Deal of a Lifetime Read Online Free

forkful of eggs, Con dropped one of the folders beside her plate and sat across from her. “Good morning, sweetness, sleep well?”
    While he placed his order, she swallowed and took a sip of coffee. A single drop glistened against her rosy flesh. Oh to be a drop of coffee and flavor Tam’s mouth .
    The urge was strong to lick the drop away and mark her as his in front of everyone. He resisted temptation. Taking that approach in public was a cheap shot and guaranteed to make Tam angry. Her anger wasn’t part of his plan.
    She raised her napkin, blocking Con’s view of her mouth and bringing him back to earth. When she finished blotting her lips, she smiled.
    “As a matter of fact, I slept just fine. Thank you very much for moving to the other bedroom. Now if you’d just concede that sharing a suite is a mistake and move out, everything would be great.”
    “I agree things could be better.”
    She brightened.
    “But the only move I should make is into your bed.”
    She pressed her lips together and glared at him.
    He smiled and spread his napkin in his lap, thankful for the sheltering table and cloth. Tam’s effect on him had always been too easy to see. “The registration booth was closing, so I got your packet when I went to get mine.”
    “Is it that late already?” She glanced at her watch.
    “Relax. You’ve got at least fifteen minutes before your first seminar.”
    She eyed him suspiciously. “I appreciate your thoughtfulness.”
    Warning himself to stay casual, he reached for the coffee carafe. “The conference invitation was clear. No late registrants would be admitted.”
    Her mouth twisted. “Then your courtesy was self-motivated.”
    “You claim you’re not interested, so why should my motives matter?” Her continued mistrust wounded him, but he put the hurt aside. Focusing on that wasn’t productive. He covered his heart with his hand, feigned a bland expression, and tapped the folder next to her. “That’s yours.”
    “I don’t like being crowded.” She sniffed.
    “Nobody’s crowding you. You can pack your bags and leave any time.”
    “Maybe you should consider that option yourself.”
    He caught the gleam of fire in her eyes before she turned her attention to her toast. Proud of her because she’d kept her edge and disappointed that she ignored his bait, Con waited a minute before trying a different tactic. “I couldn’t help noticing that you’ve got a full docket.”
    “Are you satisfied that we’ll attend enough of the same sessions for you to keep me in your sights?” She picked up her folder and perused its contents as if she weren’t suspicious of his every move.
    She was trying to hide her feelings. Despite her bent head, he could see the tension in her shoulders. He wished he could rub away those aches, but after last night it was too soon to touch her. He gave an exaggerated sigh. “Sadly, I have private meetings all day. I won’t see you again until tonight’s cocktail party.”
    Con smiled and bit down on a bagel. Giving her space today would lull some of those suspicions and make a later full-scale assault all the more effective. She wouldn’t see it coming. He chewed, swallowed, and contemplated a future with Tam firmly by his side in work and life.
    “Con.”
    He brought his gaze to hers. She said his name with an icy calm that worried him. “Yes.”
    “How closely did you look at this folder?”
    “Just glanced at your itinerary. Why?”
    “Because the hotel staff seems to have carried the booking error over to my registration.”
    His brow wrinkled. “I don’t understand.”
    She widened her eyes, but that lapis-on-sky stare was pure ice. “You would never meddle with my registration, would you?”
    The thought had crossed his mind to be immediately discarded. A surer way of making her angry, he couldn’t imagine. “No, I wouldn’t. Is something wrong?”
    “My corporate title’s been dropped and my affiliation changed to O’Neal Corp. instead