Tycoon Read Online Free Page A

kissing skills....
    â€œWhy are you slapping yourself?” Ted asked, returning to the room. A waiter followed, carrying a bottle in an ice bucket and two flutes.
    â€œI’m not. What’s this?” She gestured to the champagne.
    â€œA celebration.” Ted pressed a bill into the waiter’s hand and thanked him. Then he reached for the bottle. “You have no idea how impressed I am with you.”
    â€œI am glad. Feel free to lavish praise on me at length.”
    He chuckled as he removed the cork. “I plan to do precisely that. You’ve earned it tonight.” After filling two glasses, he sat next to her on the sofa and held one out. “Here you are. Let’s toast. To a productive evening, thanks to a very intelligent woman I had the good fortune to meet today.”
    She clinked her crystal to his. “You are welcome. Was Mrs. Webber amenable to your proposition?”
    â€œYes, after I outlined what I wanted to do.” He took a deep draught of the bubbly. “In my research, I had learned of her family’s history, of course. But I never knew how involved she remained in the day-to-day operations. Erik had always assumed the lead.”
    â€œOr perhaps you assumed Erik was the lead?”
    He appeared to consider that. “Perhaps, though not many would believe otherwise. It’s the way of the world, I’m afraid, though I doubt anyone would have enlightened me had you not been there. Two other executives from my bank had met with the Webbers, and no one had the slightest idea.”
    â€œBecause you’re all men,” she smirked.
    â€œYes. I’m starting to think that may have made a difference. Is there really a Mr. Ross, or did you make him up?”
    â€œAs real as rain, unfortunately.” At least, he had been when she’d last seen him alive, on the floor of his office being strangled. “And he really does hang about and try to steal the male customers. They’re the high-paying ones, you know.”
    His bright blue eyes studied her. “I’m curious about you, Clara Dobson.”
    Her mouth went dry at the idea of questions she couldn’t answer. “You promised—”
    â€œI know, and I plan to keep that promise. But tell me, do you like working the perfume counter?”
    â€œI love it.” She relaxed and took a big gulp of champagne. Before tonight, she’d had champagne only once, at a birthday party of a friend. The sweet bubbly drink tasted more delicious than she remembered. “I love perfume.”
    â€œWhy?”
    He appeared genuinely interested, which was more than she could say for the other men she’d met. Usually when a suitor learned where she worked, all he asked was if she could get him a discount. “Perfume makes the world smell better, like a paintbrush for your nose. But it’s not just a mask for unpleasant odors; a good perfume should stir the emotions. For example, did you know that even though the scent may be subtle, people react to you differently because of the way you smell?”
    Ted shook his head, and she continued. “Have you ever passed a girl on the street who turned your head, but you didn’t know why? Probably her perfume caught your attention, even if you didn’t notice it outright. We react more to smells than you would imagine.”
    She drank more champagne and tried not to flush at the heated attention in his gaze. Her head felt a bit fuzzy, and Ted was so serious and appealing across from her. “How old are you?” she blurted out.
    â€œThirty-two. How old are you?”
    â€œTwenty-one.”
    His mouth curved into a small smile. “So what perfume are you wearing?”
    â€œThat’s a very personal question. I own fifteen different scents, and I choose them by my mood.”
    â€œAnd what sort of mood were you in this morning when you left?”
    â€œRushed, because I was running late. Which made me