Read Keeping Her Guilty Secret (Forever Yours Trilogy) for Free Online Page B

announced there were only five more minutes left before the bidding closed.
    Max grabbed her hand. “Come on, let’s see what else there is.”
    She turned and dragged him in the opposite direction. “Over here. I want to see what the bidding is at for the baseball tickets.”
    Max stopped in mid stride. “You like baseball?” he asked hopefully.
    She grinned and started moving again. It was a long shot, but she might just have enough to get the two tickets up for grabs. “Damn straight, I do.”
    He shook his head. “Don’t toy with me, woman. You never toy with a man when it comes to baseball.”
    She crossed her heart. “Swear to god, diehard fan here.”
    He sucked in a deep breath. “White Sox or Cubs?”
    “Born and raised on the Sox. My dad had season tickets. He took me to every weekend game when I was little. Taught me every stat for every player for the last twenty years.”
    He eyed her skeptically, “Prove it. Who was . . . ?”
    His words trailed off and the grin on his face disappeared, then every muscle in his body froze. She turned around to see what had caused the change in his mood. Eve Pendleton, one of the researchers from Paradis and McNamara, stood two tables away, a horrified expression on her face.
    Interesting. Obviously something had gone on between them in the past and it hadn’t ended well. But what? An affair gone sour? No, she couldn’t imagine Eve staying with the firm if that had been the case. She couldn’t.
    Reason number three not to get involved with Max, especially if he changed his mind and returned to Paradis and McNamara.
    Maybe Eve had been the one to end things? It might explain the anger radiating from every pore of his skin.
    Eve seemed to recover first. She held her head high and strode toward them. Oh yes, something had definitely gone on between them.
    “Hello, Nicole,” she said with a smile, then she turned to Max. Her smile faded.
    Was that fear on Eve’s face? Nicole wondered. No, it couldn’t be.
    “I heard you were back in the States. When did you return?” Eve asked.
    Max’s lips tightened and a muscle in his neck twitched. “A few days ago.”
    “Welcome home,” Eve said.
    Max let out a disgusted snort.
    “Here you are, Eve.”
    Nicole turned to see who belonged to the melodic voice that cut through the palpable tension. A woman with dark curly hair came forward and joined their little group.
    The color drained from Max’s face. If he’d been angry when Eve arrived on the scene, he was furious now.
    “So, it’s true,” the newcomer said. “I wondered if we’d run into you here tonight.”
    Who is she? Nicole raised her eyebrow at Max in mute question, but he didn’t respond. He probably didn’t even see the gesture. He couldn’t seem to take his eyes off the newcomer.
    “We shouldn’t have come,” Eve muttered.
    “Nonsense. I’m an alum of the business school, same as Max,” the newcomer said, then wrapped her arm around Eve and kissed her.
    Nicole’s eyes widened. It wasn’t the type of kiss you gave a friend or a family member. It was soft and slow and extremely intimate. One two lovers would share. Not that she had a problem with that. It was just . . . unexpected.
    Max flinched.
    The newcomer ignored him and turned to face Nicole. “Since Max is being extremely rude, I’ll introduce myself.” She stuck out her hand. “I’m Angela, Max’s ex-wife.”

Chapter 6
    Oh—my—god! Before Nicole could say or do anything, Max grabbed her and dragged her to the exit. He didn’t stop moving until they got to his car, then he let go of her hand, leaned his arms on the roof by the driver’s door and dropped his head. For a long time he just stood there and the silence surrounded them, despite the scattered groups of people coming and going, and Nicole wasn’t sure if she should stay or go. Then he levered himself up and turned to face her.
    “I need a drink.” Max jerked opened the car door. His hand shook and the key fob