Hidden Riches by Nora Roberts

dip.
    He wasn’t such a bad guy, she mused. He looked good, he moved well. He took care of his mother and had a solid portfolio. Just because he’d bored her silly on a couple of dates didn’t mean . . .
    Suddenly he clamped her hard against him, shattering her mellow mood. That she could understand and certainly overlook. But, as she pressed a hand against his chest, she felt the unmistakable outline of a toothbrush he’d slipped into the inside pocket of his jacket.
    As conscientious as she knew Andrew to be, she sincerely doubted he carried it with him to brush after every meal.
    Before she could comment, his hands had streaked under the hem of her dress to grab her silk-covered bottom.
    â€œHey!” Furious, she reared back, but even as she managed to free her mouth, he was slobbering kisses over her neck and shoulder.
    â€œOh, Dora, Dora, I want you.”
    â€œI get the picture, Andrew.” While she squirmed, one of his hands snuck up to tug her zipper. “But you’re not going to have me. Now pull yourself together.”
    â€œYou’re so beautiful, so irresistible.”
    He had her pressed against the side of a chair. Dora felt her balance going and swore. “Well, resist, or I’ll have to hurt you.”
    He only continued to mumble seductive phrases as he tumbled with her to the floor. It wasn’t the indignity ofbeing sprawled under a crazed accountant that bothered her so much. It was the fact that they’d rammed against the coffee table and sent several of her treasures crashing to the floor.
    Enough was enough. Dora brought her knee up between Andrew’s thighs. Even as he grunted, she popped him hard in the eye.
    â€œOff!” she shouted, shoving at him. Groaning, he rolled, curling up like a boiled shrimp. Dora scrambled to her feet. “If you don’t get up right now, I’ll hit you again. I mean it.”
    Afraid, he heaved himself to his hands and knees. “You’re crazy,” he managed, and took out a snowy-white handkerchief to check his face for blood.
    â€œYou’re right. Absolutely.” She picked up his coat and held it out. “You’re better off without me. Now run along home, Andrew. And put some ice on that eye.”
    â€œMy eye.” He probed at it, winced. “What am I supposed to tell Mother?”
    â€œThat you walked into a door.” Impatience snapping around her, Dora helped him to his feet. “Go away, Andrew.”
    Struggling for dignity, he snatched his coat away from her. “I took you out to dinner. Twice.”
    â€œConsider it a bad investment. I’m sure you can find a way to deduct it.” She yanked open her door just as Jed opened his across the hall. “Out! And if you ever try anything like that again, I’ll blacken both your eyes.”
    â€œCrazy.” Andrew scurried toward the door. “You’re out of your mind.”
    â€œCome back and I’ll show you crazy.” She pulled off a spiked heel and hurled it like a discus. “And you’re fired.” The shoe hit the back of the door with a satisfying thump. Dora stood, one shoe off, one shoe on, catching her breath. The quiet sound of Jed clearing his throat had her spinning back. He was grinning. It was the first time she’d seen him grin, but she wasn’t in the mood to be pleased with the wayit made his usually surly face approachable.
    â€œSee something funny, Skimmerhorn?”
    He thought about it. “Yeah.” Because it had been a long time since he’d been quite so amused, he leaned against the doorjamb and continued to grin. “Interesting date, Conroy?”
    â€œFascinating.” She hobbled down the hall to retrieve her shoe. Slapping it against her palm, she hobbled back. “You still here?”
    â€œLooks like.”
    Dora let out a long breath, dragged a hand through her tumbled hair. “Want a