Oh yeah, did he ever. That one simple movement, so tender but so masculine, unlocked something deep inside. Her throat and chest constricted. Her tongue went dry and thick. Imagine that seductive touch over her entire body, down her stomach, her thighs, her...oh boy.
"It's a talent, and it's got me through more interviews, press releases and meetings than I can count."
Get a grip, Maddie. It’s only the Pheramour talking. "How many different jobs have you had?"
He glanced up at the ceiling just as their pizzas arrived. "Including the gig where I dressed as a hot dog at Jerry's Hot Dog House when I was fifteen, I think it's about twenty-eight."
"Twenty-eight! I've only had two. One during university at a book store and this one at BioDerma was my first after uni."
He picked up a slice of pizza and piled the topping back on when it fell off. "You haven't lived until you've had at least ten."
She shook her head. "I won't have that many. I plan on moving up the ranks at BioDerma in the next eight years but after that I'll consider switching companies, unless BioDerma can offer me something worthwhile to stay. Then I'll be where I want to be and I'll retire at around fifty. Of course, if I have children that'll put everything on hold by about a year but that's okay because I've factored that in." She'd been factoring it in for years now, readjusting every time a relationship fell through.
He stared, mouth open to receive the pizza halted mid-route. "Sounds like you've got it all figured out."
She chewed and nodded. Her work life was running like clockwork. It was her private life that lagged behind the schedule by approximately three years. She was supposed to be married with one child by now, the second one to be conceived early next year.
If only meeting decent men was as easy as studying for an exam or mixing a few chemicals to develop a non-allergenic hand cream, she'd have the whole marriage and baby thing all wrapped up by now.
Sam was the complete opposite. He'd floated aimlessly through life but somehow managed to land on solid ground. Women fell over themselves to date him, he drove a Porsche and he was about to turn his hobby into his dream job.
The only way she could get a date was to trick a man with a synthetic pheromone.
Life really sucked sometimes, but it could be worse. She could be sitting across a pizza tray from Beaker right now if he hadn't left work early.
***
Sam tried not to look at the woman sitting in the passenger seat of his car, but he was a sucker for a curvaceous figure and a sexy mouth.
He couldn't believe how much fun the date with Maddie had been. Not only was she easy on the eyes, she was great company. Funny, smart and a sassy attitude to keep him on his toes. Not to mention challenging. He liked a challenge.
He tried to remember what she'd been like in high school but he couldn't. She was a distant memory. Not a bad memory, just a fuzzy one. She'd been quiet, shy and, as he'd said to Linda earlier, immature. Considering he was two years older, a huge gap for teenagers, it wasn't surprising he thought of her that way.
The only other clear recollection he had of her was the time she'd made him feel stupid. He'd had a science test to study for and she'd tried to explain her sure-fire way of remembering the chemistry symbols in the table of elements. To have his friend’s little sister tutor him had been embarrassing enough, but when he’d failed miserably because he couldn’t remember a single element, it had been downright humiliating.
Ever since then he'd been a little intimidated by her intelligence and purposely avoided her. He hated admitting that, but fifteen years later, thankfully, he was man enough to understand it at least.
Not that he could say it out loud. His ego would never forgive him.
"Where are we going?" Maddie asked.
"Mount Dandenong."
"Make-out Mountain? I haven't been there for years."
"Me either. Thought it would be nice to reminisce up there. It's got a great view of the city."
"It might be full of horny teenagers."
Then he'd blend right in. He felt like a teenager again, wanting to touch this sexy woman everywhere and hear her whisper his name. Or shout it. Yeah, definitely shout it.
Only this time, it wasn't just any girl he happened to ask on a date at the last minute. This time it was Maddie Clarke, high school brain who'd turned into the only woman he wanted to be with right now. He'd known it since last night at Pete's place. Thankfully, she hadn't taken much convincing. And thankfully Linda had pushed him to take the first step.
Mount Dandenong's lookout was deserted so Sam was able to angle the Porsche to get the best view of the city. Not that he planned on seeing much of it.
"Guess the teenagers have found another place to make-out," said Maddie, digging her nails into the car seat and staring straight ahead.