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to him . What would happen when she realized he was actually John “Jack” Williamson, bestselling author?
    She’d run. He knew it. She was a shy woman who loathed deceit, and she’d want nothing to do with a man in the media spotlight who’d lied to her.
    Which meant his mission was clear. He needed to spend the rest of New Year’s Eve by her side. Making certain he could trust her. Building the heat between them. Ensuring that by the time the New Year dawned, she wanted him as much as he wanted her. And then, when the truth came out, maybe she’d choose him despite his dishonesty and his fame. Maybe the strength of their connection would persuade her to overlook what he’d hidden from her.
    It was a long shot. But it was the only one he had.

5
    B y the time she reached the last book cover, Penny thought she’d burst into flames from the heat of her embarrassment.
    Goddammit, Angie. Sixteen out of the twenty covers? You really needed to choose eighty percent of the books from your fucking erotica display?
    She flicked a glance at the final cover, which showed the parted legs of a woman in fishnets. She stood tall on black leather heels, a whip trailing between her thighs down to the ground. Hmmm. Looked familiar. Probably something she’d read from Angie’s display. His Mistress in the Morning came to mind as a possible title, and a scan of the list of book titles confirmed it.
    Quite a few of the partygoers appeared stumped, which didn’t surprise her. This particular title could prove tricky, since it also sounded like a Regency romance. The man sitting by her side seemed confident, though. Jack had placed his completed list on his lap, an area of his body she was trying hard to ignore. He wasn’t eyeing the book she held in her hands. He wasn’t observing the other pairs. He was looking at her. Again. Still.
    She didn’t understand why he’d insisted on pairing up with her. She didn’t understand why his expression had shifted from angry resignation to heated determination over the last several hours.
    Most of all, she didn’t understand why he was watching her so closely. A man like him could have any woman he wanted—and quite a few men, she was sure—just by showing the slightest flicker of interest. Women had attempted to draw his attention all evening. Beautiful women, wearing beautiful clothes on their beautiful bodies. They’d walked in front of him, brushed against him, directed comments at him. As far as Penny could tell, he hadn’t noticed. He certainly hadn’t reacted.
    No, he only seemed interested in two things: Brenda and . . . her.
    His steady gaze flustered her. It made it hard for her to remember her New Year’s resolution. It made it hard to remember her name.
    “Penny!” Brenda called. Oh, right. That’s it . “Can you tell us the answers?”
    She read down the list of answers, watching each of the pairs put checks next to some names and mark through others. But Jack didn’t even raise his pen once. Was he just not paying attention?
    “Let’s find out who the winning pair is,” Penny said. “Who has more than ten right?” A few hands shot up into the air. Jack sat silently, so she guessed he’d had a hard time with the game. No wonder. Accountants probably didn’t get many chances to study erotic book covers.
    “Who has more than fifteen right?” Red Tie and his partner still had their hands in the air. She smiled at them. “Looks like you two are the winners. Come on up and get your prize.”
    Through their victory yelps and the polite applause of the other pairs, she heard Jack speak. “I got all of them.” His voice was a low rumble, meant only for her.
    She turned to him, surprised. “Do you want the prize?”
    “No,” he said. “I already have it.”
    What in the world does that mean? As she tried to decipher Jack’s comment, Red Tie and his partner came up for their reward. Penny handed each of them a gift card to a romantic local restaurant. Red Tie