Read That Night with You for Free Online

want to
know if that’s what you intend to do with me.”
    He motioned to the chair. “I promise,
no grilling. I simply want to know more about you.”
    “ I thought all you needed
to know was filed away in human resources, Mr. Parr.”
    “ That’s the business side
of you. I wish to know the real Madison Barnett.”
    “ The real me?” She shook
her head and moved forward. “I’m afraid you’ll be pretty
disappointed.” After taking her seat, she waited as he took the
chair next to her.
    His sleek hand caressed the smooth
wood of the table, sending an unexpected tingle up her spine. His
hands were expressive, strong, and for an instant she could picture
those hands traveling over the curves of her—
    “ So where are you from,
Madison?” he began, interrupting her fantasy. “I can call you
Madison, can’t I?”
    “ Sure.” She fidgeted in the
big chair. “I’m from Arlington. I grew up there and went to
UT.”
    “ Good architecture
program.” He rested his hands together on the table. “Go
on.”
    “ Um,” Madison stumbled. “I
really liked my classes in skyscraper design. There was a real
challenge in combining form and function with a high rise
building.”
    “ Then why are you here with
my firm designing lowly houses?”
    Words failed her. Oh crap!
    “ I get it. You settled for
this job, but you really want to build skyscrapers, is that it?”
The sudden drop in the temperature of his voice made her flinch. It
was cold and menacing; she feared ever making him angry.
    “ Ah, no,” she quickly
jumped in. “I didn’t mean that. I look forward to working here, but
you said you wanted to get to know me, and that was what I liked in
school.”
    “ You’re right, I did ask to
get to know you, and I appreciate your candor.” He moved closer to
the table, leaning over to her. “What else can you tell
me?”
    “ Ah, I have a roommate
named Charlie who is getting married soon.” W hy did I say that?
    He chuckled, and her insides tingled
again. “What about family. Parents? Siblings?”
    “ I just have my mom and an
older brother who’s in the Navy. My dad left when I was eight. He
lives in California with his second wife.”
    “ What does your mother
do?”
    “ My mom’s a school
principle in the Arlington Public School System.” She paused,
mustering her courage. “Can I ask you a question?”
    He sat back in his chair.
“Yes.”
    “ Why did Mr. Worthy call
you Harry?”
    It was then she saw it; the slightest
break in his features that gave her a glimpse into his mind. He
appeared confused and almost ill at ease about the question, and
then the lapse in his composure was gone, replaced again by his
daunting smile.
    “ Family nickname. My father
always called me Harry as a kid. It stuck, and those who have known
me most of my life, like Don Worthy, call me Harry.”
    She paused for a moment, mulling over
his words. “I like Harry.”
    He gently patted one hand on the
table. “Then maybe you should call me Harry.”
    “ No, I should call you Mr.
Parr, since you’re my boss.”
    He angled closer to her and the smell
of his cologne surrounded her. “When we’re alone, and away from the
prying eyes of others, you can—”
    The door to the conference room flew
open, cutting him off. The jarring sound of carts rolling along the
floor and indistinct voices swept into the room as the caterers,
along with Adam and Don Worthy, hurried inside.
    Hayden stood from his chair and
Madison sagged with disappointment, wanting a few more minutes
alone with the man. She wondered if this “Harry” was her “Harry.”
If Hayden Parr was actually her memorable first lover, then what?
How would she be able to look her boss in the eye and go on as if
nothing had happened? Suddenly, the quicksand of her past was
swallowing up her well-planned future. This was not supposed to
happen. Millions of people in Dallas and she just happened to land
a job with the one stranger she had met in a bar and