Business Affairs Read Online Free

date.”
    â€œYou don’t have to sound so excited about it,” he said grumpily. She acted as if she’d received a death threat.
    â€œI’m sorry,” she apologized. “It’s not like I don’t enjoy your company.”
    â€œThat’s a relief. You had me thinking I had the plague or something.”
    Unable to stop herself, Jennifer chuckled. “I didn’t mean to.”
    â€œWell, good then,” he said, relaxing a bit. “My ego was taking a beating.”
    â€œYeah, I’ll bet.” She knew it would take a lot more than her turning down a date with him to damage his ego. He was the most confident man she knew—especially when it came to women.
    Alex glanced around them and realized they were the only couple still standing on the stage. “Do you need a ride home?”
    â€œNo,” Jennifer said quickly, eager to get away so she could think about what she’d gotten herself into. “Casey is waiting for me.”
    â€œDid she drive you here?”
    Nodding, she said, “I’m sure she wouldn’t have left without me.” But when they went out to where she and Casey had been sitting, Casey was nowhere to be found. Jennifer’s jacket was draped over her purse on the chair.
    Jennifer couldn’t believe her friend had left her stranded. She stole a look at Alex and her heart began to beat crazily. If she was going to gain some control over her attraction to him, she’d have to find a way out of their date.
    â€œI don’t see Casey,” Alex said, scanning the large room.
    â€œI don’t, either.”
    Picking up her jacket, Alex slipped it on her shoulders. He slid his hand down her arm to take her hand. “Come on, I’ll take you home.”
    â€œI can call a cab,” she insisted, snatching her purse from the chair.
    â€œDon’t be ridiculous.” Alex shot her a look of frustration.
    Accepting her fate, Jennifer followed him to his car,shivering as they stepped into the cold January night. Once they were seated inside his plush sedan, she gave him her address and the directions to her apartment in Virginia Beach.
    This was a wish she’d always harbored—Alex driving her home late at night. Only in her dreams, he’d come inside and they’d spend the evening in each other’s arms. Her thoughts brought back all the wonderful sensations she’d felt when he’d kissed her earlier in the evening.
    Stop thinking about it! she admonished herself. Alex wasn’t interested in her as a woman. Sure, he’d kissed her senseless on the stage, but as he’d admitted afterward, it had only been for show.
    â€œI wonder where our date will take us?” she commented to fill the silence once they were headed out of the garage. It didn’t really matter what it entailed. She was still trying to think of a way to get out of it.
    â€œYou know how these things are. More hype than anything else. Probably dinner, maybe tickets to the theater.” It didn’t matter to him. He was looking forward to spending time alone with her, even if nothing could come of it. Over the years he’d been careful to keep their relationship on a business level. In doing so, he realized he knew very little about her personal life.
    â€œAre you seeing someone?” Maybe the reason she didn’t want to honor the date was because she was involved with someone. But if so, why would she have bid in the first place?
    Jennifer’s head swiveled in his direction. “What?”
    â€œI was wondering if the reason you didn’t want to go out was because you were involved with someone.”
    â€œNo, it was more like the champagne they served went to my head,” she confessed with a nervous laugh.
    â€œAh.” He mulled her comment over a moment. “Then you’re not seeing anyone?” he asked again, wanting to be sure when they went out, even for a night, he