Over Mason's friend? Heavens! What a thought.
Concentrating, she forced herself to calm down and went back to studying him. He didn't have the look of someone about to fly off to Chile for the skiing. A small, puzzled frown appeared between her brows.
Mason was good-looking but insubstantial. Girls swooned, but women tended to narrow their eyes and read the basic instability beneath his charm. From what she'd heard about Paul, she'd expected much the same. And yet here he was, look ing more like a high-powered business executive-even a business shark-than a ski bum.
"That's not me at all," she told him firmly. "I'm a professional woman." Her lip curled. "South Sea Islands is not my style at all!"
He shrugged. Something about Charity Ames was ap pealing to him mightily. Whether it was her warm, husky voice or her delicately hooked nose or her flashing dark eyes, he wasn't sure. He usually saw people in light of what they could do for him, how he could manipulate them. She wasn't playing fair. He wanted to reach out and shake her. And yet she made him smile.
"I can't help it," he told her frankly. "South Sea Is lands is how I see you." He shrugged, wanting to explain so she wouldn't be offended. "Sort of fresh and breeze tossed..." This was a new role for him, and he was slightly embarrassed. "With a hint of the crispness of the sea...." His voice faded away and he grimaced, wishing he'd kept his mouth shut, but she smiled.
"You sound like a perfume commercial," she teased. She stared at him for a moment, appreciating his honesty. He was older than she'd expected. There was some thing hard and resilient in him. She'd never been much of a leaner, but those broad shoulders looked as though they were made for leaning. Impulsive as always, she decided she could trust the man, despite the sensual appeal he was giving off.
Sinking against the cushions again, she leaned toward him conspiratorially. "I'm sure Mason has also told you all about my problem... or, I should say, our problem. My darling brother is the one who instigated it."
Ross gazed at her blankly, not really sure just what she was talking about. "I'm not certain I know all about it," he said, feeling his way.
She gestured her disgust with the turn of affairs. "Well, it's come down to the point where I've had to consider hiring a husband. Can you believe that? I'm thinking of hiring a man to come and pretend to live with me for four or five days while Aunt Doris is here."