That Special Smile/Whittenburg Read Online Free

curved at that, but just barely. She had no idea why he was flirting with her, but she decided it was the perfect time to bring her sister’s name back into the conversation.
    “Juliette tells me you’ve lived here for a number of years.”
    “That’s true.”
    “And Juliette said you have a shop downtown.”
    “On Spring Street.”
    “What kind of shop?”
    “You mean Juliette didn’t tell you?” His voice dropped to a soft bass and his eyes twinkled a seductive blue.
    The curious warmth in her stomach curled tighter and Sylvie was finding it more difficult to ignore this time. What did Max hope to gain by flirting with her?
    “Juliette said you own a toy store.”
    “She’s right. I do.” His smile deepened. “Was she right when she told me there’s no special man in your life?”
    “Why would she tell you something like that?”
    “Because I asked. Is it true?”
    “That, Max, is none of your business.”
    “Yet.”
    She held the saucer tighter and regarded him suspiciously. But he noticed the way she used her other hand to adjust her glasses and congratulated himself on his perception. Impulsive and foolhardy it would undoubtedly prove to be, but at least his strategy was getting a response.
    “You and I couldn’t reach that point of familiarity in six years, much less six months,” she said coolly.
    He shrugged. “You could be right, Sylvie. But as I mentioned, winters here can be long and boring.”
    “Which only proves you’ve never spent a winter next door to Juliette,” she said, setting her coffee aside.
    The crease made a fleeting reappearance in his cheek. “Or Juliette’s sister.”
    Her restless fingers drummed in silent annoyance against the sofa arm. She was beginning to suspect the motivation for this all-out flirtation, and she didn’t like the possibility at all. Part of her wanted to tell him exactly what she thought of him, but another part simply wanted to laugh at the complete nonsense he was dishing out. She chose a more middle-of-the-road approach.
    “You don’t seem to care what Juliette might think, Max.”
    His forehead wrinkled with a frown. “Well, no, I can’t say I’ve given it a great deal of thought. Is that a requirement?”
    “A requirement for what?”
    “For getting to know you better.” He relaxed against the back of the chair, stretched his legs out, halfway across the carpet it seemed, and crossed one sockless ankle over the other. It was a very casual posture and she resented it. He could at least sit up straight while he flirted with her.
    “You don’t know my sister very well.”
    He looked surprised and a bit confused. “You could be right.”
    “I am. So I’m going to do you a favor and give you fair warning that you’ll never make Juliette jealous by flirting with me. Or anyone else, for that matter. She’s not the jealous type.”
    His bewildered expression was a masterpiece of its kind. And then he chuckled, a quiet sound, a throaty ripple of laughter that wrapped a warm contentment about her heart and made her wish, for a fleeting second, that she could laugh with him.
    “And what would you say, Sylvie Anne, if I told you I have no ulterior motive in flirting with you?”
    “I would say you’d be in a no-win situation.” She reached for the coffee cup that sat neglected on the table beside her.
    Her challenge didn’t appear to faze him, except to alter his amusement to a full grin. “You’re absolutely right. Either way, it wouldn’t be very flattering to you, would it?”
    She put the cup back without bringing it anywhere near her lips. Juliette was right. He made terrible coffee. “Nor you.”
    “Then I may as well have ulterior motives.”
    “Suit yourself,” she said with an offhand shrug. “And while you do that, I’ll go back to Juliette’s house and wait for her there.” Sylvie tucked her purse under the crook of her arm and rose.
    Max got to his feet in easy acceptance of her decision. “You might as well