A HIGH STAKES SEDUCTION Read Online Free

old ice pond to put it out. Could have set the whole woods on fire, especially right now when everything’s so dry.”
    It was early summer. Not that she really noticed the changing seasons much from the inside of her pale gray cubicle.
    As they continued driving, she could see the pearl-white moon flashing through black tree branches. The woods were beautiful at night.
    “I think it’s nice that you find the time to volunteer when you’re so busy with the casino.” There. She’d said it. She’d been a little short with him this afternoon and now she felt bad about it.
    “I enjoy it. I’d go crazy sitting behind a desk all the time. I like to have my hands on as many things as possible.”
    One of those hands was resting on the wheel. For one breath-quickening instant she imagined it resting on her thigh.
    She crossed her legs and jerked her gaze back to the moon, only to find it had disappeared behind the trees altogether. What was wrong with her? His hand was filthy from fighting the fire, for one thing. And she would rather die than let a business client touch her.
    Not that he’d want to anyway. She’d seen the gossip-column pictures of him with all those glamorous women. A different one every week, from the looks of it. He’d hardly be interested in a frumpy accountant from Cleveland.
    She let out a sharp exhale, then realized it was audible.
    “Fires are stressful, but don’t worry too much. Everything you lost can be replaced. That’s the thing to remember.”
    She turned to him, startled. She hadn’t even given a thought to all her burned-up stuff. Clearly she was losing her mind. “You’re so right. They were just things.”
    They drove in silence for a minute.
    “It’s a shame you missed Mariah Carey. She was awesome.” He turned and smiled.
    “I’m sure she was.” She couldn’t help smiling back. Which was getting really annoying.
    “What kind of music do you like?”
    “I don’t really listen to music.” She shifted in her seat. Why did they have to talk about her?
    “None?” She felt his curious gaze on her. “There must be some kind of music you like.”
    She shrugged. “My dad didn’t allow most music in the house.”
    “Now that’s a crime. Not even gospel music?”
    “No. He thought singing was a waste of time.” She frowned. Gaining maturity had given her a perspective on her father’s views that made living in the house difficult. What was wrong with a little music? He thought even classical music was an enticement to sin and debauchery. Sometimes her friend Lynn drove them both to lunch and they listened to the radio on the way. She was surprised by how some tunes made her want to tap her toes.
    She noticed with relief that they were pulling into the casino parking lot.
    “So what did your family do for fun?”
    Fun? They didn’t believe in fun. “We didn’t have too much time on our hands. They run a hardware store, so there’s always something to do.”
    “I guess organizing rivets made accounting seem like an exciting escape.” He grinned at her.
    She bristled with irritation, then realized he was right. “I suppose it did.” He pulled into a parking space in front of New Dawn, then jumped out of the car and managed to open her door before she even got her seat belt undone. There was no way to avoid taking his offered hand without being rude, and she didn’t want to be obnoxious since he was going out of his way to help her. But when she did, his palm pressed hotly against hers and made all kinds of weird sensations scatter through her body.
    Get a grip on yourself! Mercifully he let go of her hand as they paused at a back door to the hotel block and he unlocked it with a key. She was grateful not to have to walk through the glittering lobby in her pj’s.
    Then he put his arm around her shoulders.
    Her skin tingled and heated through the thin fabric of her pajama top. What was he thinking? He was talking and she really couldn’t hear a word. He probably