A Weekend Temptation Read Online Free

legend in the business world. He’s Fortune Magazine’s top billionaire to watch this year. Can you ask him to meet with me?”
    “Ask him yourself.” Joel’s deep voice boomed from behind her.
    She whipped her head around. He towered above her in a midnight black suit, black shirt, and striped tie. Power exuded from his very skin the way cologne did from some men.
    Grant couldn’t stand fast enough. He thrust his hand out, ready to do his businessman handshake. With the two men standing side by side, it was hard not to do a visual comparison. Grant wasn’t as tall or as broad, and he didn’t have a tenth of Joel’s sexual charge.
    “The only way I will meet with you, is if you leave this table, and my Ava,” Joel said.
    Her heart didn’t have a brain and fluttered at his, “my Ava.” Her name sounded too good on his lips.
    Grant shrugged, pulled out his business card, and passed it to Joel. Joel didn’t look at it, just slid it into his pants pocket.
    “Call me Monday, whatever I have on my calendar can be rescheduled for you, Mr. Stanfield,” Grant said.
    Joel nodded but didn’t move his dark, melting eyes from her. Honestly, he was the only man she knew who could make her feel heated with just the power of his gaze. Joel might not do other emotions, but he did seduction like a master.
    She shifted her attention, watching in shock as her date left her behind. All the while, she tried to ignore the way her body responded to Joel.
    Maybe she could ignore the attraction by focusing on what she hoped would be the stronger emotion—anger.
    “That royal jerk.” Ava clanked her fork on her plate. “I should have been more important than a stupid meeting with you. Look at me. I’m pretty right? Look at my come-get-me dress.” She lifted her hands and traced the air around her curves. Her ivory, silk wrap-dress clung to her body like a second skin. It had cost her an arm and two legs, but it made her feel like Marilyn Monroe.
    “The dress works for me.” Joel gave her a wolf’s smile and slid into the chair Grant had vacated. He signaled the waitress to remove Grant’s plate. The waitress stood holding the dish while Joel ordered Ava another glass of red wine and himself a mineral water with a lime slice.
    “If tonight is any indication of what I’m going to have to go through to find a husband, I—”
    “To find a what?” Joel leaned forward.
    “Why are you here, Joel?” And why do you have to be so damn attractive?
    “Isn’t it obvious? To get you back.”
    “I don’t want to be back,” she lied.
    He nodded to the waitress who delivered their drinks. When the woman was out of earshot, he asked, “Why the hell not?”
    “With the long hours you make me work, I’ll never find a man.” More like I’ll never want to find a man while I’m lusting over you.
    “You don’t want to find a man.”
    “You know when I took that Friday off?” She paused, and he nodded. “I went to my brother’s house in California.”
    “So?” He took a sip.
    “I want what he has.” She picked up her spoon.
    “What? A beach house? That’s easy. I’ll buy you one in the Hamptons. See ya Monday.” He started to stand.
    What did he just say? He’d buy her a beach house? Focus, Ava. “Wait, this isn’t over,” she snapped.
    He sat back down with a shrug and grabbed his drink.
    “No, it’s not about his Malibu house…” She took a deep breath. “Robbie just had a new baby. He has a wife, Megan, who loves him, and a precious little girl.” She sighed.
    Joel set his drink down and lifted a brow. “You want to be married?”
    “Yes.” Was it really so hard to believe?
    He shook his head. “You do not.”
    “Why wouldn’t I?” She bit her lower lip, and with her spoon, made circles in her cheddar potatoes. “I want children. I always have. And I want a husband to help me raise them.” Her father’s death had left her mother alone to care for her, her sister, and her brother. She saw first