Suddenly Sexy

chapter 2



"He called me a nerd."

Linda gasped and placed a hand to her breast in mock horror. "He called my little sister a nerd? How dare he! I mean, it's not like you were or anything."

"Shut up, Linda. He hurt my feelings. And I don't know if I can forgive him."

"Pete used to call you a nerd back then too, but you forgave him."

"Pete's different. He's always been like a brother, and I expect that sort of behavior from a brother. Not from a—"

"Hunky guy you secretly wished had noticed you when you were fifteen?"

Linda was like the little devil that sat on Maddie's shoulder, reminding her of all the embarrassing things she'd ever done. Except she couldn't make Linda shut up by thinking about food.

"He might be cute but I don't have a crush on him anymore. You know the sort of guys I date. He doesn't fit."

Linda sighed. "I suppose. He's not a doctor, scientist or computer programmer."

"And he drives a Porsche."

"Oh NO!" Linda poured gravy over the roast without splashing the bench. Maddie watched, impressed. "So what's wrong with a Porsche?"

"Too flashy. People who drive flashy cars want to be the center of attention. And they like to speed. Driving fast is dangerous."

Linda paused mid-pour. "Are we really sisters? Are you sure you weren't conceived in a test tube?"

Maddie sniffed. "I can't help it if I don't like men with flashy cars. Besides, they usually prefer flashy women and have the attention span of an ant so aren't interested in me anyway."

"I really wonder what you base these theories on sometimes, Mad."

"Observation. I'm a scientist, that's what I do. I test, I observe the results. Same goes for life."

Linda snorted. "Deep. So what's your scientific observation on how someone like Sam Hennessy ended up earning more in a week than you do in a year?"

Maddie sighed. Sam was living proof that Karma is a load of crap. Like every good nerd, she'd been to university for years to get her biochemistry doctorate. She'd graduated one of the top students in the state, landed a great job in the development lab at BioDerma and earned a decent living. Then someone like Sam Hennessy who never bothered turning up to class in high school, barely passed his exams and drifted from city to city, landed fabulous job after fabulous job.

"It sucks," she muttered.

Ronan gurgled his agreement but ruined the sentiment with a smile.

"I work hard, at the gym and the lab. He doesn't even try and look at him. Rich, successful and a body like a God. I bet he doesn’t even work out."

"We don't know that. He must do something to keep those buns of steel in superhero shape. And he did work his way up the corporate ladder to become CEO of that paint company in Sydney. It wasn’t just handed to him on a platter."

"That's not the point. The point is I worked hard my entire life. Not just the last year or two."

"Should've had fun while you were young," Linda said smugly.

"Like you? You call three and a half children fun?"

Linda frowned at Ronan. Ronan blew a raspberry. "How could your Auntie Mad think you're not fun?"

Five minutes later, Maddie had everyone sitting down at the dining table—a miraculous feat considering David and Emily couldn't sit still for more than five seconds. They'd both decided Sam was the most exciting thing since Saturday morning cartoons and wanted to sit on his knee. He obliged, one per knee, and played "This Little Piggy" until their squeals drove everyone crazy.

Linda fed Ronan as Maddie brought the plates out. In the kitchen, last two plates in hand, she sucked in a lungful of air and tried to psych herself up. She could do this. He was just another guy. And she had a great job—a fantastic job—at BioDerma, and a great home in Melbourne. She was definitely not a gawky, tongue-tied teenager anymore.

And she definitely wasn't after him. Not unless he'd changed in the last fifteen years. She might like the package but she didn't particularly want to unwrap it and find out what made it tick. Probably an endless supply of expensive cars, even more expensive women and a hectic lifestyle. He'd never been the sort of guy to sit still and read a book for an entire day without getting off the couch. That was her favorite Sunday pastime—when Linda and Pete didn't talk her into babysitting.

She stared at the door, forcing a smile which felt as plastic as Emily's Barbie's. She could do this. He was just a man. And she was way smarter than him.

She counted to ten and pushed the door open.

***

"So, you're a scientist," said Sam.

Maddie welcomed the change in conversation. It was better than reminiscing over the old days, with the adults editing their stories so the children couldn't catch on. Since she was two years younger and had moved in different circles, Maddie wasn't interested in hearing about the time Pete got caught smoking p-o-t behind the boys toilets or the time Sam s-t-o-l-e a neighbor's car to get to his date on time.

She distracted herself by taking over Ronan's feeding, but ended up wearing most of the mushy pumpkin in her hair. Not a good look in front of a man as cool as Sam, but hey, she was over her infatuation with him, so what did she care?

Sam's question came during a break in the anecdotes when Pete's attention was distracted as he tried to convince David that broccoli florets weren't alien doggy-do.

"I'm a biochemist," said Maddie. "I work at BioDerma."

"Sounds interesting."

"About as interesting as watching this family at meal time," Linda piped up, taking over Ronan's feeding again. From the way he guzzled the food, Ronan seemed to prefer his mother's imitation of a choo choo train to Maddie's.

Sam chuckled. "I think your children are great meal time entertainment." He wiped a glob of baby food from his shirt with a napkin. "So what do you do at BioDerma, Maddie?"

She watched him through lowered lashes. Was he really interested or was he just being polite? Usually she ruined dates way before the meal arrived if she mentioned her job. One or two men had struggled through a second date and taken the conversation further, but their yawns weren't always successfully stifled. So far, Sam hadn't yawned. But it was still early.

"Maddie's developing the ultimate s-e-x aid, aren't you, Mad?" Linda's smirk said gotcha.

Pete dropped his fork and stared bug-eyed at his sister-in-law. Sam's brows merged with his hairline and Maddie's face burned. She was definitely going to commit fratricide before the night was over.

"It's an l-o-v-e potion," she said, resisting the urge to poke her tongue out at her sister.

"Love isn't a dirty word, Maddie," said Linda.

Emily and David giggled.

"You wouldn't say that if you'd dated half the guys I have." Maddie tucked a stray hair behind her ear and turned away from her sister who was definitely going to pay for this later.

"Tell me about it," Sam said.

"You want to hear about my bad dates?"

He laughed. "No, I want to hear about the love potion."

Maddie wanted to climb under the table and stay there. "Subliminal odors or pheromones," she said, keeping the conversation safely scientific to decrease her chances of foot-in-mouth, "influence an animal's choice of a mate and help develop bonding. There's a theory that humans also respond to pheromones. In other words, subconsciously we're attracted to people whose pheromones are compatible with ours."

"So, you're creating a fake pheromone?"

She nodded. "BioDerma's been commissioned by a perfume company to develop a synthetic pheromone that will have maximum impact for a large proportion of the population."

"So those who wouldn't usually find the wearer attractive, will."

Maddie stabbed a potato with her fork, concentrating hard on not looking up. She didn't need to. She could feel everyone staring at her.

"Sounds interesting," said Pete. "Who's going to test it out on the unsuspecting public?"

"Fred and Wilma."

"The Flintstones?"

"Lab mice. We'll also conduct a trial using human volunteers."

"Lucky them," Pete muttered. Linda glared at him and he shrugged. "What?"

Sam rubbed a jaw peppered with vacation stubble. Or maybe that was his everyday stubble. Maddie had no idea how Sydney-siders groomed. The cowboy look might be in.

"Sounds dangerous," he said.

"Are you kidding?" Pete waved his fork in the air. "Imagine having women fall all over you when you walk down the street. I'd volunteer for the trial in a second."

Linda flicked a spoonful of Ronan's pumpkin mush at him. It landed on his cheek with a plop and slid onto the table. David and Emily found it more amusing than their father.

"If I were a single guy, that is. Which I'm not." He patted Linda's knee. "And I love you."

She humphed.

"A love potion like that is completely unethical," Sam said, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms.

Maddie blinked at him. Was he for real? She studied his finely-honed face. He had the most sensual lips on a man she'd ever seen—other than Antonio Banderas —and eyes that expressed more than he probably would like judging by the stiff set of his jaw. He looked serious. He also looked like he'd just stepped straight out of a Diet Coke commercial. Men who looked like that weren’t supposed to care about the ethics behind scientific testing. They were supposed to think about hair care products and tanning lotions.

Maybe he meant environmental ethics. "It's non-toxic and non-allergenic," she said.

"I'm talking about manipulation. If this stuff actually works, then the implications are enormous. Imagine if people start having..." he glanced at Emily who blinked big brown eyes back at him, "...s-e-x with people they're not really attracted to. Imagine if people start thinking they're in love when in fact it's just a false hormonal response. It could ruin lives."

Great. Not only did the unattainable hottie have a conscience, he also had a brain. The Gods must have been having a party when they made him.

"I don't see how love can be a bad thing," she said, stacking Linda's empty plate on her own with a deliberate clatter. Most people found the idea of a love potion amusing, interesting. No one had ever questioned the ethics of it. Certainly no one at BioDerma whose jobs depended on fulfilling the contract.

"It can be if it's directed at the wrong person. And if the subjects believe they're in love."

She scraped David's uneaten broccoli onto her plate. "Since when do CEOs of multi-national corporations concern themselves with ethics?" The ice in her tone froze the room. "Or are you going to tell me the paint sold by National Paints is completely harmless to fish if I tip it into the ocean?"

She leaned across the table to collect Sam's plate but his large hand clasped hers so she couldn't move. She didn't want to. She glanced up into the blue eyes studying her, sucking her into their depths. Prickles of heat crept across her skin to the tips of her ears. But as embarrassed as she was, she couldn't turn away. His mesmerizing gaze triggered a familiar memory that made her knees wobbly and her mind wobblier.

"You're right," he murmured in a low rumble. "Let's not argue about this. Although it's an interesting discussion. Maybe we could—"

"Auntie Mad." Emily tapped Maddie's arm. "Can I have ithe cweam?"

"Huh?" The spell broken, Maddie jerked her hand away and picked up his plate. "Oh, ice cream, sure thing, Sugar. Want to come and help me?"

"I'll come too," said Linda handing the unfinished task of feeding Ronan over to Pete.

Safely in the kitchen, Maddie placed the plates in the sink then opened the freezer door and stuck her head inside. The cool rush soothed her burning cheeks and she sighed. Damn Sam Hennessy. He'd done it again. Baited her. Got a reaction.

Even worse, he’d made her infatuated with him AGAIN. Made her lust for him AGAIN.

This time she wasn't going to let him make a fool of her. She was older, wiser and could control her hormones. No way would she fall for a guy who taunted her for fun.

Emily tugged her skirt. "Auntie Mad, what are you doing?"

"Looking for ice cream."

"And if she doesn't find it soon," said Linda, bending down to her daughter's level, "she's going to turn into an Eskimo."

Emily giggled. "What’th an ethkimo?"

Maddie pulled her head out and grabbed the tub of chocolate ice cream. "It’s a person who lives in the North Pole which is where I'm running away to as soon as dinner's over."

"Are you crazy?" Linda said. "He wants you."

Maddie snorted. All class. "He doesn't want me, he just wants to debate the ethics of Pheramour."

Linda retrieved two bowls from the cupboard and placed them on the bench. "Didn't you see that look in his eyes?"

"The I'm-right-and-you're-wrong look?"

Linda placed one hand on her hip. "What's wrong with you? There's a gorgeous man out there who wants you and you're hiding out in the kitchen."

Maddie raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure he wants me and isn't just trying to beat the nerd in a debate?"

Linda spooned ice cream into the bowls. "Fairly sure." She glanced up at Maddie. "Okay, I'm not, but what the hell. You're single and cute and you should be sending out available signals instead of talking about your work. Get back in there."

"Not without ice cream. Speaking of which, where's my bowl?"

"Are you crazy? You can't eat ice cream. It'll go straight to your hips and you never know who might be holding onto them soon."

"Linda! I am not going to have s-e-x with Sam Hennessy!"

Linda's dark brows drew together. "Why not? Don't you find him hunky?"

With a shrug, Maddie scooped out a spoonful of ice cream and ate it then licked the spoon clean. "That's not the point."

"It is to me. Well?"

Her sister was impossible. Maddie glanced down at Emily who blinked big brown eyes at her. "Your mother is unbelievable." Emily giggled. Maddie focused on Linda and sighed. "Yeah, I find him hunky. But that's all. He's nice to look at but that's not enough to interest me. So stop trying to set me up with him. Got it?"

Linda grinned. "Whatever you say, Mad."

***

Sam hadn't expected to enjoy the dinner party as much as he did. Although he'd been looking forward to catching up with Pete and Linda, he wasn't sure if reminiscing over mis-spent youth would be a good idea. Turned out to be the best thing he'd done since quitting as CEO of National Paints. That, and arriving back in Melbourne to consider his future.

But he would have enjoyed himself anyway, even if Pete and Linda had turned into the dullest people this side of the Great Dividing Range. Their kids were a laugh a minute. David had wanted to know if there were aliens in Sydney, Emily had made up stories involving her carrots as characters, and Ronan had found wearing his food more entertaining than eating it.

And then there was Maddie. Having her there gave the innocent dinner party an entirely new meaning.

Since when did scientists get so sexy?

Since when did Maddie get so sexy?

She'd always been cute, with her button nose, innocent brown eyes and luxurious black curls that she insisted on trapping in a tight pony tail, but now she'd moved beyond cute. She was a woman. And wow, what a woman. The slightly plump teenager had turned into Cinderella with curves to die for.

According to Linda, she was single. He couldn't figure out why. Beautiful, intelligent women with a sense of humor were hard to come by. He should know. He'd been looking for a long time. Too long.

Maybe she'd go on a date with him. Nope, unlikely now. He'd ruined his chances when he'd implied her love potion was a little on the unethical side. He couldn't take that back and he couldn't change his opinion but he could shut up about it. No need to spoil the evening.

Emily came out of the kitchen and through the open door Sam caught a glimpse of Maddie eating ice cream straight from the tub. He smiled. At least some things never changed.

"Tham," said Emily, tugging his sleeve.

He smiled down at her. Emily had her mother's face but her eyes were just like her Aunt Maddie's—big and trusting. "Yes, Pumpkin?"

"You know my Auntie Mad?"

"Yes."

"Thee thinkth you're chunky."

Chunky? Sam frowned at her. "Are you sure that's what she said?"

Emily nodded solemnly.

"Oh." He glanced down at his waist. The shirt puckered where it was loosely tucked into his jeans. He flattened it. He sat up straighter, squaring his shoulders. Better. He sucked in his stomach but that made breathing difficult so he let it out again before he turned blue.

Chunky? He'd never been called that before. He jogged every morning and ate a balanced diet. Maybe it wasn't enough. Maybe he should go to the health farm that T.J. Hopkins, National Paints' Director of Marketing, visited last year. It had worked for T.J. Sort of. He still needed to lose several more pounds to be considered slim but at least he no longer thought vegetables were invented to make a steak taste good.

"What do you think that means?" he asked Pete who was pulling funny faces at Ronan to get him to laugh and open his mouth.

"I have no idea," Pete said. "Maybe she's referring to your muscles. You're not as skinny as you used to be."

He was about to ask Pete whether Maddie preferred thin or large men, tall or short, when the two sisters emerged from the kitchen. Linda placed two bowls of chocolate ice cream in front of David and Emily.

"Where's mine?" asked Pete.

"If he's having some then so am I," Maddie declared. "Sam?"

"Maybe I shouldn't. Unless it's low fat."

"Low fat?" she said with disdain. With a shake of her head, she disappeared back into the kitchen.

So much for good impressions.