Free DevilishlyHot by Unknown Page A

lunch? She didn’t have time for that. She usually wolfed down a sandwich whenever she could find a minute. Her days were too busy for things like actual lunch breaks.
    But then she realized this was the very person Finola wanted to know about, and going to lunch with him would be an easy way to find out all the details of his life.
    Of course, she didn’t want to answer the questions he’d likely have for her, but maybe she could keep him busy with questions of her own. She told herself she wasn’t agreeing because she wanted to know more about him herself. This was work. Work and keeping her soul one more day.
    She managed a slight smile. “Sure. Lunch would be great.”
     
    “So what’s your favorite food?”
    Nick looked up from his turkey sub, getting the definite impression he was the one being interviewed here. On the walk to the small diner just a few blocks from both her work and his station, she’d asked him at least a dozen questions. Did he live in Manhattan? Did he have family in New York? Did he have siblings? When was his birthday? Did he like winter? What was his favorite season? What were his hobbies? Did he have pets? What was his favorite color?
    “I like just about everything. I’m not a very picky eater,” he said, not bothering to hide his wry smile.
    She nodded, oblivious to his expression, her own very serious—focused, even. She took a bite of her chef’s salad, then reached for her cell phone, acting as if she was simply checking her messages. She typed something on the screen, just as she had after every few questions since they’d left the office. She might think she was being subtle, but he’d long since figured out she was making notes about his responses.
    As if reading his mind, she looked up, giving him an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I just need to answer this email.”
    He nodded, not keeping the amused disbelief from his eyes, but again she didn’t seem to notice. Whatever she was doing, it was her total focus.
    She looked up from her phone. “Do you drink?”
    This time he openly grinned. “Every day.”
    Annie’s gray-blue eyes widened with dismay.
    “Oh,” he said slowly, pretending to just now understand her question, “you’re referring to liquor. Yes, I do, sometimes.”
    She nodded, again oblivious to the fact that he’d been teasing her. She typed on her phone.
    Well, one thing was for sure, Annie Lou was living up to her last name. He definitely didn’t understand what she was doing, but he planned to find out. He took a bite of his sandwich, chewing slowly, watching her as she now focused on her lunch again.
    The only thing he knew for sure was that she was just as pretty as he remembered. Wide eyes the color of stormy skies, long dark lashes, full lips, her brown hair pulled back from her face to reveal lovely cheekbones and a perfect complexion.
    She might possibly be the nosiest woman he’d ever encountered, but her constant, random questions didn’t bother him, especially asked in that sweet voice with just a hint of Southern twang softening the words. And her occasional smiles that made her face even more adorable. Although so far, her smiles had been far too infrequent. And laughs, well, he’d definitely like to hear more of those.
    “Oh, I forgot,” she said suddenly after swallowing a bite of her salad. “Are you married?”
    Forgot? He frowned, now truly curious about what was motivating all these questions, but he answered her, because this one he definitely wanted her to know.
    “No, I’m not married.”
    Another nod, and she was back to her phone. She glanced up at him, giving him another pained smile. “I’m sorry. Another email. You know how it is, always something.”
    “No problem,” he said. “Although I didn’t notice your phone signaling you received one.”
    Her finger paused on the touch screen.
    “It’s, um, on vibrate,” she said.
    He nodded, and for the first time, she seemed to realize he might not be buying her