with the other. He motioned toward the envelopes. âCan you get those?â
âWhere are you going with this?â
âIâm going to take it into the office and try to make some sense of it. Thatâs what an audit is all about. I have to assure the IRS that you havenât tried to cheat them.â
Victoria sighed. âI havenât, you know,â she said softly, her voice filled with something that sounded like disappointment at his continued disbelief.
Tate nodded. Ironically, he did believe her. No one whose head was as high in the clouds as Victoria Marshallâs would ever dream of cheating on her taxes. And even if the thought had crossed her mind, he doubted if she could figure out how to do it.
Victoria followed him down the stairs and out to his car, noting that it was what she would have expected him to drive: a very conservative, American made, four-door sedan. Anyone with his precise, orderly mind definitely would not be into flash and dazzle. She was a little worried, though, about the effect the afternoon seemed to have had on him. He did not look like the same determined, self-confident man whoâd walked into her life a few hours earlier. He appeared defeated somehow, though his brown eyes did twinkle a little when he said goodbye.
âWhat happened to dinner?â she taunted. âI did win the bet, you know.â
âAs soon as I figure this out, Iâll be in touch,â he promised with a sizzling, sensual smile that sent her blood pressure soaring. âAnd weâll celebrate your victory over IRS with champagne, caviar and beef Wellington.â
As he drove off, Victoria sighed. If he threw in candlelight and roses, sheâd be a goner.
Chapter Three
T he following morning, Victoria sat at the kitchen table for a long time, dreamily sipping a cup of tea and trying unsuccessfully to push disturbing and unexpectedly lusty thoughts of Tate McAndrews from her mind. The rumpled tan sports jacket heâd forgotten and left draped over the back of a chair was not helping matters. When sheâd run her hand over the fine material, her fingers had picked up the lingering, tangy scent of his cologne. The clean, outdoorsy odor had brought back a sharp image of that brief, tantalizing moment when heâd caught her and held her in his arms.
Of all the men who might have wandered into her life and stirred up her untapped passions, Tate McAndrews was the worst possible choice. Tate was soâ¦sensible, so practical. She had the distinct impression that he would never do anything impulsive. He would examine all the implications, evaluate the possible consequences and then, if it didnât seem too costly, he might indulge in a few minutes of simple fun.
She, on the other hand, was constantly getting sidetracked by interesting, unexpected things. Not once could she ever recall going from point A to point B without wandering off to explore along the way. She saw life in glorious, spectacular Technicolor. If what sheâd seen yesterday was any indication, Tate seemed to view it in black and white, without the benefit of any grays.
Victoria sighed. It was definitely a mismatch. And yetâ¦. She glanced over at the bright yellow wall phone, dared it to ring, then shook her head.
âYou are losing it, Victoria,â she muttered aloud. âItâs barely 8:00 a.m. No man, however enchanted he might be, is likely to call at that hour, and Tate McAndrews did not seem the least bit enchanted.â She paused thoughtfully, recalling those one or two looks that could have sizzled bacon to a crisp. She shook her head and dismissed them. âUh-uh. The man thinks you are a certifiable nut. There is a very good chance he will not call at allâ¦unless he remembers his jacket or decides to haul you in for income tax evasion. Forget about him.â
Deep down she knew this was good advice. She also knew she wasnât likely to follow it.