His Christmas Virgin by Carole Mortimer Read Free Book Online Page B

evening?’ He mockingly changed the subject once the restaurateur had taken note of their order and returned to his beloved kitchen a few minutes later.
    Mac knew he had to be referring to the fact that there was garlic in both of the foods she had ordered. ‘I take it that you do?’ she retorted, the Marie Rose prawns and Dover sole he had ordered not having any garlic in at all.
    â€˜As it happens, no.’ That blue gaze met hers tauntingly. ‘Are you offering to rectify that omission?’
    Mac frowned. ‘You can’t be serious?’
    Was he? Having spent part of the morning in uncomfortable arousal because of this woman, Jonas had once again decided that, the less he had to do with Mac the better it would be for both him and his aching erection! A decision his last remark made a complete nonsense of.
    â€˜Obviously not,’ he muttered.
    Mac looked across at him shrewdly. ‘It sounded like you were asking me out on a date.’
    Jonas shrugged. ‘You’re entitled to your opinion, I suppose.’
    â€˜You “suppose”?’ she taunted.
    He scowled darkly. ‘Mac, are you deliberately trying to initiate an argument with me?’
    â€˜Maybe.’
    Jonas narrowed his gaze. ‘Why?’
    â€˜Why not?’ Mac smiled. ‘It’s certainly livened up the conversation!’
    Jonas knew it had done a lot more than that. He was far too physically aware of this woman already; he didn’t need to feel any more so. In fact, he was somewhat relieved when the waiter chose that moment to deliver their first course to them.
    What the hell had he been doing, all but suggesting that Mac ask him out on a date this evening? Meeting her for lunch was bad enough, without prolonging the time he had to spend in her disturbing company. In future, Jonas decided darkly, he would just stick to taking out his usual beautiful and sophisticated blondes!
    â€˜The reviews of your exhibition in Sunday’s newspapers were good,’ he abruptly changed the subject.
    She nodded. ‘Your cousin was especially kind.’
    â€˜Amy is a complete professional; if she says you’re good, then you’re good,’ Jonas said.
    â€˜I went to the gallery after seeing you this morning. It seems to be pretty busy,’ Mac told him distractedly, still slightly reeling from what she was pretty sure had been an invitation on Jonas’s part for them to spend the evening together too. An offer he had obviously instantly regretted making.
    Which was just as well considering Mac would have had to refuse the invitation! Going to his office was one thing. Having lunch with Jonas so that they could discuss what was going on with her warehouse was also acceptable. Going out on a proper date with him was something else entirely…
    In spite of the fact that Jonas Buchanan was so obviously a devastatingly attractive man, he simply wasn’t Mac’s type. He was far too arrogant. At least as arrogant, if not more so, as Thomas Connelly, the art critic who had considered her nothing but a trophy to parade on his arm six years ago.
    She picked up her fork to deliberately spear one of the succulent prawns swimming in garlic, before raising it to her mouth and popping it between her lips. Only to glance across the table at the exact moment she did so, her cheeks heating with flaming wings of colour as she saw the intensity with which Jonas was watching the movement.
    Dark and mesmerising, his eyes had become a deep and cobalt blue. There was a slight flush to his cheeks too, and those sculptured lips were slightly parted.
    Mac shifted uncomfortably. ‘Would you like to try one?’
    That dark gaze lifted up to hers. ‘What?’
    She swallowed hard, feeling strangely alone with Jonas in this crowded and happily noisy restaurant. ‘You seemed to be coveting my garlic prawns, so I was offering to let you try one…’
    Damn it, Jonas hadn’t been