Substitute Seduction. Cat Schield
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and parked himself at the bar in easy range of the entrance to wait for London’s arrival. Since leaving her office that morning, he’d been half expecting she’d call to cancel. With each hour that passed, he’d grown increasingly confident that she wasn’t going to fight their mutual attraction. Yet now, as he counted down the minutes until she walked in, he found his stomach tying itself into anxious knots.
Her effect on him should’ve sent him running in the opposite direction. Already he suspected that they were at odds on several fundamental issues. For one thing, she wasn’t his type and it was pretty clear he wasn’t hers. She was elegant and aloof. Completely the opposite of the fun-loving ladies who hung out at the track, enjoyed drinking beer and weren’t afraid to get a little dirty.
He imagined she’d be bossy as hell in a relationship. Tonight was a good example. She’d chosen the time and place, taking control, making it clear if he wanted to play, it would be by her rules. Harrison smirked. She could make all the rules she wanted. He’d bend every one.
The restaurant’s front door opened, and before Harrison had fully focused on the woman on the threshold, his heart gave a hard jerk. For someone accustomed to facing near collisions at ridiculous speeds and regularly operating at high levels of stress for long periods of time without faltering, Harrison wasn’t sure what to make of the jolt London’s arrival had given him.
For the space of several irregular breaths as her gaze swept the restaurant in search of him, Harrison had the opportunity to take her in. She’d changed her clothes since their earlier meeting and looked stunning in a navy dress with a broad neckline that bared her delicate shoulders and the hollows above her collarbones. The material hugged her upper body, highlighting the curves of her breasts, before flaring into a full skirt that stopped at her knees. The dark color contrasted with the creamy tones of her pale skin and highlighted her blue eyes. She’d pulled her hair back into a loose knot at the base of her neck and left long strands of gold waves to frame her face. Her only jewelry was a pair of simple pearl earrings.
When she spotted him, her uncertain smile hit Harrison like lightning. His nerves buzzed in the aftermath as he made his way through the crowded bar toward her.
“You look gorgeous,” he murmured, cupping his fingers around her bare arm and leaning down to graze a kiss across her cheek.
Her body tensed at his familiarity, but her smile remained in place as he stepped back and looked down at her.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice neither breathless nor coy. She took in his jeans, light blue shirt and oatmeal-colored blazer. “You look quite dapper,” she said, reaching out to tug at the navy pocket square in his breast pocket.
“I’m glad you approve,” he said and meant it. “And I’m glad you were able to join me for dinner tonight.”
“You were kind to invite me.”
Niceties concluded, Harrison set his hand on her back and guided her toward the hostess. They were led to a table by the front windows overlooking King Street.
“Do you come here a lot?” Harrison asked after they were seated. He scanned the menu, which specialized in farm-to-table fare, and settled on the scallops with smoked yogurt, beets and pistachio.
“Actually, I’ve never been, but it’s one of Maribelle and Beau’s favorite places. They had their first date here and...it’s where he proposed.” Her eyes widened as if she realized what she’d implied. “They’re always going on and on about how good the food is. That’s why I picked it.”
“Can’t wait to see if they’re right.”
“So, you’ve never been here before?”
Harrison shook his head. “I don’t get out much.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
“It’s true. I’m on the road so much of the year that when I do get home, I like to hole up and recharge.”
“You do?”
“Most of my time and attention is focused on cars and racing. Analyzing my competition, studying the track, figuring out how I can improve.”
“I did a little research on you and learned you’re a big deal in racing.” Bright spots of color appeared in her cheeks as he raised his eyebrows at her confession. “Lots of appearances and events.”
“All to promote Crosby Motorsports. I’m actually an introvert.” He could tell she wasn’t buying it.
“You can’t possibly be. You’re a fan favorite with a huge following.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I do my share of press events and meeting fans, but it isn’t what I enjoy. I’d much rather be tinkering with a car or hanging out with a few of my friends.”
She made a face. “I figured you would be out in the public, soaking up the accolades, enjoying your stardom.”
Her thorny tone made him frown. “You seem to have a very jaded view of me. Why is that?”
“It’s not you.” She moved her wineglass around in circles on the white tablecloth and seemed engrossed in the light refracted by the liquid. “I guess it’s what you do. I’ve spent a lot of time around sports stars and most of them love being celebrities. The adoring fans. The special attention they get wherever they go. It makes them act...entitled.”
Obviously her attitude had been formed during her relationship with Lincoln Thurston. As a professional baseball player, no doubt Thurston had enjoyed his share of the limelight. Harrison needed to convince her he and her ex-fiancé weren’t cut from the same cloth.
“Not all of them,” Harrison insisted.
“Most of them.”
“Was Linc that way?” He’d asked, even knowing that it was risky to probe for details about what might be painful for her.
“I don’t want to talk about him.” London’s brittle tone was a warning to Harrison that he should tread carefully.
Still, he needed to know where her head was at. “Because you’re still not over the breakup?”
How could she be? He’d done his own bit of research on her and discovered only a few months had passed since their two-year engagement ended.
“I am over it.” The bits of gold floating in London’s blue eyes flashed.
“Are you over him?”
She exhaled in exasperation. “We were together for three years.”
“So that’s a no?”
London’s expression hardened into a look that Harrison interpreted as back off. That wasn’t going to stop him. This woman was worth fighting for.
“I can’t imagine what having him break your engagement must have been like for you, but I am happy to listen if you want to dump on the guy.” He paused and then grinned. “Or the male gender as a whole.”
From her frown, he could see his offer had confused her.
“Why?”
He shrugged. “Because I think too many men suck in the way they treat women.”
“And you don’t?” Her earlier tension faded into skepticism.
“I’m sure you can find plenty of women who would complain about me.”
One corner of her lips twitched. “So what, then, makes you so different from all the other men out there?”
“Maybe nothing. Or maybe it’s the case that I don’t take advantage of people because I can. I’m not an entitled jerk like my brother can be all too often.” Harrison brought up Tristan to see how London reacted. She’d shown far too much interest in him at the party and Harrison wanted to understand why. “Tristan treats women like they’re his personal playground.”
“But