Free The Tycoon's Resistant Lover by Elizabeth Lennox Page B

life.
    She liked rules. She lived by them and embraced them. Her business world was based on old rules and strict guidelines. Her reputation as a business woman relied upon her knowledge and adherence to those rules. Rules made her feel as if life was ordered and sane. James was the antithesis of orderliness and sanity. He dared what others refused to even consider.
    Okay, well, there was the point that he had made an extremely good living based off of that philosophy. But that only meant that he could be happy flaunting those rules. She couldn’t live with that kind of insecurity. She knew she couldn’t so why was she so tempted by James?
    He took a step closer to her knowing that she was distracted by something in her head. He could almost hear the argument and he needed to stop her recriminations from driving her crazy. Getting her attention by stepping into her personal space was his only option. It helped that he liked her soft perfume and the strawberry smell of her shampoo. “And will you personally show me the items? Or are you going to brush that off to one of your assistants?” he teased as she folded the blanket from their meal. He knew that she was planning to do just that by the guilty look on her face.
    Damn the man! How could he read her mind so easily? She’d been trying to decide which one on her staff would be able to help him tomorrow. She’d already discarded the two female salespeople. Not because they weren’t capable women, but only because Julianna didn’t want her lovely and charming saleswomen to be near James. She had hired them for their ability to charm the customers but that didn’t mean she wanted them to work their wiles on James. The thought inadvertently popped into her mind that, if anyone was going to work their wiles on him it would be her.
    She jerked her head to the side to get her hair off of her face, then looked up at him with a deep breath. “No, I’d be happy to show you some pieces.” That was brave, she thought silently. Either of the men on the schedule to work tomorrow could easily help James. She could even draw them pictures of James’ house and explain why she’d selected each of the pieces and describe the rooms in which they might be placed. So why had she just volunteered to see James yet again? Even after her whole lecture to herself on why James was not the man for her?
    He grinned, knowing he had her exactly where he wanted her. “Good. It’s a date, then.”
    Julianna’s eyes snapped back up to his. “A date?” she asked nervously.
    “Exactly,” he replied. “I’ll take you out for dinner afterwards and we’ll make an evening of it.”
    She was already shaking her head. “No. I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she countered, unable to look him in the eye.  What had she been doing? She’d spent the evening with James tonight and look where it had ended. Edward would be furious with her! She’d cheated on him and he had every right to feel betrayed. If the roles were reversed, she would….no, she actually wouldn’t feel the same way. The lovely and vivacious Jessica Mallory came to mind as well as the way Edward had been looking at her during the dinner party before James had arrived.
    That wasn’t a valid excuse, she told herself firmly. Edward hadn’t gone and made out with Jessica, he’d only been looking at her with interest. And that interest was only because Edward was trying to help the woman out of a bad situation due to a ridiculous legal document. Goodness, she couldn’t believe what a hussy she was. “No, I’ll have one of my assistants show you the pieces and that way you won’t have to tie up your whole evening.”
    James took the blanket from her and shook his head. “No. You’ll show me the pieces. If you don’t want to go out to dinner afterwards, that’s fine. But you’ve seen my house and only you know what would work and why.”
    Unfortunately, he had a point, damn the man. “Fine. We close tomorrow at