Skirting The Issue. HEATHER MACALLISTER

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СКАЧАТЬ to offer. Something to make them attractive renters to Tavish.

      She was figuring out how much it would cost her to let Tavish throw a ritzy party in the flagship Carrington’s presidential suite when she refocused on the scene. All those beautiful blond women vying for his attention…he was lapping it up.

      Though A.J. did have blond hair, Sam couldn’t see her as the fawning type.

      Sam shifted her package to the other arm. The thing was so hot. She didn’t need to feel hot right now. She needed to be hot…

      Sam stared at the wrapping surrounding the skirt. Yeah, sure it was supposed to be a real man magnet, but that was just a story, right? It didn’t really…

      “Stand in front of me,” she said to the other two, as she tore off the brown paper.

      Claire’s eyes widened as Sam unzipped her skirt. “What are you doing?”

      Sam told them the gist of the skirt legend as she pulled it on.

      “You’re kidding.” A.J. looked as though she wanted to reconsider rooming with Sam.

      “Look, I don’t believe it, either, but it can’t hurt.” She handed her jacket to Claire and smoothed the skirt over her thighs.

      It was a great fit. Must be another sign. They were meant to have the apartment.

      “Follow me, ladies.” As Sam walked forward, the black fabric whispered over her legs and she found herself changing the way she walked in order to accommodate it.

      She imagined herself walking in slow motion, hair rippling over her shoulders, her eyes on the prize—Tavish.

      As she drew closer, the women moved to one side, eyeing her and the two behind her. Sam cut right through until she was standing directly in front of Tavish, the two brokers, and French Twist.

      “Hello,” she purred.

      Three pairs of male eyes swiveled her way.

      “I’m Samantha Baldwin.” She held out her hand and Tavish stepped forward to grasp it.

      “Tavish McLain.” He took her hand and held it, never once blinking.

      The two brokers attempted to introduce themselves, but Tavish wouldn’t relinquish Samantha’s hand.

      Propelling Claire with her, A.J. stepped into the breach and occupied the brokers.

      “You have the perfect apartment,” Sam cooed. All this cooing and purring was new to her, but it was amazing what it did.

      “I c-call it home,” Tavish stuttered, still holding Sam’s hand.

      “I’d like to call it home, too—for the summer at least.” She sent him a limpid gaze and squeezed his hand.

      “Well, I…well, I’m sure—”

      “Just a minute! I’ve given you a check for forty-five hundred dollars!” French Twist wasn’t giving up.

      “Roger, give Meredith back her check,” Tavish instructed.

      “So I’ll give you another for six thousand.” Boy, the woman was persistent.

      “Would you want all the rent up front?” Sam asked.

      Tavish creased his brow. “Oh, no, no, no. Not if it wouldn’t be convenient for you.”

      Sam still held Tavish’s gaze. He still held her hand. She was going to have to blink soon or her eyes would start watering, but he seemed utterly entranced by her and she wanted to take advantage. What she really wanted to do was quickly scribble out a check.

      Fortunately, A.J. had grasped the situation. Sam heard a rip and a blue rectangle appeared in Sam’s peripheral vision. With her free hand she took the check and offered it to Tavish.

      “Here you go…two thousand dollars.” Two thousand? A.J. should have tried for fifteen hundred. Still two thousand a month split three ways was within all their budgets.

      Tavish smiled. “So you want to pay all the rent up front, after all?”

      All the rent? Sam’s heart picked up speed.

      Tavish stuck the check in his vest pocket. “The perfect tenant, wouldn’t you say Roger?”

      “I’d say so.” One of the brokers inched closer.

      “But wait, I thought that was just for—ow!” Claire broke off.

      “That should be tenants.” Sam gestured behind her. “My roommates.” She risked breaking eye contact to glance at them. A.J. waggled her fingers. Claire gave a tight smile and rubbed her arm.

      “Gentlemen, which one of you has the papers we should sign?” A.J. tried to get the brokers’ attention.

      “Papers?” One spoke but he was looking at Sam.

      A.J. snapped her fingers in front of his face. “An indemnity clause? Terms of lease? Liability release?”

      That’s right—get that laughably low rent in there before Tavish came to his senses.

      “Uh, right here.” The broker fumbled in his breast pocket.

      Claire linked her arm around the other broker’s. “You and I are on crowd control. Thanks for coming everybody!” she called and waved them toward the door.

      “Hey!” French Twist wasn’t budging.

      “Ta-ta, Meredith. Just think, you won’t have to walk Cleo.”

      “I would have hired a walker for that damn poodle, and you know it!”

      “As you did last time. Mrs. Higginbotham said that Cleo was very stressed.”

      Poodle? Was dog sitting part of the deal? Sam blinked. She couldn’t help it. Fortunately, breaking eye contact didn’t seem to diminish her strange power over Tavish. “Do you have a dog?” she asked in a breathy voice.

      Tavish shook his head.

      Okay, then. Things were just hunky-dory. A.J. was handling the contract and Claire was making everybody leave.

      Sam’s hand was sweating. Or it could have been Tavish’s. Probably both. How was she supposed to extricate herself? She now not only believed, she thoroughly understood the “magnet” part of the skirt’s legend. Except how did she turn it off?

      “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU DID IT!” A.J. gave her a high five, which Sam was glad she could high-five back, because she thought she’d never get her hand back from Tavish. Then Claire high-fived her. Then they high-fived each other—or low-fived, since they were both so much shorter than Sam.

      Then Sam took off the skirt. They were alone after having made enemies of a significant percentage of the blondes in New York City, but Sam didn’t care. She’d found an apartment—and for a ridiculously low rent. Don’t ask her how that СКАЧАТЬ