High-Society Seduction Read Online Free Page A

his best friend, but on the other hand, Chelsea was trying to ruin it anyway. He had nothing to lose. Besides, if Jenna tried to use this against him, he’d destroy her and her family. No question.
    He put down his fork and leaned back in his chair. “Chelsea’s married to my best friend. Todd and I have known each other since we were kids. I was best man at his wedding last year and he was my best man when I…got married.”
    “You’re a widower, aren’t you?”
    So she knew about that. Then he grimaced inwardly. He supposed it would be hard not to know it. Nothing about his family stayed out of the media long.
    “Yes. I’m a widower.” He hated that term. Loathed it, in fact. It made him sound like a damn victim. He wasn’t. He’d suffered a loss. A massive one, but he’d picked himself up. He’d moved on.
    “So, what’s the problem with this Chelsea?”
    He renewed his focus on the present. “Think about it. You didn’t hear anything… personal …in her voice just now?”
    “Of course I did. She wants you.”
    He grimaced. Jenna made it sound like this was an everyday occurrence. “And she’s doing everything in her power to try and get me into bed.”
    She seemed to pause, then sent him an intent look. “How long has this been going on?”
    “Nothing’s going on, ” he snapped. “Not on my part anyway.”
    She waved a dismissive hand. “On her part then.”
    Dammit, Chelsea was beginning to drive him to distraction. And not in a pleasurable way, either.
    “I didn’t notice anything unusual until about six weeks ago when she suddenly started coming on to me. I did nothing to encourage her. I’m still doing nothing to encourage her, but it doesn’t seem to be helping.” He expelled a long breath. “Trouble is I really liked her before that, too. I thought she was good for Todd.”
    “She’s attractive?”
    “Yeah, she’s attractive but she’s my best friend’s wife, Jenna. I certainly don’t find the prospect of cheating on my friend to be desirable, either.”
    A curious look passed over her face. “I’m surprised. I thought—” She broke it off there.
    “What? That I’m the type of man to break up a marriage?” His lips twisted. “Thanks very much,” he said in disgust. “You do have a reputation for being a playboy.”
    “With single women. I stay away from the married ones. That’s my policy.”
    “Good policy,” she said, and he wasn’t sure if she was being sarcastic or not. “But Chelsea might not know that.”
    “She should,” he snapped. “I’ve made it more than clear that I only date single women.”
    “You may think you have but—”
    He scowled. “Whose side are you on anyway?”
    She set her chin in a defiant line. “No one’s. Not this Chelsea’s and certainly not yours.”
    Tension gripped his shoulders, but he forcibly made them relax. “Okay, that’s obvious. But getting back to the point, Chelsea hasn’t come right out and said anything to me yet but she’s definitely on the prowl. I need to stop this before it goes much further. I don’t want her doing something she’ll regret.”
    She acknowledged his words with a dip of her head. “Does Todd know any of this?”
    “Hell, no. It would rip him apart. He really does love his wife. If I tell him what I suspect she’s up to, she’ll just deny it and then I’ll be the one who loses a damn good friend.”
    She appeared to soak that up. Then her eyes narrowed. “So you want me to pretend to be your mistress for a few weeks?”
    “Companion,” he corrected. For now. “And make it a month.”
    Her eyes widened. “A month?” She immediately shook her head. “No way. Besides, being your companion won’t work. No woman in her right mind would have a platonic relationship with you. Chelsea knows that. She’ll suspect something’s amiss.”
    “Fine, you can be my pretend mistress then,” he said, pleased whatever way she called it. “If she thinks I’m involved with you, she