His smile was confident. “Because I’m going to tell you all my secrets. And when I do, you’ll want to give me something back.”

  He sat back, a satisfied expression on his face, and motioned toward her computer. “So let’s get started.”

  Cursing him inwardly, she forced her attention to the work she knew needed to be done. True to his word, he told her about the evening he’d come back from dining with the producer of the show to find his brother gambling and drinking. Stacey could see the pain and concern beneath his cool exterior. She didn’t mention it, however, knowing he would end up turning the conversation onto her. He might be right about getting her to tell him her secrets, but she wasn’t ready for that. Not yet.

  She kept her guard up throughout the morning, not giving him any opening until they were nearly done with the press release about his brother’s dismissal as an agent. Stacey had agreed to keep the scandal out of it, but she couldn’t resist pointing out to him that any press could be twisted to be good press.

  “Not for my brother.” Andre’s expression was determined.

  “You’re very forgiving. How long had he been stealing from you, anyway?”

  “I didn’t say I forgive him. I haven’t. Not sure if I will. But he’s my brother and I won’t let this ruin him.”

  “Is this a blood is thicker than water thing?”

  He sat back in his chair. “What about your siblings?”

  “My sister’s a sweet kid. My brother’s a bastard.” She turned her attention to her notes.

  “You don’t like him or he’s literally a bastard?”

  She snorted, smiling a little. “Literally. I don’t really know him, so I don’t know if I like him or not. My mom had an affair.”

  “But your parents are still together? Did they work it out?”

  She made an impatient movement, scattering the signed contract he’d set on the table. “Maybe I should have had you sign a nondisclosure agreement. Or a non-nosy one.”

  “That would never work. Being nosy is in my nature.” His eyes twinkled.

  “I get that.” She stood. “Look, I’ve got enough to work with here—”

  “One more question.” He studied her, holding his coffee mug in his hands.

  What was it about him that put her so off her game? She straightened the papers she’d been making notes on and snapped her notebook computer shut before answering. “What is it?”

  Her unfriendly tone made him smile instead of flinch. “You mentioned you saw one of my early shows. The Clemson Theater in New York.”

  She hadn’t expected that. “Yeah. That was the one.”

  “What did you think?”

  This time the question stopped her cold. She ceased shuffling the papers and met his gaze, almost reluctantly. Her carefully guarded memory of that last trick he’d performed and the way his eyes had met hers for a moment returned to her with a jolt. Of course he didn’t remember that moment. She’d been one in a crowd, just another girl. But he’d been and was Andre Hawke, a man who could make even the toughest of disbelievers think again.

  Or believe. She yanked her gaze away, putting her computer into her bag. “It was great.” Her voice sounded a little shaky to her own ears. “I enjoyed—”

  His phone rang, interrupting her. He held up one hand. “Just a sec.” After a brief conversation, he hung up. “Your room is ready.”

  “You mean I don’t get to stay here with you? Bummer.” She rolled her eyes, happy with the change of subject. “Where’d you sleep last night, anyway?”

  “Couch.” He motioned at the living area. “It’s not super comfortable, so I’ll be glad to send you your own way tonight.”

  “Not to mention that a boy your age needs his privacy.” She gathered her notes. “How do I get to this room you mentioned?”

  “Bellman is on his way to take your bag. And don’t worry about the tip. I’ll take care of it.” He touched her shoulder and she glanced up, raising her eyebrow. His next words surprised her…again. “I’m looking forward to seeing what you can do.”

  Damn it. She could get lost in those eyes and that velvety voice. He wasn’t going to work his magic on her, though. She straightened her spine. “Don’t get your hopes up too high. I’ve been writing trash for so long, I may not be able to do anything else.”

  His enigmatic smile was her only answer, for the bell sounded at that moment. He escorted her to the door, carrying her bag for her. When he opened it, he spoke quietly to the bellman, then turned back to her. “When you get the press release ready, email it to me. And perhaps you could join me for lunch here so we could go over it?”

  “Sure. If you don’t need it before that.” She frowned, a little confused. He seemed so in control of everything. As if no one would dare cross the Great Andre before he was good and ready. But he was just a man, after all. Not a wizard, no matter how great an illusionist he might be. If she’d found out a good day and a half before, his secret was not safe much longer. Her sources were good, but they weren’t that good.

  “We won’t. Schedule a press conference for this evening right before the show. I’ll let you know where.” He closed the door.

  She shrugged and followed the bellman down the corridor to the elevator.

  Her room was in an older part of the hotel. Much smaller and less luxurious than Andre’s suite, it was nonetheless very comfortable and adequate for her needs. An arrangement of fresh flowers was, she suspected, there at Andre’s request. Was he just being thoughtful or did he have ulterior motives? And what might those motives be? She ran a finger over a silky lily petal, remembering the moment in his suite when his hands had lingered on her skin. She considered letting her imagination run wild with the fantasy, but knew she couldn’t afford it. She worked with him now, and she suspected Andre was far too intelligent to mix business with pleasure.

  She forced herself to concentrate on what needed to be done. Her decision to take this job didn’t just affect her. Bella might be technically an adult, but she was still dependent on Stacey. If Stacey wasn’t going to return to New York right away, she needed to let Bella know. Maybe she could find a roommate, take a temp job for a while. If this became more permanent, they could figure it out then.

  She set up her computer and called Bella. “Hey.”

  “Hey, yourself. How’d it go last night?”

  “Huh?” Stacey started, remembering her earlier fantasy about Andre.

  “The show. The magician…what’s his name?”

  “Andre. Andre Hawke.” She took a deep breath. How had it gone? Too early to tell.

  “C’mon, fangirl, dish. Is he as hot as he looks in his pictures? I can’t remember that show you’re always talking about. Guess he didn’t make as big an impression on me. But more important, did you get your story?”

  “Not…exactly.”

  “Oh my God, you slept with him.”

  “No!” Bella’s accusation shocked Stacey, more because it was so factually stated than because it was close to her real fantasy. Who wouldn’t fantasize about Andre Hawke after spending an hour or two in his company? But Bella had jumped to that conclusion from thousands of miles away without any real idea of what Andre’s magnetic presence was like. “Why would you say that?”

  Bella snorted. “Because you’re a total groupie. You’ve hero-worshipped that guy ever since you first saw him. And why else would you not get the story you went after? Anyway, are you coming back soon? I’ve been looking at the temp jobs, but none of them are half as interesting as working for you.”

  Now was the time. Stacey squelched her big sister protective instincts. It would do Bella good to survive on her own for a change. By the time she was Bella’s age, she’d been supporting both of them. Bella rarely even went to the grocery store alone. “That’s the thing. I’m not exactly coming back.”

  “You’re not coming back?” Bella sounded incredulous. “What? Why? Did you find another story?”

  “No. Not exactly.” Stacey sighed. “It’s just that he offered me a job. Public relations.”

  “Who offered you a job? The magician? You’re kidding me.”

  “Andre offered me a job, and I’m not kidding. Salary and benefits and everything.”

  “You’ve always said you don’t want a job like that.” Bella’s voice was understandably confused. “You’ve always said you prefer the freedom of—”

  “Yeah, well, look where my ‘freedom’ got me.” Stacey bit off the words. “I’m next door to unemployed and destitute.” She paused and took a deep breath. “Look, I’m sorry. I’ll send you a check as soon as I can, but could you do me a favor and pack up some clothes and send them out this way? Jeans and whatever I’ve got that even vaguely looks like something you’d wear in Vegas.”

  Bella finally broke several seconds of silence. “You’re not sleeping with him… Is he nice or something?”

  “Nice?” Would she call him nice? Would anyone call Andre nice? The word didn’t seem to fit, at least not as well as so many others: mysterious, gorgeous, sexy, magnetic, charismatic... “I’m not…I mean, I guess so, yes.”

  “Are you sure you didn’t sleep with him?”

  “Of course not!” Stacey let her outrage slip into her voice. This was getting far more complicated than the simple conversation she’d anticipated having. “Look, could you just send the clothes here? I’ll email you the address.”

  “Fine.” Bella had changed from shocked to sulky. With a sharp click, she hung up. Stacey looked at the phone blankly. What the hell? Her sister could act childish at times, but she’d always been grateful for what Stacey had done for her. Was it too much to expect her to be happy Stacey had found permanent employment, especially if it enabled Stacey to continue to support her?

  Halfway through his morning workout, Andre’s doorbell rang. He opened the door, knowing it would be Mattie and Bobby. He’d expected them ever since his email half an hour before. He motioned them inside and reached for a towel. “What’s up?”

  Mattie’s unplucked eyebrows shot up. She refused to spend money on spas and salons, but she was somehow more attractive than most of the women he’d dated who spent a great deal of money and time on their appearances. Mattie was smart, beautiful, loyal and one of his best employees, and she wasn’t going to take any crap from anyone, including Andre Hawke. “You’re kidding me. Who is this woman? She’s on the payroll now? I thought you just wanted to sleep with her.”

  “He did.” Bobby helped himself to a water from the minibar.

  “You did?” Mattie swung around to glare at Andre. “You slept with her and now she’s on the payroll. I guess that at least makes some sort of sense.”

  “I didn’t, not that it’s anybody’s business.” Andre whacked the back of Bobby’s head and took the water bottle from him. He looped a fluffy towel around his neck and uncapped the bottle to take a long sip.

  Unperturbed, Bobby plucked a pack of almonds from the bar. “Fine. Whatever. You don’t usually do much sleeping when a beautiful woman spends the night in your suite, I guess.”

  “Jesus, Andre.” Mattie shook her head. “Haven’t you gotten fucked by enough employees this month?”

  “Drop it.” He’d had enough. Mattie and Bobby were his oldest friends, but he wasn’t going to let even them talk about Tony. That was between him and his brother.

  Mattie looked a little uncomfortable, but she didn’t back down. “Sorry. But seriously. You can’t just hire someone like her. She’ll dig up every secret you have and publish it. You’ll be ruined.”

  “Relax, Matts.” Bobby grinned at her, sucking the salt off an almond. “Don’t you remember all those privacy agreements and shit we had to sign? And we’ve known him forever.” He gave Andre a satisfied look. “I’m sure Andre had someone like her sign twice as many agreements.”

  Andre hesitated, uncomfortable. Mattie noticed and groaned. “Aw, shit. You’re kidding me.” She shook her head. “And he’s not even screwing her.”

  “She wouldn’t sign it.” It sounded weak in his own ears, but he refused to question his decision now. “I decided it wasn’t necessary.”

  “You decided?” She stomped to the door. “Fine. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  “Mattie.” His voice stopped her in her tracks and she glanced back. He scrubbed his hands on the towel and held his right hand out to her. She took a half step back toward him, as if she were about to take his hand, and he passed his left palm over his right. It burst into flame and she started. He smiled, closing his hand, reopening it and offering her the lily that had appeared there. “How many of my secrets do you know?”

  She took the lily with a scornful look. “I’m not her. She’s got magic of her own, and the sooner you realize that, the better off you’ll be.” And she flounced out of the room without another backward glance.

  Bobby stood, looking amused. “She’s got gypsy blood in her, you know. She half believes all this shit you do.”

  “Well, see if you can convince her Stacey isn’t a danger.” Andre wiped his hand on the towel again. He dropped into a chair across from his friend. Bobby was his best friend and only real confidante, now that Tony was out of the picture. Some might think that was pitiful. He’d picked up the kid at one of his earliest shows. A good eight years Andre’s junior, Bobby idolized the magician. Over the past few years, they had grown close. Almost as close as brothers. Almost. Andre winced a little but he kept it inside. He wouldn’t discuss his problems with Tony…not even with Bobby. And Bobby wouldn’t want him to.

  He’d never expected Bobby and Mattie to hook up. Mattie was older, but not by much, and she’d been with Andre longer. Andre had always respected the woman who could do everything from manage his bookings to keeping his checkbook balanced. And she hadn’t looked at him twice as far as considering sleeping with him. But when they brought Bobby onto the staff, it hadn’t taken long before the two became an item. Their relationship had lasted the years, probably because Bobby idolized her even more than he did Andre.

  He laughed at Andre now. “Are you sure she’s no danger?” He bit an almond in half and examined the insides like a surgeon, chewing thoughtfully. “I mean, she does seem to have some sort of magic. I didn’t think you’d trust anybody again after Tony, but this woman shows up with ulterior motives from the get-go and before the night is out, you’re offering her a job.”

  Andre considered. Bobby had always been able to make him think twice. He didn’t resent his younger friend’s intrusions as much as he did Mattie’s hot-blooded accusations. “That’s just it. She never made a secret of why she was here. I mean, she wasn’t backstage more than a minute before she laid her cards on the table. I respect that.” He took a swig of the water.

  Bobby raised one eyebrow and stood, popping the other half of almond into his mouth. “I’ll work on Mattie, but don’t count on much.”

  “Sure.” Andre remained in the seat he’d taken, looking at the blank wall on the other side of the kitchen. “Thanks.” He stayed there as Bobby left the room, thinking of Mattie’s words. She’s got magic of her own, and the sooner you realize that, the better off you’ll be.

  Chapter Three

  Stacey answered the knock on the door expecting Andre, although it was half an hour until time to meet him in his suite. Instead, Mattie stood there, her arms crossed over her chest in a defensive posture. “Oh, perfect.” Stacey grabbed the other woman and pulled her inside.

  “What?” Mattie looked startled by the greeting.

  “I need someone to read this press release before I give it to Andre. You know him, you can tell me what he’ll think.” Stacey repressed her anxiety with difficulty. She’d agonized over the press release more than she’d ever done over a story. Probably because I’m not meant for this kind of crap. She shoved the thought away and pushed Mattie into the desk chair. When the woman looked up at her with her impressive green eyes, Stacey motioned at the screen. “Read! Please.”

  Her eyes narrowing at the tacked on polite interjection, Mattie turned her attention to the screen. Within a few moments, she appeared to be engrossed. Stacey paced, nervous. Maybe the other woman was finding plenty to object to, or maybe she had spotted errors Stacey couldn’t possibly understand, having been there for such a short time. However, she finally sat back and turned her luminous eyes on Stacey. “It’s good.”

  “Oh, thank God.” Stacey sank into the soft chair next to the desk. “I was worried. I didn’t know Tony at all and I barely know Andre. But this will work?”

  “It’s plausible.” Mattie nodded. “They’re devoted to family, so yeah. A family emergency is plausible. Andre, unable to go himself because of obligations here, would definitely send Tony home to deal with it. And hold the position open for him.”

  “Oh.” Stacey considered. “Is that why he’s not hiring a new agent? To make it look like Tony could come back?”

  Mattie shut her mouth with a snap, her expression closing up at the same time. She stood. “I need to go.”

  Stacey stared at her back as she started to the door. She stood. “Mattie. You can trust me. I swear.” Something drew the words from her, but she felt how right they were as they hung in the air between her and the other woman.

  Mattie turned, very slowly. “Can I? Really? Do you love him?”

  “Love him?” Stacey bit her lip and wished whatever elves had provided her last words would resurface. She had no idea what the correct answer was.

  Mattie took two steps toward her. “If you love him, I can trust you, at least as long as it lasts.”

  “Oh.” The syllable felt silly in her mouth, confronted by this passionate creature. She remembered what Andre had said about assumptions being made if he were seen taking her to the suite where she’d spent the night. “I—uh…”

  “I didn’t think so.” The woman looked disappointed. “You don’t actually know what I mean, even. I love him, Bobby loves him. He can trust us. For some reason he trusts you, though.” She shook her head. “And you don’t love him.”