Flirting with Felicity Read Online Free

gambled on many things in my life, and I’m
willing to do it right now, with you.”
    Felicity startled. “What are you talking about?”
    He wished for a crazy, desperate minute that they’d met under
different circumstances. That Uncle Vernon was not the only thing that had
brought their lives together. Or maybe he should be glad the old man had made
their meeting awkward, allowing him to keep her at a distance, so he could sue
her without remorse. But before things went that far, he had one last idea. “Uncle
Vernon placed us in an odd situation. I’m willing to keep this out of the
courts, if you agree to my plan.”
    She frowned. “What are you offering?”
    “We each spend one day with each other. We’ll start here in
Seattle. You can show me why you want to keep the Bancroft as it is. Then,
you’ll spend the day with me, and I’ll show you why I want the hotel and what
changes I have planned. At the end of those two days, we’ll determine if either
of us has persuaded the other, or if we still need to take this battle to the
courts.”
    He saw a flash of temper in her eyes. “Why would I do that?
The hotel is already mine.”
    “A lawsuit over the ownership of the hotel will turn your
life upside down and cost you every cent you have to fight me. The end result
will not be in your favor.” He shrugged. “At least this gives you a fifty-fifty
chance.”
    Felicity’s cheeks flushed, but indecision flickered in her eyes.
    He held out his hand to her. “We each spend one day with the other.
When we’re through, we both must agree on who can best serve the Bancroft Hotel
and take her into the future.” And the extra days would allow the necessary
time to prepare a lawsuit, if it came to that.
    “But if we don’t come to a decision, we’ve wasted two days of
our lives.”
    “Are you worried about your powers of persuasion?”
    “No,” she said in an irritated tone.
    “We’ve both wasted at least two days of our lives before,” he
said, then paused to give her time to consider. “Do we have a deal?”
    She stared at his fingers for a moment before she accepted
his hand. Her fingers trembled ever so slightly, telling him she wasn’t as
worldly as he had given her credit for a moment ago, but she was brave. Not
many men stood up to him. And fewer women.
    She pulled her hand back and offered him a polite smile. “I’ll
let them know at the registration desk that you’ll be checking in, if that’s
what you want.”
    “It’s what I want.”
    “All right. Until tomorrow, then.”
    He nodded. “Until tomorrow. When and where should I meet you?”
    A smug grin replaced her smile. “Meet me in the lobby at five
thirty in the morning.” At his frown, she added, “My day starts early. I’ll get
Marie to cover the housekeeping meeting at the hotel for me, so we can head
straight to the waterfront to buy seafood, then we’ll go to the farmer’s market
to see what fruit and vegetables are available.”
    “I’ll be there,” he agreed, as she turned and walked out the
door. The room suddenly grew cold and dark without Felicity’s vibrant presence.
    Blake dismissed the thought and reached for his water glass,
wishing it held something stronger. He never mixed business with pleasure, but
maybe it was time to break his own rule. Felicity was not his usual opponent.
She was passionate and headstrong, an interesting combination. If he was going
to win, he was going to have to use every possible advantage he had, perhaps including
seduction. He could be very persuasive. He lifted his water glass to his lips,
his mind dwelling on the possibilities.

CHAPTER TWO
    Felicity walked the short distance from the hotel to her
studio apartment two blocks east without seeing a thing along the way. Dear God,
she was frightened. Not of Blake Bancroft, but of what he could undo. Just this
morning, Vern had given her a dream and a future. Blake could take all of that
away and more.
    If he took the hotel away from