"I've heard of him," he said carefully. "Why?"
"Then I guess you know he's one of these magicians who takes a seedy shopping area under his wing and, with a bit of face-lifting and a lot of phony P.R. work, turns it into a trendy mall where the city's finest meet and greet."
Ross reared back. Wow. He knew there were people who didn't like his tactics-some who didn't even like his results. But it was a shock to hear it raw and simple from Charity's mouth. Where had she heard this garbage, anyway? He bit the side of his lip and forced himself to stay quiet.
"He's in the process of doing exactly that out on the Dos Pueblos Pier where I have my restaurant," she went on. "He's been after me for months to join his consortium. All the others on the pier have joined."
"Why not join up?" he said, staring at his wine. "I hear he's had a lot of success with his methods."
She nodded. "Yes, he has. But if I joined, I would be part of something else. Can you understand that? La Mer wouldn't be me any longer. I couldn't claim my success as my own any longer, and that's very important to me." She shrugged. "I'd rather sell out than buy in."
She smiled, pleased with the wording she'd used.
Ross frowned. That was the attitude he'd come to fight. She needed to hear the truth and she needed to be convinced. He had every intention of doing that. But not just yet.
He looked at her and knew it would only bring on another battle in this little war if he told her who he really was. He needed more time.
And anyway-now that she was smiling at him he didn't want to ruin things. H is mind was too full of her and her attractions. Her hair, he noticed, was the color of cham pagne. Her eyes were dark and full of shadows. It wasn't only the wine that was filling his senses with a smooth, silky buzz of excitement.
He leaned back and gazed at her with lazy pleasure.
"Well, why didn't you marry one of these daredevils who used you to court danger?" he said huskily, changing the subject back again.
"Oh no." She sobered, her eyes darkening even more. "There always came a time when they found out about the rest of my family, and then they backed away fast. A little daring is one thing. Total pandemonium is another."
She made him smile, even when he wasn't sure what he was smiling about. "Tell me about the others."