Read Back in Black for Free Online Page B

“Ah, now Gillian, you have me all wrong. I adore women.”
    She scoffed. “To serve your needs.”
    “Yeah, I like sex as much as the next guy. If you gave it a chance, you might like it, too.”
    “I like it fine!”
    Now he did chuckle. “Well, that’s good, because here’s our deal.” He released the necklace to slide his hand around her nape. “You tell me the first image-improving gig you want me to do, and I’ll give it my best shot.”
    She stared at his mouth and replied in a whisper. “Perfect. I have an appearance set up for you with—”
    “ After I get to kiss you.” He brushed his thumb on the side of her throat. “No tongues or anything. Yet. I’ll just kiss you . . . here.”
    “You . . . what? ” She strained away from him, not so much to escape, but to stare up into his face with utter disbelief.
    As if explaining it, he said, “I want to kiss you. Just here, on your throat.” Again, he brushed his thumb over her racing pulse. “Three seconds. I’ll let you count, okay? After that, you tell me what it is you want me to do—for the image, I mean, not sexually. Today it’s only a kiss. No more. I insist.”
    “You insist?”
    “Yeah. Hell, I’m ready to go, but I don’t want to rush you.” He held back his grin when her eyes narrowed. “It’s a good exchange, Gillian. Surely a hard-core business broad like you isn’t afraid of one little three-second kiss on her throat, right? And then you have the power. You tell me what to do first, and whatever it is, I’ll do it.”
    Now she shoved out of his arms and moved several feet away. Facing him, she crossed her arms and glared. “This is outrageous even for you.”
    “Yeah, I know. But this is private—and that’s the deal, remember? In private, I get to be me. Out in public, I’ll tone it down as per your specifications.” He winked.
    Surprising him again, she paced while saying, “I can handle this, no problem.” With a glance up at him she admitted, “I’m even a little curious, to be truthful.” She looked away again. “But this might cross the line of business ethics.”
    “You think?” It damn well crossed the line in a big way, and they both knew it. “I won’t tell if you don’t.”
    She stopped to glare at him again. “If I agree—”
    His heart started pounding hard. No way had he expected that.
    “What would your next demand be?” She waved a hand. “As you said, a kiss is easily forgotten.”
    “Now there’s a challenge.”
    “But I have a four-month period planned for rehabbing your reputation. It can’t be a kiss one day, and then . . .”
    “What?” Drew wanted her to say it, just to watch her face when she did.
    She didn’t balk. With a shrug, she said, “And then sex the next time. I won’t bargain that far, so don’t even consider it.”
    “Deal. We’ll keep things fully clothed. How’s that?”
    She gave one brisk nod.
    “But I have a condition. Whatever it is you want me to do can’t start for a few days. I’ll need time to rearrange my schedule. And I want to know up front everything you have planned.” With a little warning, he could rearrange the less desirable appearances without her ever knowing.
    “Of course.” She nodded toward her briefcase. “I have a detailed strategy all mapped out. Once we put our heads together and compare time frames, I’m sure we can make everything work.”
    “Then it’s a deal.” Drew started for her, and even though he didn’t want to admit it, the thought of tasting her skin left him edgy and taut.
    She held up a hand. “I have a condition also.”
    Damn it. He should have known. “Let’s hear it.”
    “When in public, whether on arranged publicity or not, I want you to refrain from using objectionable four-letter words.”
    And so it begins. For Drew, a word was a word. He couldn’t see why everyone got so hyped up over it. “Like? Give me an example of what you consider objectionable.”
    Suspicion tightened her features.