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a few balls, yes.” Heather’s blush deepened and her eyes grew distant for a moment. God, what he wouldn’t give for just a glimpse of the thoughts going through her head.
     

Chapter Four
     
     
     
    Heather hated the blush creeping up her cheeks. Again. She had to stop this ridiculous behavior. Why did being around Jason make her so insecure? Everything about him set her nerves on edge. The way he looked at her, the light kiss he had given her, his hand holding hers. All of it made her feel things she hadn’t felt in a long time. Images jumped into her mind of pool tables and everything you could do with them and on them, when you weren’t trying to pot balls.
    She listened to Jason telling her more about the various rooms they walked by while her mind went back to the moment when he’d looked into her eyes. She hadn’t been able to stop herself. She’d lowered her gaze instinctively as soon as his met hers. She wanted to pretend it had meant nothing, that anybody would have done the same thing, but she’d be lying. She’d lowered her eyes because everything in her system had demanded it. A small part of her had yearned to fall to her knees and stay there until he told her to get up again.
    When Jason released her hand and placed his on the small of her back while steering her into the restaurant, it barely registered. The room was dimly lit, dark enough to make it hard to clearly see the other diners, and the atmosphere was intimate.
    The table Jason led her to was set in a rather private corner. Heather didn’t know how she felt about that. Until this afternoon it had all been simple. Her only intention, when she’d accepted this job, had been to resurrect her business. This party was supposed to be the perfect opportunity to let her customers know her retreat into obscurity had ended. She had not expected to feel anything resembling lust, never mind the need to submit. She wasn’t ready to deal with these feelings or the sultry atmosphere around her. She needed this to be a pure and simple business meeting far removed from the confusing emotions assaulting her. She’d been so sure she would never feel attracted to another man again and resented her feelings for betraying her. And yet…
    A sharp dart of anger shot through Heather. Damn Jason . If only he’d been someone else. Working with a stranger would have been so much easier. Now she had to deal with this attractive, dominant and kind man while memories of their first meeting, twenty years ago, were snaking their way back into her mind, taking on an importance they’d never had in the past.
    “I’ve ordered for both of us. I hope you don’t mind.”
    Jason’s voice brought her out of her thoughts and back to the present.
    “We’re having small portions of most dishes I would like to serve during the weekend. Let me know what you think.”
    She jumped on the opportunity to get away from confusing personal thoughts and concentrate on work.
    “I love that idea, Jason. In fact, I’m looking forward to hearing about your plans for the party.”
    She knew she sounded both relieved and over eager, but she couldn’t help it. Anything had to be better than the thoughts and feelings running through her head, trying to destabilize her.
    “I’m going to need a lot more details before I can make useful recommendations, beyond the ones I discussed with Karl.”
    She looked up into Jason’s dark eyes and forced herself not to look away. This was business. And she’d better remember it before she either made a fool of herself or left an impression she’d no intention of living up to.
    “I thought we might leave those discussions for tomorrow, Heather.” His smile suggested he knew exactly where her thoughts had taken her. “I want to get to know you again, find out what you have been up to for the past twenty years.”
    She couldn’t hold his gaze any longer. Her eyes would betray too many of the feelings rushing through her, so she looked down