Azure was an hour early for her meeting with Harper, but she planned to use the time to develop her new plan. She hoped that once she had a couple of cocktails, and her nerves settled, the ideas would flow freely, because right now she had nothing. Mr. Watson’s words circled her mind, and although it had been hours since her boss had marched into her office and reamed her out, she could still hear his harsh voice in her ears. “Shape up or ship out, Ellison. And for goodness’ sake, quit writing boring fluff pieces that your own mother wouldn’t read!”
Sliding onto the swivel stool in her slim-fitting Gucci dress took more skill than winning Jeopardy’s Tournament of Champions, but once Azure was seated at the bright, circular bar, she felt herself start to relax. The bartender smiled at her, and as he approached, Azure decided she had nothing to worry about. She looked good, felt even better and had a feeling Harper would open up to her. Or at least that’s my hope, she thought, reaching for one of the drink lists displayed beside the decorative napkin holder.
“Funny seeing you here....”
Azure glanced to her right. When she saw Harper, sitting two seats over, her eyes widened. Her heart fluttered like a butterfly, and when his gaze moved over her with deliberate slowness, her lips parted wordlessly. Realizing how utterly ridiculous she must look, Azure closed her mouth and wiped the dreamy, love-struck expression off her face. “You’re early.”
“So are you.”
Harper gestured to his iPad. “I thought I’d get some work done while I watched the Sixers game. What’s your excuse?”
“I was planning to work, too,” she lied, nervously combing a lock of hair behind her ears. “I have a deadline fast approaching, and as usual I’m hopelessly behind.”
“Let me buy you a drink.”
The deep timbre of his voice, and the way he was staring at her, made it impossible for Azure to speak. Not in complete sentences, anyway.
“What would you like?”
To kiss you. Desire singed her flesh. Azure shook the outrageous thought from her mind. Clearly, being in close proximity to this gorgeous corporate attorney was wreaking havoc on her good sense. But smart, intelligent guys with perfect teeth and great bodies had always been her weakness, and Harper Hamilton was the prototype of her dream guy. Only he wasn’t a dream. He was a living, breathing hunk of a man who smelled divine. “I’ll have a Coke,” she told the pierced bartender, when he sidled up to her. “No, on second thought, make that a dry martini.”
“Good choice.” Harper raised his glass. “That’s what I’m having.”
Azure nodded, watched as he packed up his leather briefcase and set it on the floor. His rich, wonderful fragrance wrapped itself around her in a sweet, sensual hug, and, oh, did he ever look good, too! Azure loved his casual, polished style and had a hell of a time keeping her eyes off his body and on her menu. Harper was off the clock, but he still looked like an acclaimed attorney at the top of his game. His white dress shirt and eye-catching burgundy tie warmed his flawless, smooth complexion, his dark slacks were tailored to perfection and his diamond wristwatch outshone the chandelier hanging above the bar.
Anxious to get down to business, she gestured to the dining area with her hand. “We should probably go grab a table. It’s starting to fill up in here.”
“I’m fine here at the bar, if you are. There’s a line down the block to get in, and I’m not interested in waiting outside.” Harper glanced at the floor-to-ceiling windows. “I used to deliver flyers when I was a teenager, and to this day, every time I have to walk more than a block or two I moan and grumble!”
“You had a part-time job in high school?”
“You mean jobs,” he corrected, chuckling good-naturedly. “My parents wanted me to understand the value of a dollar, so once I was old enough they encouraged me to work. Or rather, forced me to! I shoveled snow, mowed lawns, walked dogs. I did it all, and hated every minute of it.”
“Now I don’t feel so bad about working at Fat Burger. At least I wasn’t outside!”
“You used to work at Fat Burger? Wow, back in the day that place was my second home.” He wore a wistful expression, but his tone was filled with humor. “There was one across the street from my prep school, and my friends and I would head over there whenever we had a spare. I had the same thing every day. A—”
“Triple King Meal, ten-piece chicken nuggets and a chocolate milkshake.”
“Yeah,” he said, raising a thick, perfectly groomed eyebrow. “How did you know?”
Azure shifted around on her stool. “Just a lucky guess. I worked at Fat Burger for years, and that seemed to be everybody’s favorite.”
“You’re probably right. My buddies ordered the same thing, too.”
In the lounge, chuckles rang out, the scent of fresh garlic bread filled the air and patrons danced to the pop song playing. When the bartender returned to refresh their drinks, Harper ordered an appetizer platter and a bottle of wine.
“I hope you’re eating for two,” Azure quipped, hiding a smirk that threatened to overwhelm her mouth, “because that platter serves six and I’m not hungry.”
“Don’t tell me you’re one of those weight-obsessed, calorie-counting types who’s strict about what she eats.”
“Isn’t every woman?”
Harper tasted his drink, then rested it on his coaster. “It’s not the size of a woman’s waist or the length of her hair that makes her beautiful. It’s how she carries herself, how confident and comfortable she is in her skin. I’ve dated sisters of all shapes and sizes and—”
“You have?”
“Of course, I’d be a fool not to. Contrary to what the fashion industry thinks, beauty comes in plus-size packages, too, and I’m tired of only seeing toothpick-thin models on billboards and magazine covers.” He wore a smile. “No offense.”
Azure held up her hands. “None taken. And I agree with you. I’ve been pushing the powers-that-be at Eminence to hire more full-figured models, but my new boss, Leland Watson, isn’t on board. All he cares about is turning the magazine into a glossier, more scandalous version of People magazine.”
“On that note, I’d love to hear more about the piece you’re working on.”
You and me both, Azure thought, clearing her throat. Facing him, she arched her shoulders and crossed her legs. Sucking in her stomach hurt, but she clasped her hands around her knees and wore a winning smile. Perfect. Now he couldn’t see her hands shaking.
“I must admit, I was shocked when you asked me to meet you here tonight.”
“You were? Why?”
“Because you’re a beautiful woman who I’m sure has no shortage of admirers.”
Azure felt her eyes bulge out of her head. Harper thinks I’m beautiful? For real? No way! The idea was shocking, mind-boggling, as unbelievable as shoulder pads coming back in style, but Harper looked dead serious. His gaze was intense, smoldering with such heat, her heart skipped two beats. For a split second, Azure considered telling Harper who she was. It was obvious he didn’t remember her, so why not come clean?
Because if I confess to being frumpy ol’ Alice Ellison, it might ruin my chances with him.
Shaking her head helped Azure come to her senses. She had to be professional. This was business. Strictly business. And once she gained Harper’s trust and tricked him into revealing family secrets, she’d be on her way because being around this strong, virile attorney was too much temptation for a single, celibate girl like