Believe in Me: A Rosewood Novel by Laura Moore Read Free Book Online Page B

was like being a first-year art student and having her paintings examined by Michelangelo, Jordan wasn’t going to back down. She hadn’t sat through this awful lunch, doing her darnedest to ignore the hundred little things about Owen Gage that she really did
not
want to notice about him—such as the tantalizing contrast of the dark hair sprinkling the back of his long-fingered hands and the snowy white cuff of his shirt sleeve, or how the lines that fanned out from the corners of his eyes and bracketed his mouth deepened whenever he smiled—to give up on the commission now.
    “Of course I have no objection to Owen hearing my ideas,” she said, bringing the tally of today’s lies into the double digits.
    “There, you see, Owen? She doesn’t mind at all. Let’s go over to the cottage right now, shall we? Oh, this will be so much fun!”
    A mini replica of the main house, the intimate scale of the guest cottage made it resemble a pastel petit four pastry. As they walked up the flagstone path that led to the cottage, Jordan took in the freshly refurbished wood-and-stucco exterior, noting the meticulous repair. Owen Gage & Associates had done a superb job, she admitted to herself, and she fully expected the interior to reveal the same level of craftsmanship.
    Owen opened the front door for them. Nonie entered first, chattering away as she did. Jordan, who’d been examining the carved doorframe, followed more slowly. As she stepped over the threshold, she was stopped by his hand.
    Her brows drew together in a questioning frown as she instinctively pulled her arm away from the warmth of his fingers. With an effort, she resisted the urge to rub the spot on her arm that still tingled from the momentary contact. She really wished he’d stop with all this casual touching. “Yes?” she asked.
    “I just wanted to say that I’m sorry about the awkwardness of the situation. I don’t think Nonie realizes—”
    That shows how little you know her
. “Please don’t apologize. Your presence makes absolutely no difference to me.” A part of her couldn’t believe how rude she had just been. She wasn’t usually churlish. But few people succeeded in irritating her with so little effort. Indeed, he was so irritating that she decided she wasn’t going to apologize for the remark. Her chin rose defiantly.
    If he was offended, he didn’t show it. “Well, I won’t worry then,” he said.
    She caught the thread of amusement in the low rumble of his voice. What could he possibly find so entertaining, she wondered, before stifling a gasp as he suddenly leaned forward.
    His strong-boned face was far too close. For some reason, though, she stood rooted to the spot, watching as his angled head came even nearer.
My God, was he going to kiss her?
    Mere inches away from her trembling lips, he halted his progress and simply inhaled. Deeply.
    Jordan nearly jumped out of her skin. Had he just
sniffed
her?
    “What … what are you doing?” The words came out in a panicked rush that matched the speed of her pulse.
    His smile was as innocent as a choir boy’s. “Nothing. I was trying to identify your perfume.”
    “I … I’m not … I’m not wearing perfume.”
    His face was still far too close. The gold chips glittered in his dark eyes, brilliant and mesmerizing. They made her system go haywire. She couldn’t move, not even to take half a step backward.
    “Are you sure?” He frowned. “How strange, because you smell wonderful.” That he sounded abstracted, as if he weren’t intentionally trying to fluster her, only rattled her more.
    “I—” She had no idea what to say.
    She was saved by Nonie, who called out, demanding to know what was holding them up.
    Owen straightened, a smile playing over his lips. “I guess it’s time to show us what you’ve got, Jordan.”
    Okay, now she was truly convinced he was playing some kind of mind game to throw her off balance. Perhaps he was exacting revenge for her earlier comment.