Reflected Pleasures by Linda Conrad Page A

glasses to watch the other woman’s expression. Not good. Janie was studying Merri’s dress and shoes, all the while shaking her head in disbelief.
    Merri decided to take another big risk and pray that the woman would take pity on her and keep her mouth closed.
    Turning to Ty, she said, “Thanks so much for bringing me here for the appointment. But I’m sure our discussion about modeling clothes will be terribly boring. Maybe you could wander around the store for a little while and give us girls a chance to get acquainted.” She was desperate for a chance to talk to Janie—alone.
    He frowned, but then checked with Janie. “If you need me, just call my cell phone. I should get decent reception while inside the store. And I’ve got a couple of calls to make in the meantime.”
    Janie nodded to him, but she couldn’t manage a smile.
    Ty turned to Merri with a grin. “Maybe I’ll swing by the men’s department. What do you think?”
    â€œThat’s a good idea. But…ask for a clerk’s help, okay?”
    He laughed. “Yes, ma’am. I know where my talents lie…and where they don’t.”
    Despite being a hairsbreadth away from total ruin, Merri’s brain took her on a fantasy ride of imagining what other talents Ty might just have—and to imagining where exactly on her body she would like for them to lie.
    Ty touched her arm lightly and broke into her dreams. Then he nodded once, turned and walked away. When he was out of earshot, Merri swallowed back the inappropriate lust and turned to face the storm.
    And it came instantly. “Merrill Davis-Ross, what in heaven’s name do you think you’re doing?” Janie hissed, and grabbed her arm. “This had better not be another one of your bad jokes or some game of dare…or else I swear…”
    â€œPlease, will you just listen while I explain?”
    The other woman nodded, grabbed her elbow and stormed the two of them off in the direction of the private offices.
    When they were secure in a tiny office with one small desk and two chairs, Janie let go of her arm and turned to face her. “This had better be good. You’re messing with a couple of people who mean the world to me and I won’t stand by and let you hurt them.”
    â€œWait a minute,” Merri said with a huff. “If Jewel and Ty mean so much to you, why didn’t you just give me up back there? Why not tell Ty who I was the minute you spotted me?”
    Janie narrowed her eyes and shook her head. “Atfirst you surprised me so much with the disguise that I couldn’t speak. But then…”
    â€œWhat? You and I have never been that close. I mean, I like you, and I liked working with you, but…”
    â€œIt has nothing to do with you,” Janie told her. “And everything to do with the look on Ty’s face when he introduced you. The man’s seriously goofy about you, and I made a quick decision to go slow until I found out the situation. So now…you tell me the situation.”
    â€œGoofy?” Merri asked with a laugh. “Tyson Steele—about me? I don’t think so.”
    â€œNo question about it,” Janie said. “And unless I miss my guess, you’ve got it bad for him, too.”
    She plopped down on one of the chairs and motioned for Merri to take the other one. “I want the truth and I want it now. The last I heard about you, the tabloid headlines were screaming that you were a fake. Something about you deserting your gay boyfriend, wasn’t it?”
    â€œWhat?” Merri sank down in the chair and closed her eyes. “I knew it. That is so not the way it was. Let me explain what really happened.”
    She told Janie the whole story of how she’d agreed to become Brad’s make-believe girlfriend in order to throw the paparazzi off his trail. Merri had been trying to be a friend to Brad. But when that