Calling All the Shots Read Online Free PDF Page B

it. Never had been able
to. The flashes he had of her from high school were just those big eyes of hers
and that guarded expression on her face.
    “I’m not sure if I like myself.”
    Dammit, where had those words come from? He had meant to feed
her some line about how she couldn’t expect him to like her if she kept him from
truly knowing her. What he couldn’t tell her is that he’d lost the ability to
care about anything but a challenge a long time ago.
    “I didn’t expect you to be that honest,” she said. “What’s not
to like about you? You’re charming—”
    “I didn’t think you’d noticed,” he said, flashing her a
calculated grin because he needed to get them back on familiar footing instead
of staying here where he felt so damned vulnerable.
    “It’s hard not to when you are wooing everyone in sight.”
    “That’s my job. I can’t be successful if no one wants to talk
to me. I’m the host.”
    “You’re right about that,” she said, tucking a strand of hair
behind her ear. “So it’s just for show?”
    He shrugged. “I genuinely like talking to people and hearing
their stories. They fascinate me.”
    That hadn’t always been the case. There had been a time in his
life when he’d been so focused on himself he didn’t know others even existed.
But his accident and hitting rock bottom had changed that. He’d needed people
and had been amazed at how many had reached out to help him.
    “Me, too. As long as they are moving toward helping me finish
whatever I’m working on,” Willow said. She was driven, and he could respect
that.
    “Is work all you ever think about?” he asked. She had always
struck him as a workaholic. Then again, he only saw her in the context of the
set, so he thought he might have it wrong. Now he wasn’t so sure.
    She shook her head, but then grimaced. “It is. Even when I’m
out with my friends I’m always thinking of my next project. But you know how it
is in our business. If you take a break for a second someone will pass you by
and that’s it. No one remembers your name.”
    “You can take a small break. How about when I get back to the
East Coast you play hooky for one day?” he suggested. He needed to have her to
himself so he could see if she was worth all the crazy she brought to his
life.
    “Why?” she asked.
    “Because I want to give you something you can’t give yourself.”
He wanted to get her to notice him, and charm and expensive gifts weren’t the
key to Willow. He could see that now.
    “I don’t know that I want that kind of gift,” she said.
    “Too bad. That’s what I’m claiming as my favor.”
    “Uh, you already had your favor and it was a smokin’-hot
kiss.”
    “Dang, that’s right. Okay, fine, we’ll wait until after our
date or better yet, I’ll make our date a no-talking-about-work one.”
    “If that’s what you want,” she said, nibbling her lower
lip.
    “I really should be going,” she said.
    But she made no move toward the door. She seemed as reluctant
as he was to see this night end. “We didn’t get to really enjoy our coffee since
we had that little work crisis to attend to…want another cup?”
    She shook her head. “Thank you, but no. I can’t or I’ll be up
all night.”
    “How about seeing where that kiss could lead?” he asked.
    “I want to say yes. I think that’s why I’m still here. But I
don’t get why I’m attracted to you,” she said. “It would have been so much nicer
if your kiss tasted gross.”
    That startled a laugh out of him and he shook his head. “You
really are one of a kind. Sorry for not being gross.”
    She gave him a really tender half smile that let him see how
vulnerable she could be. And it was odd to see that expression on her face
because she was always in charge. Always so in control of herself and her
surroundings, but now he had a glimpse of a different side of her.
    “It just makes everything so much more complicated.”
    “Surely you’ve had that