Nothing about his relaxed demeanor and bland expression betrayed the way his nerves tightened and his pulse quickened as the back door opened and one long, curvaceous leg appeared, followed by another, as Tessa Philbin lowered herself into the limo.Even after all these years and after all they’d been through, Crandall marveled that she could still have such an effect on him. As a man whose reputation as a shrewd, formidable businessman was as much a part of his legacy as his renowned charm and virility, it galled him to realize that one woman could have such a stranglehold on him. When it came to his feelings for Tessa Philbin, he was as powerless as a mom-and-pop store facing a hostile takeover by a major conglomerate.That morning, Tessa was cool and effortlessly elegant in a silk wrap that subtly accentuated her trim figure and the shapeliness of her crossed legs. She wore one of those classic millinery-inspired hats that slanted over her eyes, but he didn’t need to see her entire face to remember how beautiful she was, to note how smooth and supple her golden-brown skin remained, even at the age of sixty-six.
