arms. “Terrible?”
“It’s…it won’t be clear to a woman who accosts you that you’re not interested if you…if you grab her and kiss her.” She tried to sound coolly professional, not easy when her insides were spinning doughnuts.
Zack threw back his head and laughed.
“Oh, yeah, now you grow a sense of humor,” she said crossly, and he laughed harder.
“We both know that had nothing to do with a role-play,” he said. “And everything to do with me wanting to kiss you, and—” his mouth curved in satisfaction “—you wanting it just as badly.”
“That’s not the point,” she said. “Okay, so we had a momentary attraction. But the reason we’re doing these role-plays is serious. It’s about keeping your sponsor happy.”
“It’s about your promotion.” His expression was unreadable.
“That, too,” she said. If Sandra suspected for one second Gaby was being distracted by a man, let alone a client…“Zack, we need to agree on this—no more fooling around.”
O NE PART OF Z ACK ’ S BRAIN recognized that fooling around with Gaby was a bad idea. The other part, the bigger part, was totally hung up on how to get his lips back onto hers.
Kissing her had been incredible. And…fun. Fun? Not a word Zack applied much to his own life. But something about locking lips with Gaby, and locking wits over this stupid contest…he was having more fun than he’d had in years.
But he didn’t race the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for fun. Winning a race took focus and damn hard work. Serious business. So even though he suspected he never would have stopped kissing Gaby if she hadn’t ended it herself, this thing needed to end right now.
“You’re right,” he said. “Fooling around does complicate things. It’s not as if you and I could ever have a relationship.”
Too late, Zack realized that was tactless. Gaby was right, he didn’t think of others when he spoke.
“That’s for sure,” she said coolly. “My policy is to steer clear of self-centered men.”
Ouch, he really had offended her. “I didn’t mean I don’t like you.”
From her rising color, he guessed he was some way short of graduating charm school. He should shut up before he made things worse.
“Let’s face it,” Gaby said with a lightness Zack sensed wasn’t genuine. “If we had a…relationship, next thing you know you’d convince me to give you an inch, and then you’d forget about the bachelor contest, forget about our deal, and never look up from that race car. And that would be the end of my promotion.”
Her logic was impeccable, but suddenly Zack wasn’t so sure. Because he’d been thinking about Gaby way more thanhe should. She had some kind of hold over him. That couldn’t be good.
“Yeah, I’d do all that,” he lied. “And even if I didn’t, you’re not my type.” Shutting up would definitely have been a good idea. Her eyes widened with hurt. “You heard what I told the Now Woman reporter,” he said roughly. “I want a woman who makes home and family— my home and family—her life.”
She looked relieved to be reminded. “Like I said, you’re self-centered.”
It was funny how she was allowed to insult him with importunity, Zack thought, yet she got upset when he wasn’t a hundred percent tactful in his response. Which again proved she was right—he had a lot to learn.
“I prefer to think of it as self-preservation.” He’d been behind his brothers, no matter what he did, his whole life. It wasn’t unreasonable to want a woman who put him first. Gaby would never be that woman—she’d admitted outright she wouldn’t let a man get in the way of her career. And yet, that kiss…
Zack felt as if things were more complicated than he’d ever asked for them to be. As if he was getting himself tied up in knots. He had enough complications as it was.
“Let’s get back to work,” he said. “I have a flight to Watkins Glen to catch, and I wouldn’t want to screw up this
“It’s…it won’t be clear to a woman who accosts you that you’re not interested if you…if you grab her and kiss her.” She tried to sound coolly professional, not easy when her insides were spinning doughnuts.
Zack threw back his head and laughed.
“Oh, yeah, now you grow a sense of humor,” she said crossly, and he laughed harder.
“We both know that had nothing to do with a role-play,” he said. “And everything to do with me wanting to kiss you, and—” his mouth curved in satisfaction “—you wanting it just as badly.”
“That’s not the point,” she said. “Okay, so we had a momentary attraction. But the reason we’re doing these role-plays is serious. It’s about keeping your sponsor happy.”
“It’s about your promotion.” His expression was unreadable.
“That, too,” she said. If Sandra suspected for one second Gaby was being distracted by a man, let alone a client…“Zack, we need to agree on this—no more fooling around.”
O NE PART OF Z ACK ’ S BRAIN recognized that fooling around with Gaby was a bad idea. The other part, the bigger part, was totally hung up on how to get his lips back onto hers.
Kissing her had been incredible. And…fun. Fun? Not a word Zack applied much to his own life. But something about locking lips with Gaby, and locking wits over this stupid contest…he was having more fun than he’d had in years.
But he didn’t race the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for fun. Winning a race took focus and damn hard work. Serious business. So even though he suspected he never would have stopped kissing Gaby if she hadn’t ended it herself, this thing needed to end right now.
“You’re right,” he said. “Fooling around does complicate things. It’s not as if you and I could ever have a relationship.”
Too late, Zack realized that was tactless. Gaby was right, he didn’t think of others when he spoke.
“That’s for sure,” she said coolly. “My policy is to steer clear of self-centered men.”
Ouch, he really had offended her. “I didn’t mean I don’t like you.”
From her rising color, he guessed he was some way short of graduating charm school. He should shut up before he made things worse.
“Let’s face it,” Gaby said with a lightness Zack sensed wasn’t genuine. “If we had a…relationship, next thing you know you’d convince me to give you an inch, and then you’d forget about the bachelor contest, forget about our deal, and never look up from that race car. And that would be the end of my promotion.”
Her logic was impeccable, but suddenly Zack wasn’t so sure. Because he’d been thinking about Gaby way more thanhe should. She had some kind of hold over him. That couldn’t be good.
“Yeah, I’d do all that,” he lied. “And even if I didn’t, you’re not my type.” Shutting up would definitely have been a good idea. Her eyes widened with hurt. “You heard what I told the Now Woman reporter,” he said roughly. “I want a woman who makes home and family— my home and family—her life.”
She looked relieved to be reminded. “Like I said, you’re self-centered.”
It was funny how she was allowed to insult him with importunity, Zack thought, yet she got upset when he wasn’t a hundred percent tactful in his response. Which again proved she was right—he had a lot to learn.
“I prefer to think of it as self-preservation.” He’d been behind his brothers, no matter what he did, his whole life. It wasn’t unreasonable to want a woman who put him first. Gaby would never be that woman—she’d admitted outright she wouldn’t let a man get in the way of her career. And yet, that kiss…
Zack felt as if things were more complicated than he’d ever asked for them to be. As if he was getting himself tied up in knots. He had enough complications as it was.
“Let’s get back to work,” he said. “I have a flight to Watkins Glen to catch, and I wouldn’t want to screw up this
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