Free Prodigal Son by Susan Mallery

having color to inspire me.”
    Which, apparently, applied to her clothes, he thought as he took in the orange-and-gold top she’d pulled on over black slacks. Her hair was loose, in a riot of red curls that tangled in her beaded earrings.
    By contrast, his suit that day was gray, his shirt white and his tie a traditional burgundy. They couldn’t be more different. Which is what had always made their relationship interesting, he reminded himself.
    “What’s up?” she asked.
    “Have you met Roger Arnet?”
    She wrinkled her nose. “Arnie’s boss, right? I shook hands with him in passing, but we haven’t spoken.”
    “Be prepared. He’s not one to move with the times. He’s opposed to the Internet expansion on many levels. He thinks the plans are too ambitious.”
    “Great. Just what I need. The person in charge of a critical department for me not getting onboard.”
    “I know he’s going to be a problem. I told him he could get with the program or get out.”
    Her eyes widened. “That’s not subtle.”
    “It’s my style. I think he’s a little more willing to compromise now. He does have one legitimate concern and that’s to keep the site secure. Children are vulnerable.”
    “I agree and I’ve been working with the IT guys on different ideas for that. We’re going cutting edge. No stalkers allowed.”
    “Roger felt very passionately about it, as well. You might want to put him on the team.”
    Samantha recoiled physically. “Do I have to?”
    She sounded more like a twelve-year-old than a responsible adult.
    “No, you don’t,” he said, holding in a smile. “It’s your show. You can do what you like. I’m simply pointing out that sometimes it’s better to find a way to work with those who don’t agree with us. If you make Roger feel important and really use him on the project, you’re more likely to win him over. I’ll fire him if I have to, but I would prefer not to. He knows the company and he knows his job. All my reports about him are excellent.”
    “Good point,” she murmured. “I’ll do the mature thing and work with him. But I won’t like it.”
    “No one is asking you to.”
    “Good to know.”
    She stood up and walked to a coffeepot on a low table by the window. When she held it out to him, he nodded. She poured two cups.
    He took the one she offered and watched her walk back to her seat. He liked the way she moved and the way her clothes swayed with each step. When she sat back down, she sniffed her coffee before sipping, as if making sure no one had accidentally changed her drink for something else.
    She’d been doing that for as long as he could remember. He used to tease her about it, which always sparked a furious argument during which she denied the action. Then he would hand her coffee and she would sniff and they would both laugh.
    But this time he didn’t say anything. A couple of nights ago, at the pub, she’d shut him down good. She’d been doing it in various ways ever since they’d first met. At some point he was going to have to accept the truth. Samantha simply didn’t want him.
    In his world, chemistry usually went both ways, but she was the exception to the rule. No matter how powerful the need inside of him, she didn’t feel it. It was time to accept that and move on.
    “Nothing about this job is boring,” she said. “You have to admit that.”
    “Right now I’d be happy with a few days of boring. That would mean no new crisis.”
    She sighed. “You’ve been going from one to the other. That can’t be easy.”
    He shrugged. “It is what it is. I’ll deal with it. Are you still enjoying your condo?”
    “Very much. You were right—the location is fabulous. Have you had pizza from that place across the street?”
    “I’m a regular.”
    She sipped her coffee, then sighed. “I ordered it the other night. It’s amazing. It was so good, I actually had some for breakfast. I’ve never done that in my life—not even in college. Until I