Read Business and Pleasure (Lavender Lace, Book One) for Free Online Page A

is very nice from here.”
    Her lips twitched, her eyes crinkled at the corners. “You can look out the window and see Puget Sound. It’s more majestic than I am.”
    “That’s debatable.”
    “Keefe, this is a business dinner, remember?”
    “What’s wrong with mixing business and pleasure?”
    “Because I don’t believe in mixing them.” The amusement faded from her expression. “You said strictly business. I’m holding you to that.”
    “I’ll be a perfect gentleman.” Keefe opened his menu. “I had the grilled salmon last time. What do you recommend?”
    “I haven’t had anything yet that wasn’t delicious. The lobster bisque is incredible. I love the shrimp scampi. The steaks are tender enough to cut with a spoon.”
    “You’re making it harder for me to choose.”
    The waiter came back with their wine. After pouring a bit into Keefe’s glass and getting approval, he splashed the cold liquid into both their glasses. Keefe waited until Aaron left before lifting his glass toward Marci.
    “To Marshall Media’s success, and to our success as a team.”
    Marci touched her glass to his. “I’ll drink to that.”
    He watched her while she sipped her wine. He would be a perfect gentleman during dinner, exactly as he had promised her. He’d ask her about the company, learn more about his duties at Marshall Media.
    After dinner…
    If things progressed from business to pleasure, he had no problem with that. He’d do everything in his power to make sure Marci experienced pleasure as intense as possible.

Chapter Four
     
    Marci sat with her fork in her hand, her dinner forgotten, while she listened to Keefe talking about his last time on a movie set. Her mouth had dropped open in surprise a couple of times during his story. She couldn’t believe some of the antics on the set by two famous stars. “Are you telling me the truth?”
    “Absolutely.” Keefe held up one hand, his fingers in the traditional “Scout’s Honor” gesture. “I saw it with my own eyes. Right there in the open. Anyone walking by could see them.”
    “They were making love outside in the middle of the day? Wow.” She laid her fork on her plate. “Nothing like that has happened on any of my movie sets. At least, not that I know about.”
    “This was the first time it happened while I was on a set. Pretty intense.”
    “And of course you turned and walked away as soon as you saw them.”
    “I didn’t stand there any longer than thirty seconds. Forty-five, tops.”
    His eyes shone with laughter as he grinned. Marci laughed. “You’re bad.”
    “Well, hell, I had my own personal porn show. I couldn’t pass that up.”
    It took Marci several seconds to bring her laughter back under control so she could take another bite of her dinner. Keefe was bright, intelligent, witty, and completely charming. Marci had fallen under his spell by the time she’d finished her lobster bisque. She’d be in lust with him by dessert if she wasn’t careful.
    “Would you have watched?” Keefe asked.
    She looked into those devilish blue eyes and knew he teased her. “Of course not.”
    One corner of his mouth tilted up in a rakish grin. “You’re a lousy liar.”
    She returned his grin. “It’s not nice to call your boss a liar.”
    Keefe chuckled, then dug into his prime rib again. “Speaking of movie sets, you mentioned in our meeting that travel would be involved. How often and where would I go?”
    Marci chewed and swallowed her bite of shrimp before she answered. “Both depend on the project. My former Logistics VP rarely traveled. He preferred to do everything by phone or email. I don’t agree with that, which is part of the reason he’s no longer with Marshall Media. I think a personal meeting is important.”
    “I agree.”
    “I’m glad to hear that.” She laid her fork on her plate. “Have you read In the Mountain’s Shadow by Tyler Wilson?”
    “No.”
    “I have an extra copy at the office. I’ll give it to you