Best of Nora Roberts Books 1-6: The Art of Deception / Lessons Learned / Mind Over Matter / Risky Business / Second Nature / Unfinished Business

She smiled at that. It sounded more familiar. “I know what you mean.”

“You should leave your hair just like this,” he told her as he set down the brush. “You have a family?”

“My parents live in Pennsylvania.”

He struggled with geography a moment. “Ah, then you’ll visit them when we go to Philadelphia.”

“No.” The word was flat as she recapped the tube of mascara. “There won’t be time for that.”

“I see.” And he thought he was beginning to. “You have brothers, sisters?”

“A sister.” Because he was right about her hair, Juliet let it be and slipped out for her jacket. “She married a doctor and produced two children, one of each gender, before she was twenty-five.”

Oh yes, he was beginning to see well enough. Though the words had been easy, the muscles in her shoulders had been tight. “She makes an excellent doctor’s wife?”

“Carrie makes a perfect doctor’s wife.”

“Not all of us are meant for the same things.”

“I wasn’t.” She picked up her briefcase and her purse. “We’d better get going. They said it would take about fifteen minutes to drive to the studio.”

Strange, he thought, how people always believed their tender spots could go undetected. For now, he’d leave her with the illusion that hers had.

Because the directions were good and the traffic was light, Juliet drove the late model Chevy she’d rented with confidence. Carlo obliged by navigating because he enjoyed the poised, skilled way she handled the wheel.

“You haven’t lectured me on today’s schedule,” he pointed out. “Turn right here at this light.”

Juliet glanced in the mirror, switched lanes, then made the turn. She wasn’t yet sure what his reaction would be to the fact that there barely was one. “I’ve decided to give you a break,” she said brightly, knowing how some authors snarled and ranted when they had a dip in exposure. “You have this morning spot, then the autographing at World of Books downtown.”

He waited, expecting the list to go on. When he turned to her, his brow was lifted. “And?”

“That’s all.” She heard the apology in her voice as she stopped at a red light. “It happens sometimes, Carlo. Things just don’t come through. I knew it was going to be light here, but as it happens they’ve just started shooting a major film using Denver locations. Every reporter, every news team, every camera crew is covering it this afternoon. The bottom line is we got bumped.”

“Bumped? Do you mean there is no radio show, no lunch with a reporter, no dinner engagement?”

“No, I’m sorry. It’s just—”

“Fantastico!” Grabbing her face with both hands he kissed her hard. “I’ll find out the name of this movie and go to its premiere.”

The little knot of tension and guilt vanished. “Don’t take it so hard, Carlo.”

He felt as though he’d just been paroled. “Juliet, did you think I’d be upset? Dio, for a week it’s been nothing but go here, rush there.”

She spotted the TV tower and turned left. “You’ve been wonderful,” she told him. The best time to admit it, she decided, was when they only had two minutes to spare. “Not everyone I’ve toured with has been as considerate.”

She surprised him. He preferred it when a woman could do so. He twined a lock of the hair he’d brushed around his finger. “So, you’ve forgiven me for the basil?”

She smiled and had to stop herself from reaching up to touch the heart on her lapel. “I’d forgotten all about it.”

He kissed her cheek in a move so casual and friendly she didn’t object. “I believe you have. You’ve a kind heart, Juliet. Such things are beauty in themselves.”

He could soften her so effortlessly. She felt it, fought it and, for the moment, surrendered to it. In an impulsive, uncharacteristic move, she brushed the hair on his forehead. “Let’s go in. You’ve got to wake up Denver.”

Professionally, Juliet should’ve been cranky at the lack of obligations and exposure in Denver. It was going to leave a few very obvious blanks on her overall report. Personally, she was thrilled.

According to schedule, she was back in her room by eight. By 8:03, she’d stripped out of her suit and had crawled, naked and happy, into her still-rumpled bed. For exactly an hour she slept deeply, and without any dreams she could remember. By ten-thirty, she’d gone through her list of phone calls and an enormous breakfast. After freshening her makeup, she dressed in her suit then went downstairs to meet Carlo in the lobby.

It shouldn’t have surprised her that he was huddled in one of the cozy lounging areas with three women. It shouldn’t have irked her. Pretending it did neither, Juliet strolled over. It was then she noticed that all three women were built stupendously. That shouldn’t have surprised her, either.

“Ah, Juliet.” He smiled, all grace, all charm. She didn’t stop to wonder why she’d like to deck him. “Always prompt. Ladies.” He turned to bow to all three of them. “It’s been a pleasure.”

“Bye-bye, Carlo.” One of them sent him a look that could have melted lead. “Remember, if you’re ever in Tucson…”

“How could I forget?” Hooking his arm with Juliet’s, he strolled outside. “Juliet,” he murmured, “where is Tucson?”

“Don’t you ever quit?” she demanded.

“Quit what?”

“Collecting women.”

He lifted a brow as he pulled open the door on the driver’s side. “Juliet, one collects matchbooks, not women.”

“It would seem there are some who consider them on the same level.”

He blocked her way before she could slip inside. “Any who do are too stupid to matter.” He walked around the side of the car and opened his own door before she spoke again.

“Who were they anyhow?”

Soberly, Carlo adjusted the brim of the buff-colored fedora he wore. “Female bodybuilders. It seems they’re having a convention.”

A muffled laugh escaped before she could prevent it. “Figures.”

“Indeed yes, but such muscular ones.” His expression was still grave as he lowered himself into the car.

Juliet remained quiet a moment, then gave up and laughed out loud. Damn, she’d never had as much fun on tour with anyone. She might as well accept it. “Tucson’s in Arizona,” she told him with another laugh. “And it’s not on the itinerary.”

They would have been on time for the autographing if they hadn’t run into the detour. Traffic was clogged, rerouted and bad tempered as roads were blocked off for the film being shot. Juliet spent twenty minutes weaving, negotiating and cursing until she found she’d done no more than make a nice big circle.

“We’ve been here before,” Carlo said idly and received a glowering look.

“Oh, really?” Her sweet tone had an undertone of arsenic.

He merely shifted his legs into a less cramped position. “It’s an interesting city,” he commented. “I think perhaps if you turn right at the next corner, then left two corners beyond, we’ll find ourselves on the right track.”

Juliet meticulously smoothed her carefully written directions when she’d have preferred to crumple them into a ball. “The book clerk specifically said—”

“I’m sure she’s a lovely woman, but things seem a bit confused today.” It didn’t particularly bother him. The blast of a horn made her jolt. Amused, Carlo merely looked over. “As someone from New York City, you should be used to such things.”