Scent Of Roses. Kat Martin

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СКАЧАТЬ knew a lot of important people in Southern California. “Let me introduce you to the group, then we’ll tell you what it is we’ve got in mind.”

      

      What they had in mind, Zach discovered a few minutes later, was to win his support for his brother with promises of future paybacks. A quid pro quo kind of deal. Zach would agree to back his brother’s bid for a seat in the assembly and in return, Carson would use his influence to help Zach get a judgeship in L.A. County. The money wouldn’t be nearly as good as what he made now, but that kind of power was worth a lot.

      Or at least that’s what Walter Simino and the rest of the committee believed. And the fact was, with a judgeship he could do a lot of good.

      “Once Carson’s elected,” Simono said, “he’ll garner a great deal of influence. If your brother were to run again when his term came to an end, maybe pick up a seat in the state senate, his power would be even greater. He could be a tremendous help to you, Zach. Who knows, maybe sometime in the future, even a seat on the California Supreme Court might not be out of the question.”

      They were tossing out a powerful lure. Not that he believed it would actually happen. As the conversation progressed, Zach mostly kept silent. As he listened, he kept thinking of his brother running for political office. He had heard rumors, but he’d never asked Carson about them. Now that he knew those rumors were true, somehow it didn’t surprise him.

      Even here, as Carson sat across the room, he wore a politician’s smile.

      The conversation reached a pause and Zach rose from his chair. “I think I’ve heard enough. To be honest with you, there is nothing any of you or Carson could offer me that would be of the slightest interest, not even the idea of a judgeship. In regard to his campaign, I won’t promise my support.”

      His brother’s jaw faintly tightened.

      “On the other hand, I won’t do anything that could hurt him. I won’t take part in anything that might be construed as opposition to his bid for office and I won’t endorse anyone else. That is the best I can do. Have a good evening, gentlemen.”

      He turned and headed for the study door.

      “What about supper?” Carson asked, amazed, it seemed, that he was leaving.

      “No, thanks. But it’s hot as hell out there. If you don’t mind, I’ll have a drink on my way out.” He left the study and made his way back to the parlor. As he had walked into the house, he had spotted Liz Conners near the bar, speaking to the wives of the men in the study.

      Curiosity led him in that direction. Curiosity, he told himself, nothing more.

      Ignoring the women, he walked straight over to the bar. “Diet Coke with a lime,” he said to the young man pouring drinks.

      “Coming right up.” The bartender poured the drink and set the crystal highball glass down on the bar. Zach picked it up and took a swallow, his gaze on Liz Conners. There was a break in the women’s conversation and Liz walked off by herself. He made his way over to where she stood.

      “Zachary Harcourt…I have to say, I’m a little surprised to see you here.”

      “Why is that? You don’t think I’m the political type?”

      “Actually, no.”

      “Then you’d be right. As a matter of fact, I’ll be leaving in just a few minutes. I thought I’d come over and say hello before I took off.”

      Her gaze moved over his face as if she was trying to figure him out. A dark auburn eyebrow went up as she noticed the drink in his hand.

      “Diet soda,” he explained. “I do have a drink on occasion, just not when I’m driving. I was never an addict or an alcoholic. I was just stupid.”

      “So you really have reformed.”

      “For the most part. I hope I’m never as dull as my brother.”

      Her mouth tightened for an instant. She had a pretty mouth, he thought, full lips softly curved, colored a nice shade of pink.

      “You don’t think much of each other, do you?” She looked great tonight, even classier than she had that night at the banquet. He wondered how a psychology counselor afforded such expensive clothes. Then again, maybe his brother bought them for her.

      “I try my best not to think of Carson at all. Speaking of whom, are you two an item?”

      She took a sip of her champagne. “You mean are we seeing each other?”

      “I mean, are you involved with him? Are the two of you sleeping together?”

      Liz stiffened as he had figured she would. He was testing her, he knew. Still for some odd reason, he really wanted to hear the answer.

      “You know, Zach, I don’t think you’ve changed as much as you’d like to believe.”

      In some ways, he supposed it was true. “Maybe not.” He drank some of his Diet Coke. “So you aren’t going to tell me?”

      “My relationship with your brother is none of your business.”

      He looked away, trying not to imagine Liz Conners in Carson’s bed.

      “We’re friends,” she finally conceded. “We barely even know each other.”

      Zach found himself smiling. “No kidding.”

      “Look, Zach. I know you and your brother don’t get along. Maybe paying attention to me is your way of goading him, I don’t know, but—”

      “My interest in you has nothing to do with Carson,” he said, surprised to discover it was true. “I just…I don’t know. I always thought you were different somehow. I guess I wanted to know if you still were.”

      “So am I?”

      From the corner of his eye, he saw his brother and the rest of the men returning to the room. “I don’t know.” He took a long drink of his Diet Coke and set the glass down on the bar. “You’ll enjoy the supper. Carson brings in some of the best chefs in L.A.”

      Turning, he started toward the parlor door. For an instant, he thought Liz Conners watched him as he walked away, but it was probably his imagination.

      

      Elizabeth pulled her gaze from Zach Harcourt’s tall, lean figure as he disappeared out of the room. She could still feel a faint buzz of electricity from their brief encounter. He had a way of getting to her, of challenging her, and at the same time looking at her as if he found her incredibly attractive. It annoyed her. And it intrigued her.

      Zach Harcourt might no longer have a problem with drugs and alcohol, but he was just as irritating, just as overbearing as he’d been as a boy.

      Still, she couldn’t deny she found him attractive. There was something about him, something dark and mysterious that appealed to her in a sexual way. Women always seemed to like bad boys. Apparently, in some primal way, she did, too.

      Carson walked up to her just then and her СКАЧАТЬ