The Reluctant Cinderella Read Online Free Page A

behaving appropriately, hiding her personal interest in him, keeping it strictly business, right?
    Or was interest on her part no more than wishful thinking on his?
    He just plain couldn’t believe that he’d once lived on the same street with her and never even noticed her. She was not the kind of woman a normal, red-blooded man easily forgot.
    She wrapped up her presentation, and by then hewas totally sold. He would have Design Solutions revamp the image of Banning’s department stores.
    But there were more steps to take before he could tell her she had it locked up. Greg’s father, Gregory, Sr., chairman of the board of Banning’s, Inc., would have to be convinced, as would a couple of the vice presidents. Greg had no doubt that Megan and her team would cinch it with the rest of them, but he wasn’t telling her that. No way. If he told her, she might just smile that stunning, dimpled smile, say “Thank you very much,” and leave.
    â€œI want to hear more,” he said, as she zipped up her portfolio. “It’s almost one. Are you hungry?”
    For the first time since she’d strolled so confidently through his office door, she looked doubtful. A slight frown formed between her smooth brows. She cleared her throat. “Well, I…” The words trailed off.
    He jumped right in before she could find a way to say no. “Let me take you to lunch. You like Italian? I know a great little Italian place up on Lexington at 33rd. The food is terrific and the service is, too.”
    For a moment—barely a split second—he thought she looked…what? Shocked? Wary? Slightly frantic?
    But before he could decide what the look might mean, it vanished. She flashed him another of those incredible smiles of hers. “Why not?” she said. “Lunch it is.”
    Â 
    Megan was having the time of her life.
    She had so aced her presentation. Soon, therewould be more meetings with more executives. She and her team would need to get right on a formal Flash presentation—one that would blow them all away.
    Oh, yeah. She would get the Banning’s account, she just knew it. And now here she was, sitting next to Greg on gorgeous, glove-soft black leather in a company limo.
    Greg had insisted on the limo, so she could stash her big portfolio and heavy briefcase in the trunk and forget about them while they were in the restaurant. Megan enjoyed a limo ride as much as the next girl. What was not to like?
    She leaned on the padded armrest and gazed out the smoked-glass window at semideserted Manhattan streets. “I love New York on days like this.”
    â€œYou mean when everyone else is gone for the holiday?”
    â€œExactly.” She turned to Greg, met those velvety brown eyes of his and told herself that the thrill that shimmered through her every time she looked at him didn’t mean a thing. “It’s so…peaceful. For a change.”
    â€œYour offices are in Poughkeepsie, you said?”
    She nodded. “Close to home and economical. You live here in the city now, don’t you?”
    â€œYeah. I’ve got a loft apartment right on Broadway, two and a half blocks up from the office.”
    â€œConvenient.”
    â€œThat’s what I tell myself….” He had a great voice. Deep. Smooth as melted chocolate. But did he sound kind of…wistful?
    She thought of Carly, wondered as she’d wondered more than once in the past months just what had gone wrong there—two beautiful people with everything going for them. Two nice people. Really, their breakup made no sense.
    Megan dared to suggest, “You sound…I don’t know. As if you’re not happy living in the city.”
    His warm gaze cooled just a little. “I’m happy. Perfectly. And here we are….” The limo rolled to a stop in front of the restaurant and the driver got out and opened the door for them.
    â€œThank you, Jerry.”