Endless Summer Nights Read Online Free Page B

some horrible wrong.”
    “I felt like I had.” Sydni blew out a breath. “I thought I wanted what he wanted. We were good together...mostly. But when I looked into the future, as much as I cared about Blake, I didn’t see him in it.” She glanced at Lynn, hoping to see understanding in her expression.
    “It happens, and you need to stop being so hard on yourself about it. Isn’t it better that you came to understand that now and not after the wedding?”
    Sydni gave a little shiver. “I know. But if I had walked down that aisle I would have found a way to make it work.”
    “I know you would have. There isn’t a project that you don’t find a way to master, but you would have been miserable in the process.”
    “I know, and Blake deserved better. He’s such a great guy. He’ll make someone really happy.”
    “And so will you...when you find the right guy. Speaking of which... Gabriel St. James...Santiago. Fiyah-hot! But—” she raised her finger to make a point “—he’s a client. Your father would have a natural fit, not to mention that it’s soooo unethical.”
    Sydni scrunched up her face. “I know,” she sighed despondently. “Figures.” She took a sip from her glass. Her gaze drifted off and a slow smile moved across her mouth as images of Gabriel messed with her head.
    “Besides, Syd, we’re only here for two weeks. Even if...and I’m not saying that you should...but even if you did have a mini-fling with him...to, um, get rid of the cobwebs, that man is a notorious playboy.”
    Sydni sat up, suddenly alert and inspired. “Exactly,” she declared, slapping her palm on the arm of the chair.
    “Exactly what?”
    “He’s a playboy. Women come and go in his life like buses. Let’s say...something did happen between us.... A fling... It wouldn’t mean anything. He would simply move on and so would I.”
    “Do you hear yourself? This isn’t you. Since when do you sleep with uber-gorgeous, superrich men just for the hell of it?”
    “There’s a first time for everything,” she said with a hopeful spring in her voice.
    “Syd...”
    Sydni huffed and rolled her eyes. “I know. You’re right. My libido has been on lockdown for so long I guess I momentarily lost my mind for a minute. That would have to be the single most crazy thing I would ever have done and I’d regret it.”
    “Yeah, you would. And there’s no telling how that could backfire.”
    “I know.” She finished off her glass of wine and set the glass down on the table beside her just as her cell phone rang. She picked it up from the table and her pulse jumped when she saw the name in the dial. It’s him, she mouthed.
    “Hello, Mr. St. James.”
    “I hope by the time dinner is over you will want to at least call me Gabriel.”
    “We’ll see.”
    He chuckled. “Is seven good for you?”
    “Yes, it’s fine.”
    “There is a wonderful place that I want to take you. I know you will enjoy it.”
    “Looking forward.”
    “I’ll be out front. Until then.”
    The call disconnected. Sydni still gripped the phone in her hand.
    “Well? Why do you look like that? What did he say?”
    Sydni blinked to clear her head. “Look like what?”
    “Like someone slid their hand up your skirt.”
    Sydni’s cheeks heated. Her fingers fluttered toward her glass and she realized it was empty. “You’re crazy. He just wanted to tell me he’d be here at seven to pick me up for dinner.”
    “Hmm, okay. So what are you wearing tonight?”
    Sydni’s face brightened. “Guess I better figure that out.” She hopped up from her seat and padded off to her bedroom.
    Lynn shook her head, mystified and concerned. Generally, Sydni was the most levelheaded person in the room. She never detoured, compromised her beliefs or settled for second place. But without a doubt she’d been thunderstruck by Gabriel. And though she wouldn’t admit it to Sydni, she could definitely see why. Lynn could only hope that Sydni would use her head and stick