Read As Hot As It Gets for Free Online Page A

called through the door.
    She looked him in the eye through the peephole and offered a tentative smile. “We need to talk about a problem,” she called back.
    â€œThe only problem we need to talk about is you leaving before I have to call security.”
    He spotted the flash of anger in her eyes, which she quickly subdued.
    â€œThere’s something going on here at Escapade that you need to know about. Do you want to stay in the dark or let me in and listen to what I have to say?”
    Mason couldn’t tell if she was bluffing, but it was a sure thing that Claire wasn’t offering any helpful information about his business. “You expect me to believe you’re here to help?”
    â€œLucy insisted.”
    That, he could believe. With all his better instincts protesting, he unlocked the door and eased it open. Immediately, his body had its usual animal reaction to Claire.
    â€œWhat?” he said, trying hard to ignore the sensation of increased blood flow to his guy parts.
    â€œI don’t think this is something you’ll want discussed in the hallway,” she said, eyeing the inside of his suite.
    Mason reluctantly stepped aside, half-convinced that she was lying in order to pull some kind of Claire Elliot stunt.
    She entered the room and took a seat on the sofa as if she owned the place, then patted the cushion next to her.
    â€œI’ll stand,” he said, then set the timer on his watch. “You’ve got five minutes.”
    Claire raised an eyebrow at him. “So, what do you think of domination and submission?”
    â€œAs in S and M?”
    â€œMmm, hmm. Whips, chains, scary chicks in leather chaps. Does that do it for you?”
    â€œNot especially. What does this have to do with Escapade?” Knowing Claire, this was probably her idea for improving business.
    Her smug expression suggested she had a secret she was enjoying a little too much. “Did you know you have a dominatrix-for-hire service operating here at the resort?”
    â€œA what? ”
    â€œI guess you didn’t know then.”
    â€œWhat the hell are you talking about?” Mason felt all the heat dissipating from his groin and relocating to his temples.
    â€œA little while ago a man came to my door with some pretty odd requests, considering I’d never seen him before in my life.”
    â€œThat’s not necessarily unusual here, you know,” Mason said, remembering a few incidents of guests getting carried away that his employees had already witnessed.
    Mason listened as Claire told him what she’d seen at the bar and then at her door, and the more he listened, the more he got the urge to punch something. Just last year business at his Fantasy Ranch resort had nearly been ruined by a vindictive ex-girlfriendwho’d cooked up a sabotage plot to get even with him for dumping her. And now he had scumbags operating a dominatrix service on his new resort? Why did this kind of thing happen to him?
    â€œSomehow I don’t think you’d just tell me this out of the goodness of your heart,” he said when she finished.
    Claire’s eyes flashed a spark of pure mischief. “I’ve got more, and I might even know who’s running the show, but I’ll need a little incentive to tell you anything else.”
    Mason reminded himself to breathe. Deep, cleansing breaths. No more angry thoughts.
    â€œYou’re asking for a bribe?”
    â€œWell, a sort of sensual bribe, I guess you could call it.”
    â€œClaire, whatever you’re thinking, forget about it,” Mason said.
    She took a step closer to him, and suddenly the faint dampness of her lips was an offer almost too tempting to refuse. She smiled a luscious, wicked smile. “Make love to me, just for tonight, and I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”
    Claire slid her hands up his chest, pressed her tight little body against him, and Mason considered resisting. Could