Read Through the Night for Free Online

cane top protected. “Would you mind letting room service in while I put this away in the safe?”
    “Sure.” She slid off the barstool and headed for the door while he went back into the master bedroom and locked up the box. Tomorrow, he’d hand the collectible off to Steven’s curator, Tony, for safekeeping while he and Valerie searched for the rest of the cane.
    By the time he returned to the living room, the waiter had gone over everything with Valerie and she was signing for the meal. Chase grabbed both their drinks from the bar and handed the spritzer to Valerie when her hands were free.
    “You can set everything on the table out on the balcony,” he told the younger man. It was a beautiful night out, and while the sun was beginning to set on the horizon, they still had plenty of light to eat outdoors, where it was cool, and they had an amazing view of the Vegas Strip.
    The waiter wheeled the tray toward the balcony, and as Valerie followed, Chase fell into step beside her. On a whim, he lightly placed his hand on her lower back in a gentlemanly gesture.
    He enjoyed the way the silk of her blouse slid warmly over the tips of his fingers, which made him think about what her bare skin would feel like beneath the stroke of his palm, or how she’d taste as he swept his tongue along the small of her spine, where the sway of her back met the luscious curve of her sweetly rounded ass.
    The arousing thoughts swirling in his head made his dick hard, and his only consolation to that was the fact that he knew she was just as affected by the simple press of his hand against her back. There was no mistaking the sensual tremor that his touch elicited, or the small gasp of pleasure that escaped her parted lips at his unexpected caress.
    His own fingers tingled with that strange electricity and heat that seemed to spark between them, and lust shot through his veins like a drug he was quickly becoming addicted to and wanted a whole lot more of.
    She didn’t look at him, but the flush coloring her cheeks and the sudden rise and fall of her chest, and the nipples that had peaked against her blouse spoke volumes. She wanted him just as much as he desired her, except she was fighting the inevitable.
    Figuring he’d tortured them both enough for now, he let his hand fall away as they took their seats across from each other at the table. As the waiter transferred their meal from the cart to their place settings, Valerie gulped down the last of her wine spritzer, as if she’d needed the liquid fortitude after what had just happened between them. Again.
    He spread his linen napkin on his lap and suppressed a chuckle, certain she wouldn’t appreciate him finding humor in the fact that she was so obviously flustered. “Would you like another drink?” he offered instead.
    “No, thank you,” she said. “One was plenty. I’ll stick with water.”
    Water was safe. She clearly wanted her wits about her, and honestly, so did he. Because before the night ended, he planned on testing the power of their attraction, and he wanted her sober enough that there was no blaming alcohol for her actions.

 
     
    Chapter Three
     
    Inhaling a deep, calming breath, Valerie cut into her chicken marsala and tried desperately to shake the compelling heat spreading through her that had her on the verge of doing something stupid … like climbing across the table, onto Chase’s lap, and giving in to the temptation in his gaze and the exhilarating rush of pleasure his mere touch evoked.
    Oh, yeah, especially that.
    She was quickly realizing that resisting a man like Chase was near impossible. Everything about him—from his you know you want me grin to his bold self-assurance and his pure, laid-back sex appeal—was too damned inviting. And hotter than any man had a right to be.
    And he knew it, too, the cad, and didn’t seem one ounce apologetic for being so charming and seductive. In too short a span of time, he’d gotten under her skin, his lusty