Secrets and Seductions. Pamela Toth

he’d met her and she needed a boost.

      “I like helping people,” he added, wincing at the defensiveness in his tone.

      True to form, Aaron heard it, too. “Careful, man.” A grin broke on his long, homely face as he started backing away. “Your words say ‘no, no,’ but your eyes say ‘let’s get naked.’”

      With a laugh, Morgan waved him off. “That’s your fantasy, not mine.”

      “And a great fantasy it is,” Aaron called after him. “When you’re picking out the ring, just remember that I warned you, and don’t hit me up to be best man.”

      Morgan ignored his last comment, but a few minutes later when he was standing under the hot blast of the shower, his mind veered to it. Was his brainstorm just a flimsy excuse to see her again?

      As he toweled himself dry, he didn’t waste time analyzing his motives. His parents hadn’t raised him to put his own selfish needs first. Other people counted on him and he didn’t let them down.

      Wrapping the towel around his waist, he walked into his bedroom. This morning he paid no attention to the soothing shades of pearl gray and charcoal as he finished dressing. He was in a sudden hurry to get to work.

      Emma had stayed up late watching movies, and the next morning the phone woke her. As she rolled over to grab the receiver, not yet awake enough to think about screening the call, Posy protested from her nest behind the bend of Emma’s knees.

      “Hold on for a minute, okay?” Emma told the cat. “Hello?”

      Silence greeted her. The telemarketers must be starting early. The clock by her bed said it was barely past nine.

      “Hello?” she said again, some of her surliness over being woken up leaking into her tone.

      “Emma Wright?”

      She didn’t immediately recognize the voice, but it sounded familiar. Maybe it was a callback about a job interview.

      She sat up straighter, wishing she had some water as she consciously sweetened her tone. “This is Emma.” With her free hand, she patted Posy so the cat would be quiet.

      “I’m sorry to bother you,” the man’s voice continued. “I, um, didn’t mean to disturb you.”

      Damn, he could tell she was still in bed. Emma’s cheeks grew hot at the idea that he’d probably heard her comment to Posy and assumed Emma wasn’t alone.

      “No, no, it’s okay,” she replied eagerly. “You didn’t bother me at all. How can I help you?” She still couldn’t place the voice, but if it turned out to be a salesman on the other end of the line, she was going to be really, really annoyed.

      “This is Morgan Davis from Children’s Connection,” he said. “We met the other day.”

      Emma nearly dropped the receiver and the muscles of her throat closed so tight that she could hardly croak out a reply.

      “Did you change your mind?” she asked.

      “About what?” He sounded puzzled.

      “My parents’ identity,” she replied. “Why else would you call me?”

      When she heard him sigh, her heart plummeted.

      “I’m sorry,” he said. “I thought I made it clear that your file is confidential and there’s nothing I can do.”

      She pushed her hair back from her face, fully awake now. If this was a personal call, she was going to slap him with a harassment suit for getting her hopes up.

      “What, you had to call in case I didn’t get that already?” she snapped. “You and I have nothing else to discuss!”

      “Please don’t hang up,” he said quickly. “The reason I’m calling is to offer you a job.”