How To Host a Seduction by Jeanie London Page B

important. Thank goodness the media isn’t covering this grand opening. That would have been a nightmare. I can just hear the sound bite. ‘The Senator’s daughter was mysteriously absent from the events along with the VP of sales from Global Alliance.’”
    She breathed deeply to dispel a chill.
    â€œWe’ve only missed the introduction.” He sounded so damn calm. “We can get up to speed this morning. Our absence won’t affect the game.”
    â€œBut I’m never going to hear the end of this.”
    â€œYou’re probably right. Miss Q lives for this sort of thing.” Those eyes flashed. “Last night was worth it.”
    â€œI’m surprised to hear you say that. Where was the challenge?” She didn’t bother to check the irony in her voice. “You never even had to leave the suite to find a date. You never even had to dry off from your shower.”
    â€œYou’re a challenge, love, I’ll grant you,” he said in a voice so grim that she actually blinked. “But not a game.There’s a difference. I figured getting married would take care of your damn rules so we could be together.”
    â€œYou and me getting married is crazy, ” she managed to say. “It’s impulsive. Can you imagine what people would say?”
    â€œThey’d think it was love at first sight.”
    â€œThey’d think I lost my mind.”
    â€œWell, who cares about those people?”
    Ellen did. Although Christopher had survived the rigorous requirements that routinely intimidated most men she dated and had passed the tests with flying colors, he obviously hadn’t been around long enough to appreciate the full responsibility of being a Senator’s daughter. High-visibility translated into living life by rules that allowed no room for impulsiveness.
    Slipups resulted in negative media attention. Negative media attention resulted in scandal. Scandal resulted in unwanted publicity for the Senator, which in turn resulted in being forced to deal with the handlers.
    Ellen had had brushes with scandal before, and knew of nothing worse than dealing with her mother’s media handlers, less fondly known as the spin doctors. These people turned devastating mistakes into endearing foibles for the public’s benefit, swayed opinion from condemnation to approval with their polished presentation and skilled maneuvers.
    They coached her on what to say, how to act and what to wear to present just the right image and minimize the effects of careless decisions. The power they wielded was nothing short of scary, and Ellen’s few unfortunate encounters with them through the years had taught her to avoid them at all costs.
    But even worse than dealing with the media handlers was facing that she’d strayed off course again. She hatedfeeling unfocused and chaotic in a family of very focused people.
    Although her parents had never even hinted that she was a disappointment—they loved her, after all—there was no getting around the fact that their views of her choices always went hand-in-hand with a good deal of worry.
    You need to step back and look at your options, Ellen, her mom was fond of saying. You should always look before you leap.
    â€œLeaping into a marriage after three months of dating is not in the rule book,” she explained. “A private inquiry into your background before I can date is one of the rules. Months of casual dating before I can have sex with you is another.”
    She’d only lasted three months with Christopher, which was definitely on the light end of acceptable, but not too shabby considering that every time they kissed, one of them had wound up shedding some piece of clothing….
    â€œMarriage is a minimum of two years down the road.”
    â€œSays whom?”
    â€œMe.” And she meant it.
    â€œWhy two years?”
    â€œTo see if you can deal with the constant pressure of living