. “I left a message for her to call me a few minutes ago. She could be trying to get through.”
That finally got Nelson off the phone, and Mitch hung up with a sense of relief. No matter what he felt about Nelson, or Eve, for that matter, of course he had a job to do. Convincing Eve to sign was his top priority-one he needed to remember if he saw her again this morning. He had to do his best not to see her as a desirable, sensual woman who could bring his entire body to attention simply by walking past him.
No, he had to shut down his emotions and look at her as a business entity. A package that CWB wanted. His future at the network depended on his ability to bring that package home-by Wednesday.
And what a package she was-one he had nearly unwrapped last night. Could anything be sexier than Eve Best leaning in for a kiss, her bodice slipping down to reveal lush curves and her voice husky in his ear? As the memory washed through his mind, his body stiffened in response.
So much for shutting down.
The phone next to the bed rang, and the vision in his head snapped off as suddenly as if someone had changed the channel. With a groan, he picked it up. It was probably Nelson, with one last order to give him. “Hello?”
“Hi, it’s Eve.”
The voice brought back the vision in full force. “Hey,” he said softly. “I was just thinking about you.”
“Sorry I missed your call. I was in the shower.”
A picture of wet skin, of water running in rivulets between her breasts and down her belly, leaped onto the big screen in his mind. In close-up.
“Mitch?”
He had to turn off the film, or he’d never be able to carry on a civilized conversation. “I’m here. Sorry. I thought there was a knock at the door.”
“Do you want me to hold while you check?”
“No, no. It was probably someone going past with a suitcase.” He was such a lousy liar. “So, does this mean we’re on for breakfast?”
“I know I said yes last night, but I really can’t. I’m sorry. I have a ton of things to do.”
“Like what?”
He really was interested in the details of her life, but as soon as the words were out, he realized how they must sound.
“Well, I have to work on Monday’s script, and go grocery shopping, and try to hack my way through the jungle in my backyard, and-”
“Don’t you ever relax on the weekend?”
“That is relaxation. Well, except for the script.”
“Do it tomorrow.”
“I have Tuesday’s script to work on tomorrow, and some preliminary work to do on this communications specialist we’re bringing in on Thursday. Then I have to go over to North Point Mall and try to find my cousin’s four-year-old a birthday present. I’m invited to my aunt and uncle’s place tonight for dinner and the party.” She paused. “That’s way too much information, isn’t it?”
“Boy or girl?”
“Boy.”
“Ah. He’ll love anything to do with dinosaurs or Spider-Man.”
“How do you know?”
“My sister’s kids are that age. Two boys and a girl. Brandon knows the Latin names of every dinosaur that ever lived, and a few that are cartoon characters, as well.”
Her laugh made his breath hitch. What was it about this woman that affected him this way? Was he that long overdue for sex and therefore more susceptible than usual? Or did she charm everyone like this?
“Duly noted,” she said. “That should simplify things.”
An idea whisked into his mind. “I could come along. Offer some suggestions. Dinosaurs can get out of hand in a hurry without the help of an expert.” And while he was at it, he could pitch her again.
“You seriously don’t want to go to the mall with me.” Her voice filled with disbelief, though laughter lurked in the back of it. “A big network exec like you? Don’t you have important stuff to do? Deals to nail down? People to see?”
“I do,” he said. “One deal in particular is very important to me, but I refuse to let it interfere with my weekend.”
She paused, as though this were sinking in. “I see. So today and tomorrow are a deal-free zone? The subject won’t come up, even in passing?”
“Will you push me into the fountain by the food court if it does?”
“I don’t think there is a fountain, but probably.” The laughter bubbled closer to the surface now, and his whole being seemed to warm with it.
“I’ll take the risk. So how about you put the garden off until tomorrow, and we hit the mall today? Do the script this morning, and I’ll pick you up after lunch.”
“What about breakfast?”
“I’ll get some here. If we bag our ’saur, we can celebrate with a victory drink.”
She was laughing openly now. “Deal. Pick me up around two. I’ll be done with the script by then if I concentrate.”
He agreed and rang off, her laughter still tickling his mind, giving him as much pleasure as her fingers might on his skin.
She might be able to find some powers of concentration. But the prospect of spending the afternoon with her had shot his straight to hell.
6
PROMPTLY AT TWO, the doorbell rang and Eve opened the door to find Mitch hunched awkwardly on the porch under the heavy cover of the rambling roses.