Until We Touch. Susan Mallery

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СКАЧАТЬ know.” She sighed. “So what do I do about the kiss?”

      Bailey considered the question. “What do you want to do about it?”

      “Pretend it never happened.”

      “That sounds like a plan to me.”

      * * *

      WHILE KENNY HANDLED company-wide staff meetings, Taryn was firmly in charge of partner meetings. Both of which happened far too often for Jack’s peace of mind. Did they really all need to know what the other was doing? Apparently so, which was why he found himself sitting in Taryn’s office, listening to her go on about the status of various client projects.

      Normally he found this kind of thing interesting, but not today. Not when he was wrestling with the fact that he and Larissa had kissed. What the hell? He wasn’t even sure how it had happened. One second they’d been joking and talking like always and the next she’d looked at him with an expression he’d never seen before. Okay, he’d seen it before, but not from her. And not like that.

      She’d wanted him. That had been clear. And being wanted by Larissa had been irresistible. Of course, he’d been dealing with his own crap about the erection, so maybe she’d seen something in him that had triggered her feelings and that had led to the kiss.

      He tried to tell himself it was just a kiss; only, could it be just that where Larissa was concerned? As far as he knew, she was careful about who she kissed. Which meant what?

      Crap. It was all crap. And if his mind kept running in circles like some damned hamster on a wheel, he was probably going to turn into a woman.

      “Jack,” Taryn said, her voice cool. “Do you mind joining us for the meeting today?”

      He looked up, startled. “What?”

      His business partner glared at him. “You’re somewhere else. Do you care to share with the rest of the class? There’s obviously a problem.”

      They all knew? How was that possible?

      Kenny sniggered. “Jack got a boner during his massage yesterday. It freaked him out.”

      Jack nearly corrected him by saying the real problem was the kiss, but stopped himself in time.

      Taryn rolled her eyes. “Seriously? That’s what has you distracted? It can’t be the first time it’s happened.”

      “Not in life,” Jack said stiffly. “You would know that personally.”

      She drew in a breath, obviously trying to be patient. “Yes, I’m aware that sexually, you’re a functioning male. If only it were true in the rest of your world. I was saying I’m surprised it hasn’t happened before during a massage.”

      “I don’t get a boner when I get a massage,” Sam said.

      Taryn barely spared him a glance. “No one here is shocked by that.”

      “Hey, what does that mean?”

      Taryn’s grip on her papers tightened. She looked at Sam. “That you have extraordinary powers of control, Sam.”

      “Oh. Okay. I accept that.”

      “It happens to me all the time,” Kenny admitted cheerfully. “I’m naked. She’s touching me. It’s nice.”

      “And the road from nice to boner is less than three seconds?” Taryn asked.

      Kenny grinned unapologetically. “Sue me.”

      Taryn turned to Jack. “Did you talk to Larissa about it?”

      “Yes. We’re fine. Let’s change the subject.”

      “Fine by me.” She sighed. “I find you all desperately annoying. You know that, right?”

      Sam grinned. “It’s what keeps us going.”

      * * *

      PATIENCE GARRETT HURRIED toward Larissa. The other woman was obviously excited and grabbed both of Larissa’s hands when they met on the sidewalk.

      “There’s been a sighting,” Patience announced.

      “Of a yeti?”

      “What? No. Of course not. Oh, look. There’s Isabel.” Patience waved, as if to hurry her friend.

      About fifteen minutes ago Patience had called Larissa and told her to meet her outside of Jo’s Bar immediately. Apparently others had also received a call.

      Isabel practically ran up the street. “Is it true?” she asked when she reached them. “There’s been a sighting?”

      “Of what?” Larissa demanded. “What are you talking about?”

      Patience still had hold of her hands. She squeezed them and practically danced with excitement. “Zane Nicholson.”

      Larissa wasn’t one to follow the gossip magazines. From knowing the guys, she understood everything the publications got wrong. But she thought she had at least a working knowledge of most major celebrities.

      “I don’t know who that is,” she admitted.

      Isabel pressed a hand to her chest. “Zane Nicholson. Absolutely the sexiest guy in high school. I mean seriously sexy.”

      Patience released Larissa’s hands and nodded. “He was voted ‘the guy every girl most wanted to sleep with’ four years straight. And the last vote was after he’d already graduated.”

      “You really had that category in your yearbook?”

      Isabel grinned. “Of course not. It was a private poll. But still, he totally won.” She sighed. “Those eyes. That walk.”

      “That smile.”

      Isabel nodded. “Rarely seen and all the more to be treasured. How do I look?”

      “Married,” Larissa murmured. “You look married.”

      Isabel brushed off the comment. “I’m not going to sleep with him now. I’m just saying, back then, he was totally all that.” She turned to Patience. “He’s really in Jo’s?”

      “That’s the rumor.”

      “Then let’s go.”

      Larissa walked with them, not sure if she was being treated to a rare event only locals could appreciate or simply the victim of wrong place, wrong time. So some guy had come into town. Big whoop.

      They crossed the street and walked up to the bar.

      “My heart is pounding,” Patience whispered. “I feel like I’m sixteen again. He danced with me once. At homecoming. I thought I was going to die.”

      “I remember and I was bitter,” Isabel said cheerfully. “He smiled at me once in the hall, but СКАЧАТЬ