Marriage In Six Easy Lessons

Arthur’s face lit up. “Gee, thanks!”

April gave up trying to keep Sullivan’s mind on business, but she wasn’t through with him yet. As for Arthur’s visit, she would have been annoyed if she hadn’t known that Arthur was in the throes of puppy love, with her of all people, and had only been momentarily distracted.

At least Arthur wasn’t another Tiffany hitting on Lucas, April thought wryly. Judging from the number of women who’d found a need to pass by her office this morning, word about Sullivan’s presence had spread like wildfire.

Unfortunately, the morning was still young.

Resigned to the inevitable, at least for now, April beckoned to Arthur. She couldn’t bring herself to be upset with him. Not when he was one of the few men around the office who wasn’t impressed with his maleness.

“Come on in, Arthur. By the way, Lucas, this angel of mercy is Arthur Putnam. Arthur, this is Lucas Sullivan—he’s the author of an article we’re going to publish.”

Arthur was too busy gazing adoringly at April to reply.

“Arthur! Mr. Sullivan asked for a cup of black coffee.”

“Sorry.” Unabashed, a grinning Arthur tore his gaze away. He poured a cup of coffee and handed it over. “What’s the subject of your article?”

“I call it ‘The Mating Game.’ It’s not what you think,” Lucas added hurriedly when Arthur’s eyes widened. “It’s based on an earlier publication of mine, a sociological study about what men want in a wife.”

Arthur turned his adoring gaze back to April, his meaning clear. She was his idea of the ideal woman. “Anything for you, Ms. Morgan?”

“No, thank you. Perhaps later.”

“Sure. I’ll be back. You can bet on it.” With a last soulful look at April, Arthur rolled the beverage cart out the door.

Lucas smothered a grin. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who’d noticed April’s striking appearance today.

Maybe it wasn’t too late to revise his article to include something about how a woman should dress in order to please the man she was interested in?

He looked at April. “You were saying before we were interrupted?”

“That there’s a great deal more to the attraction between the sexes than what you describe in your article, and I’m going to take you out and show you,” April said as she gathered her purse and portfolio. “Shall we go?”

When, Lucas thought, had the question of protecting his research methods turned into something to do with April?

After admitting to himself he found her attractive?

After her offer to humanize him?

“Why not?” He set his half-empty cup on the desk and made a show of looking eager to learn about the real world. “I can hardly wait.”

“April, are you busy?” A lush brunette paused at the office door, leaned against the frame and frankly studied Lucas.

April swallowed a groan. After last night, she might have known Rita would show up today to get a closer look at Sullivan. She beckoned her friend into the office. “Hi, Rita. I am busy, but not as busy as we expect to be soon,” she added meaningfully.

Rita’s eyes lit up as she misinterpreted April’s answer. “Get outta here!”

April swallowed hard. “As long as you’re here, you might as well come in and meet Lucas Sullivan. Mr. Sullivan is the author of the article I told you about yesterday. Lucas, I’d like you to meet Rita Rosales. Rita is our research librarian.”

Undeterred by April’s hint to make her visit short, Rita sashayed into the office. “I’m pleased to meet you, Mr. Sullivan. Although, to be honest, I can’t say I agree with your article. I’d say that there’s a lot more important going on between the sexes than just a woman feeding a man’s ego.”

Lucas wasn’t surprised at the mini critique. Any friend of April’s was bound to disagree with him. As for Rita, she fit right in at this admittedly eclectic publication.

“I’m not surprised to hear that,” he answered wryly. “Just as I won’t be surprised to learn you’re about to enlighten me.”

“Rita, don’t you dare!” April broke in before Rita could launch into her theory that the basis for male-female relationships was purely sexual attraction. Or, as Rita often said in plain terms, good old-fashioned sex.

Undeterred, Rita grinned at Lucas. “You sure don’t look like the man who came up with that old-fashioned set of rules April showed me.”

“‘The Mating Game’ article is not just a set of rules,” Lucas corrected her automatically before he realized he’d just been given a compliment. “I’m not?”

“No. I figured you would either be elderly or a stuffed shirt. As for being old, you’re obviously not. As for stuffy…” Her voice trailed off as her gaze swept Lucas. “You’ve sure got what it takes to get a gal’s attention. Maybe there’s hope for you yet.” She winked at April. “Don’t give up, April. With a little work, I think you can wake up your Mr. Sullivan.”

Rita’s unsolicited assessment of Sullivan’s attractions might be embarrassing, but it was dead on. April grabbed Rita by the arm and urged her to the door before her friend mentioned her visit to the Roxy. “The next time you have something important to tell me, please use the telephone.” Under her breath, she added, “I’ll be up to see you later.”

“Sure, now that I’ve met your Mr. Sullivan, I think it can wait. Just remember what I told you.” Rita grinned at him over her shoulder. “See you later.”

Lucas settled back into his chair. At the rate they’d been interrupted, there wouldn’t be enough hours left in the day for April to take him out and try to humanize him. “Interesting woman,” he commented. “I wouldn’t mind hearing her explain her version of how a man chooses the woman he’d like to spend the rest of his life with.”

“You don’t want to know,” April said, unable to imagine Rita’s raw sex talk without laughing. She pushed a few errant strands of hair away from her eyes. “Rita tends to be frank, but I assure you that it’s all talk. As for what she actually thinks on the subject, I’m not sure you’d want to hear that, either.”

Lucas smiled. “Why not? I heard the birds-and-bees talk when I was ten. I’ve even managed to teach a few classes on marriage and the family without blushing.”

“I wish it were that simple,” April muttered as heat rose to her throat. “I don’t know about you, but I’m afraid I’m not up to an X-rated conversation.”

A roguish grin spread over Lucas’s face. His brown eyes turned a deeper brown. “Try me.”

Mutely, April stared at the man whom only twenty-four hours ago she’d labeled as a stuffy academic. Now that she’d glimpsed the other side of him, she was afraid that the last thing she would be able to manage was a frank discussion of sexual attraction.

Something was definitely wrong here.

The heat continued its upward journey into her cheeks. “It’s not exactly a professional topic for us to discuss. I’m your editor, not your biology teacher.”

“Too bad.” Lucas formed his features into an exaggerated display of regret. “You would have been great.”

April managed a weak smile.

“So,” he said next, “unless you’re expecting more visitors, shall we get on with this show of yours before someone else drops in?”

As he spoke, there was gentle knock at the door.

“April? I’m sorry to interrupt you when you’re busy, but you left a page of the manuscript in the cafeteria.”

Lili? Lili, the friend who had declined to become involved in humanizing Lucas Sullivan yet couldn’t resist meeting him?

April glanced at the printed page Lili offered. A quick glance told her that Sullivan’s fame had spread so throughout the building that even the prim-and-proper Lili couldn’t ignore it.

Resigned to the inevitable, April made the introductions. “Lili works in the art department as a graphic artist, Lucas. She’s also a very good friend of mine. Please try to remember that we all try to be professional around here.”