The Three-Week Arrangement (Chase Brothers) Read Online Free

choked on his water and came up laughing. “Not at all personally, but his reputation precedes him. For what it’s worth, I wouldn’t have gone out with him, either.”
    Rue almost smiled. “I wish he’d ask you, because I’ve yet to come up with a version of ‘no’ he can actually comprehend. Apparently, my mom has given the impression I’m desperate to go out with him, so he probably thinks I’m playing hard to get. To be honest, I don’t think he hears the word no all that often.”
    “My mom is one of those people who can always find something good in anyone,and I’m under the impression even she doesn’t think much of him.”
    “Really?”
    “She hasn’t said anything about him,” Ethan added quickly. “She just doesn’t seem to like to say his name.”
    “I can relate to that. He’s a stereotypical spoiled rich kid with entitlement issues. He thinks he’s going to take over that charity, but I wonder if he cares one bit about the cause. I believehe’s more interested in having another reason to flaunt his last name.”
    “He’s probably in the wrong place to do it. New Yorkers aren’t easily impressed.”
    “You’d think he’d know that, being the epitome of the New York elite, or so he thinks.” She toyed with her iced coffee. “You know, I feel a lot better now. I’ve never had anyone on my side where he’s concerned. My mom is pushing,hard, and I’ve not really mentioned it to any of my friends, but the couple who know what’s going on say I should absolutely go for it. Apparently, they’d be willing to put up with a creep if he’s loaded.”
    He frowned. “That’s…sad.”
    “And it’s definitely not me. I’ve had enough of society’s rules. I want to make my own. No limits, no boundaries, and no jerks.” The words, practicallyher mantra, came with practiced ease, but saying them to someone who actually appeared to be listening was new. And nice.
    After studying her for a moment, he said, “You might have to go pretty far to avoid all the jerks out there.”
    “Yeah,” she agreed, “that part might be wishful thinking. I once watched a penguin waddle up behind another, shove him into the water, and turn around andlumber off, and I swear he was smiling. If sweet, adorable penguins can be jerks, I don’t think any species are safe.” She grinned at the memory.
    Amusement played at his lips. “Well, to be fair, New York penguins are probably tougher than most.”
    She snorted. “They probably are, but these weren’t in the Central Park Zoo. They were in Tierra del Fuego.”
    He gaped, the humor slippingfrom his expression. “Tierra del…isn’t that in South America?”
    “The southiest.”
    He stared. Maybe he was a card-carrying member of the grammar police and didn’t approve of her made-up word. She didn’t care. She was impressed the man knew geography outside of the city’s five boroughs, let alone outside of the continent.
    Whatever he was thinking, he didn’t get a chance to voiceit, because her phone rang.
    She glanced at the display. “It’s my mother. Do you mind?”
    “No, I can just…” He looked down at his pants. “Probably not go out on the porch.”
    “No, stay right there. Make funny faces at me. It’ll make this much more bearable.” She swiped to connect the call, grinning at Ethan as she did. “Hi, Mom.”
    “I’m so happy, darling!” she chirped. “Boyd VonAdler just called and says you’ve finally agreed to go with him to the gala, and I think it’s a splendid idea. I wondered when you might come to your senses. We can’t afford to ruffle such important feathers.”
    “Mom—”
    “We’ll have to go shopping, of course. One simply cannot enter such an affair on the arm of such an important young man without—”
    “ Mom .” She caught Ethan’s attentionand rolled her eyes.
    Ethan made a sour face. She had his support, and even if he was a half-naked, fully ripped, near-total stranger, she appreciated that. It was