Free Little White Lies by Kimberley Reeves Page B

exploration, and though she was sure the world went on around them, she wasn’t aware of anything but the way he was making her feel at that moment.  He released her on shaky legs and seemed quite satisfied with the results of his kiss when she followed him demurely to the dressing room.
     
    The next two hours were a flurry of activity as clothes were brought in, tried on, modeled for Jack, then either taken away or placed to the side to be purchased.  Beth attended them personally, and Miranda grudgingly admitted the woman knew what she was doing.  She didn’t try to pass off clothes that fit her own taste, which was chic but a little too bold for Miranda. 
     
    Instead, Beth brought things that were simple but elegant, colorful but not loud, and were geared towards Miranda’s conservative nature.  True, at Jack’s urging the necklines were a little more daring than she was used to and the material more form fitting, but the way he looked at her in each new outfit Miranda paraded for him made her lose some of her inhibitions.
     
    “I’m exhausted,” she announced as they piled the boxes and bags in the back of his truck.
     
    Jack secured everything with a cargo net then opened her door and lifted her in.  “I promise to take you for a nice relaxing lunch, and for the rest of the day we won’t do anything more strenuous than kiss.  Besides, I want you rested for this evening.”
     
    Miranda gave him a sexy smile.  “Why, what have you got planned for this evening?”
     
    “Not what you’re thinking, at least not until later.  I’m going to wine and dine you then take you dancing so you can wear one of those pretty new dresses I got you.”
     
    She bit her lip, a worried frown creasing her forehead.  “I shouldn’t have let you spend that much.  I do have money of my own, you know.”
     
    “Oh, no you don’t,” he said, strapping her into the seat.  “We’re not going to argue over the money issue again.  Look, I make an extremely good living and what I laid down in there is nothing compared to what I spend putting on lavish parties I don’t even enjoy.  Now be a good girl and stop getting so worked up over it.”
     
    She waited until he climbed back in and they were back on the highway to ask, “You never said what you did for a living.”
     
    “I own a company.”
     
    “I could have figured that out on my own.  What kind of company?  Where is it located?”
     
    Jack considered adding a little white lie to the ones he’d already told, then quickly dismissed it.  The closer he kept to the truth, the less likely he was to stumble over it later. 
     
    “It’s an import/export company.”
     
    “So you’re in direct competition with Devlin Shipping?”  Her eyes narrowed.  “Are you telling the truth? I know all our main competitors and their owners, and your name has never come up.”
     
    “That’s because I’m not in competition with Devlin.  As a matter of fact, we’re located in the same city as Holt’s company.” 
     
    “How come Holt never mentioned it to me?”
     
    “I doubt he talks much about me at all, am I right?”
     
    “No, he doesn’t.  Don’t you get along with each other?”
     
    “Actually, we’re very close.  Holt just doesn’t like talking about family or having anyone knowing his personal business. We both learned long ago that anything we say about friends or family can get misconstrued and thrown back at us so we’re both pretty tight lipped that way.”
     
    “Tabloids you mean?”
     
    “Tabloids, newspapers, the high society grape vine.  They all like to latch onto a tiny piece of gossip and nurture it until it’s a full blown scandal.  Twisting our words seems to be a favorite with them so we just don’t give them any ammunition.  How is it you’ve managed to stay out of the lime light anyway?  Surely the gossip hounds have staked out the manor and tried to catch you coming or going.”
     
    “Not really. It’s