Read The Exhibition (An Executive Decision Trilogy) for Free Online

didn’t proposition him. Harris would have thought such an event would be the perfect set-up. It was very impressive.
    ‘I’ve sent Lynn with express instructions to buy something nice and earthy and pay lots of money for it,’ Ellis said, then he addressed Harris. ‘Lynn’s quite a talented artist in her own right, you know?’ Harris had only met Ellis’ executive secretary once, but he would have never guessed the woman to possess any artistic talent.
    Then Ellis turned his attention back to Stacie. ‘I’ll have Jeffries meet you around front with the limo.’ He pulled out his phone and called the chauffeur.
    The whole entourage headed down to the front door. Harris went along because it was polite and he certainly hadn’t been very polite earlier.
    At the door, Ellis’ butler, Harold, appeared with Stacie’s bag just as Ellis’ phone buzzed. He glanced at it, then back at Stacie. ‘It’s Blankenship. I’ve got to take this. I’m sorry. Have a safe trip and good luck with the auction.’ He gave Stacie a quick hug and headed back into the house.
    ‘Wait a minute, why don’t you at least let me send a piece of cake with you?’ Dee said. ‘You can eat it in the limo. Believe me, Jeffries has had to clean up worse than cake crumbs.’
    ‘I’d like that,’ Stacie said. ‘Though I’ll probably hold out for a midnight snack in the gallery flat when I get there. I doubt there’ll be anything else to eat. I forgot to ask Maggie to stock the fridge.’
    ‘I’ll get it. Won’t be a minute, Jeffries,’ Dee called over her shoulder to the driver as she disappeared back into the house.
    Stacie handed Jeffries her computer bag, which he stowed in the trunk. ‘Sorry it’s so heavy,’ she called after him. ‘I travel light clothing-wise, but books – well, I still like the real thing.’ Still talking to the chauffeur, she headed toward the limo and missed the last step off the porch. With a startled yelp, she fell heavily against Harris, who was standing just below her, still looking after the retreating Dee. Combined with the forward momentum of someone who had someplace important to go, the woman would have done a complete nosedive onto the driveway if Harris hadn’t caught her.
    ‘Oh God, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry.’ She tried to pull away, but even that move was none too stable, so Harris did the only thing he could. He held her there, pressed to his chest. ‘I told you I’m clumsy. I’m so sorry I wasn’t paying attention, and –’
    ‘And it was a good thing I was here to catch you. The sidewalk’s not nearly as forgiving.’
    ‘I’m not entirely certain of that, Mr. Walker.’ Her voice was breathless and her words unsure. Was she actually nervous, the woman who never was anything but sure of herself?
    ‘Perhaps not then, but I’m definitely less painful.’
    ‘I’m really sorry,’ she repeated in a half-whisper. ‘I’m not very safe to be around sometimes.’
    ‘I don’t doubt that,’ he said. And then he did the dumbest thing ever – something he would have never imagined himself doing. He lifted her in his arms and felt her little gasp of surprise, felt her arms circle his neck as he carried her to the open door of the limo and deposited her on the seat way more gracefully than he would have imagined himself capable. In his head, he gave himself a high five just before he gave himself a mental kick in the ass for doing something so stupid. ‘You don’t want to go to your big auction tomorrow night with a concussion or a broken ankle, so at least this guarantees your safe arrival at the limo.’ God, could he sound any more lame?
    She smiled up at him and found her voice. ‘Harris, I need to ask you something.’
    Jesus, was she really going to choose now to ask him about the exhibition? His shoulders stiffened, but if she noticed, she didn’t say anything. Instead, she slid a hand down to rest against the breast pocket of his shirt where he’d absently stuffed