Something Wicked This Way Comes, Volume 2

Josef nodded.

Carla sat back and rolled her eyes. “You’ve got to be kidding me. This plot’s been done to death! I can tell you six Hollywood movies using the same device off the top of my head. Next you’ll be telling me you found a mummy nearby complete with hieroglyphics and a curse.”

“I figured you wouldn’t take this seriously.” Josef slid his chair back and stood up. Too bad. He had almost decided another night in New York could be just what he needed.

She stood as well. “I am taking you seriously, Dr. Anderson. So seriously that I’ll read your dry report as soon as you hand me the copy Angie said you’d give me. But I’m not writing a story that’s already hackneyed, no matter how truthful it might be, and I’m not wasting any more of my time. Good day.”

Carla held out her hand. Josef knew full well what she wanted and deliberately misunderstood. Instead of fetching the report, currently tucked in the bag he’d left behind the receptionist’s desk, he reached forward to take her proffered hand in his and give it a good shake.

She instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but he didn’t let go. The woman needed to have her comfort zone invaded. What was it about her that made him want to do just that? Hell, made him want to toss her onto the table and make love to her? She did nothing but annoy him, yet something pulled him in.

“I don’t want you to write a story about the princess,” he murmured, catching another whiff of her spicy perfume. He steeled himself against it and stared into those wide hazel eyes. “I don’t want to give you my report, either.”

“Angie said… If you don’t, Dr. DiPaolo will make life difficult for you.”

“Is that a threat?” Josef noted she made no attempt to step back, despite the fact that she was flustered. Her cheeks had turned a delightful shade of pink and her gaze refused to meet his.

“It’s a simple statement of the truth.” Now she did make a move backward. He didn’t relinquish his hold on her hand, pulling it closer to his chest.

“May I have my hand back, please?” She still didn’t look at him, but he could hear exasperation building in her voice. Why was he having such fun baiting her? She was nothing to him but a coworker’s distracting friend. He should be on his way back to the airport already.

“Why is keeping your friend happy so important to you? She’s thousands of miles away and won’t know if I give you the report or not, if you don’t tell her.”

She yanked and he let go. Her arm flew back and now she did meet his gaze, her eyes blazing.

“Angie’s a friend. Friends don’t lie to each other. Just give me the damn report and we can call this quits.”

“Have dinner with me tonight and I’ll give it to you then.”

She eyed him in confusion. “Why can’t you give it to me now?”

“Because I want to give it to you after dinner.”

“Are you asking me out on a date?”

Josef couldn’t quite believe it himself. The invitation had flown out his mouth before he’d realized he’d even thought the thought. But once spoken, he liked the idea.

“Apparently, I am.”

Carla briefly thought of Angie’s penchant for setting up blind dates. Had she been suckered again? Her friend didn’t understand how Carla could go through life without a boyfriend on the end of a leash at all times.

What Angie couldn’t get through her head was that Carla didn’t want to hold the leash—she wanted her leash held.

Pursing her lips to keep from smiling at the thought, Carla turned to gaze at an artifact under glass on the side of the room, pretending to consider his offer. Did he know what she wrote? Or that her own sexual predilections were reflected in all her heroines?

Despite his dismissive behavior earlier, she did like the way his gray eyes had lit up when speaking about the princess. Passion flared under that rumpled suit and brusque demeanor. She was sure of it. Turning, she held out her hand once more.

“I accept.”

“You do?”

The disbelief made her chuckle. “Yes, Dr. Anderson. I do. I haven’t been in the city in a while,” she gestured around the room as if it included the entire island, “I might as well make use of the time. Day’s shot for getting any decent writing done, anyway.”

“Gee, I’m so glad you’re deigning to spend some time with me.”

His dry tone didn’t fool her. “You’re playing me, Dr. Anderson. I’ll have dinner with you tonight, you’ll tell me a little more about this Bedouin princess, hand me the report and we’ll go our merry ways. Then you can go back and tell Dr. DiPaolo you went through with your blind date and she’ll be suitably upset with both of us that we didn’t fall into the sack with each other, madly in love with plans to live happily ever after.”

For a moment he just frowned, as if he didn’t know what she meant. Then the light dawned and she liked the way his brow smoothed. What would he look like with his hair down? Probably a wild Viking. She could just picture him with Thor’s hammer in his fist, hair blown back by the winds of Valhalla or wherever it was Norse gods lived. He’d stride up to her, enfold her in his arm, his corded muscles holding her tight…

Carla hefted her purse over her shoulder and turned away quickly, lest her eyes give away her suddenly naughty thoughts.

Josef waited at the door, his hand on the knob. “I don’t know the city very well. What would be a good place for dinner?”

Carla hesitated only a second, still not making eye contact. “Maxwell’s. Down in the Village.”

“Seven o’clock.”

“I’ll be there.”

He opened the door and stepped aside to let her though first. As she passed him, his hand rested briefly on the small of her back, giving her a shiver. He took her hand and touched a kiss to the back in an old-fashioned gesture of civility. “’Til tonight,” he murmured.

Her heart beating hard, Carla merely nodded and stepped out of the office with as much dignity as she could muster when her knees felt like jelly.

Josef watched her go through the glass door and down the hall, very impressed with the view. A small cough brought him back. The secretary wagged her finger at him with a knowing smile.

“You’re a very bad man, Dr. Josef. You are too good with the ladies.”

“Oh, Annalie, if only you were single…”

“Go on with you now. I suppose you need me to make a reservation for the night?”

“Some place called Maxwell’s?” Josef shrugged. “Down in the Village, if that helps.”

“I can do that. But I meant for a hotel.”

Josef laughed. “You have an evil mind, Annalie. I have no intention of taking the lovely Ms. Braun to bed with me tonight.”

The secretary’s look informed him she didn’t believe one word of it. “But you are staying the night, yes? In the city you say you hate so much.”

The raised eyebrow indicated she knew exactly where Dr. Josef’s thoughts had gone as he’d watched the young woman walk down the corridor. Josef chuckled. “Yes, Annalie. I need reservations for dinner—and a hotel.”

“Yes, Dr. Josef.”

With a grin, he retrieved his leather bag from behind her desk, pausing to plant a kiss on the woman’s cheek before sauntering out the glass door himself, wondering where in this city he could find some good stout rope.

Chapter Two

Carla left her car in an all-day parking lot. Driving to Manhattan was fun, driving in Manhattan was not. Taking the subway, she first made her way to Macy’s department