Read Seduced: The Unexpected Virgin for Free Online

dusted the crumbs off her palm and into the trash. There. That was better.
    “You should be careful what you wish for,” Ward chided her. “Rafe can be an extremely demanding boss.”
    She looked up to find him studying her with that intensity she found so unnerving. Funny, she’d thought it was the proximity that made him so nerve-racking. But it turned out he was disconcerting no matter how big the room.
    “True though that may be, I would still appreciate a smidge more involvement from him.” She crossed to the chairs where the whiteboards were still propped. An eraser sat on one of the chair cushions, still in its plastic wrapper. “Other than the one time we’ve met, he’s only communicated via email. Every time I’ve sent him a question, he’s responded the same way.” She ripped the plastic off the eraser as she lowered her voice to mimic the way she imagined Rafe would sound if he were to take the time to actually pick up the phone and call her. “‘I trust your judgment.’ That’s all he says.” She rubbed the eraser across the slick surface of the whiteboard. It was oddly satisfying to strip away the evidence of the brainstorming session. If only all of her problems were that easily dealt with. “I’ve started to think he’s just copying and pasting from previous emails.”
    “Or, he trusts Emma’s recommendation.”
    While she’d been busy taking out her frustration on the whiteboard, Ward had stood and crossed to her side. She glanced up tofind him standing far too close. Close enough for her to see the tiny flecks of gold in his eyes. How had he moved so silently?
    She sucked in a deep breath and was once again struck by the scent of him. So clean and crisp. When she spoke, her words came out almost as a whisper. “He barely knows Emma.”
    She cleared her throat, annoyed with herself for being distracted. Ward’s gold-flecked eyes were the least of her worries. But…what were her worries again?
    Right. The fact that Rafe didn’t know Emma well enough to trust her opinion. And he knew Ana even less well. Given her scanty qualifications, how could she view Rafe’s trust as anything other than negligence?
    “But he’s known Chase for years. If his brother trusts Emma, then Rafe does, too.” Ward reached out a hand to her arm.
    Obviously, he meant it to comfort her, but instead it sent tiny fissures of awareness coursing through her. And then she looked down at it. His hand was large. Strong and powerful. His fingertips rough against her skin. And just so…capable.
    Her breath rushed out of her lungs. It hit her then. This wasn’t just the strong and masculine hand of an attractive man. This was Ward Miller’s hand. The hand he used to do all that fret work for which his songs were so famous.
    Something giddy and girlish stirred within her. Something deeply feminine. She felt her breath coming in short bursts as warmth flowed over her.
    She forced her gaze from that spot on her arm where his skin touched hers, only to find herself looking up into his eyes, again. Dang it. Those were some dangerous eyes. They were eyes she could lose herself in. Which was so not good, seeing as how lost she already felt.
    She shook her head to clear it and tried to remember what she’d been saying. Hannah’s Hope. Right. How overwhelmed she felt. “I just…could use a little guidance. More involvement. More hands-on.”
    “Well, then. You’re going to love me,” he murmured.
    Then her gaze darted once again to where his hand still rested on her arm. Why hadn’t he moved it yet? Why hadn’t she simplystepped away? She felt heat flood her cheeks and she jerked her arm away.
    She forced a stern note into her voice. “This isn’t a joke. Hannah’s Hope is important. It’s not just a charity, it’s an opportunity to bring together the whole community.”
    “I knew that already,” he said, his own tone devoid of charm or humor. “Rafe convinced me of that before I even came out here.