The Billionaire's Gamble Read Online Free Page B

and food prepared by the finest French chefs, wines that were imported and chosen especially for each course. But the scene in front of him was so much more appetizing and inviting. Her creativity increased tenfold in his mind and only reaffirmed his desire to make her his wife.
    Sabrina laughed and the sound filled him with warmth as well although he didn’t even smile. “I’m in charge of only a few things,” she explained. “Everyone else is bringing the rest of the meal.”
    “I brought a bottle of wine but I’m not sure if it will go with whatever is for the main course,” he said, leaning one arm against the wall as he continued to watch her, curious as to what she would bring out next.
    “Great!” she exclaimed. “I also brought some wine but you’re right, I don’t know what the others are bringing so it could be completely wrong. In the past, we’ve lucked out though so just cross your fingers and we’ll all hope for the best. Okay?” Her eyes dimmed slightly. “There’s just one thing,” she continued before hesitating uncertainly.
“What’s that?” he asked in what he hoped was an encouraging tone.
    “Well,” she started, eyeing his expensively tailored suit and crisp, white shirt with an obviously costly silk tie and imported Italian loafers, “if you want to fit in with the rest of the crowd about to show up, you’ll have to relax slightly,” she said.
Sid followed her eyes and looked down at his suit. “I am relaxed.”
    Sabrina smiled tentatively at his stern expression. “I’m sure you are,” she said quickly, hoping he wouldn’t take offense, “but you look like you’re about to head into a board meeting instead of sitting down with friends for a relaxed Christmas dinner,” she said.
He didn’t answer but looked down at his suit again. “What’s wrong with my suit?”
    “Nothing!” she said quickly, grateful he didn’t sound angry. “But it’s just that….well, perhaps if you took off your jacket and tie, that might be a little less…” she stopped, looking for the right word, “intimidating,” she finished finally.
    Sabrina was relieved by the sudden laughter lighting his eyes although no other facial feature moved. She was extremely aware that she’d never been this close to him before so she’d never had an opportunity to watch his eyes so much. They were a fascinating dark blue but she’d always been too nervous around him to get this close, needing furniture or several feet of space between them during working hours.
Without another word, Sid reached up and pulled his tie off, then swung his jacket over his arm. “Is this better?” he said, unbuttoning the top button of his collar.
    “Much,” she said, letting her breath go out of her body in a whoosh, not realizing that she’d been holding her breath in anticipation of his reaction. “I’ll put these upstairs so they don’t get ruined.”
He stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm. “Do I intimidate you?” he asked as she reached out to take his jacket and tie.
    Although his touch was gentle, she could feel the fire ripping along her sensitive skin. She smiled tentatively, worried that he might be able to see what effect his simple touch had on her equilibrium. “Absolutely,” she finally said, belatedly remembering that he’d asked a question. She added a smile to ease the effect of her words, hoping he might think she was just teasing him.
“How?”
    Obviously he was too perceptive to fool so she turned slightly away, shielding her eyes from his gaze. She was just about to take his jacket and tie so she was too close to answer him. She looked up at his square, smoothly shaven jaw and firm lips and shook her head, “I…I guess it’s just the way you….” She stopped, flustered by his nearness. “I don’t know,” she finally said lamely.
    Sid let her take his jacket and tie, watching her expressions as she backed up from him, quickly putting several feet of space between them. He