04 Naked Games by Anne Rainey Read Free Book Online Page B

us.”
    She slapped a hand over her heart. “God, that’s awful! Gracie must have been so scared.”
    “Yeah,” he muttered. “So be careful at the club tonight. Like I said, it’s a nice place, but there are drunken assholes in the nice clubs too.”
    She cocked her head to the side. “Are you worried about me?”
    Dean narrowed his eyes. “I’m worried about Gracie,” he answered, which wasn’t quite the truth. “She’d be upset if something happened to you.”
    “Oh,” she said in a faraway voice, “of course.”
    He’d made her sad. Well, hell. Great going, asshole. Seeing her sad made him uncomfortable. “Catherine?”
    “Yes?”
    “I might have lied,” he growled. “I’m sorry.”
    He eyes widened. “You did?”
    “It’s not only Gracie I’m concerned about. I don’t want anything to happen to you because . . . well, just because.” Christ, how had he gone from wishing she’d disappear to wanting to see her smile? The woman was dangerous to his peace of mind.
    For several seconds she didn’t speak. Finally she asked, “Um, so Gracie said you own your own construction company.”
    He chuckled at the abrupt subject change. “Yep. It does a pretty good business these days actually.”
    She stood and walked around the room. He noted the way she avoided his gaze. “Did you build this house?”
    “This one and several others around here.” Catherine was an enigma. Blunt and sure of herself, but there was a touch of vulnerability there too, Dean thought.
    She smoothed a palm down the granite countertop and hummed her approval. “You do excellent work.”
    She was doing her best not to look at him, and Dean didn’t like it. “Thanks, but I’d rather you look at me.”
    Her head swiveled around and their gazes locked. “Why?”
    He got to his feet and crossed the room. Once he was within inches of her, Dean murmured, “Because I like it when you look at me with those pretty green eyes. Got a problem with that?”
    “I-I think I need to get back to the hotel. I need to get ready for my shopping trip with Gracie. Besides, I’ve taken up plenty of your time already.” Her gaze quickly darted away again, as if suddenly finding his refrigerator fascinating.
    “Do you plan on buying something pretty to wear to The Pit while out shopping today?”
    His question had the desired effect. She turned her head and looked up at him. “Maybe,” she whispered. “I didn’t really bring anything along on this trip appropriate for a nightclub.”
    Dean imagined her wearing a little black dress, one that showed off her figure to perfection. He thought of how sexy she’d be out on the dance floor, her hips moving to the beat of a slow, seductive song. His dick hardened beneath the fly of his jeans. Without thinking, he said, “And maybe I’ll see if Wade and Gracie have room for one more tonight.”
    She crossed her arms over her chest. “You want to go out with us? Seriously?”
    Dean shrugged, becoming preoccupied with a smear of chocolate icing on the corner of her mouth. “Is that a problem?” As dumb as it would be for him to get involved with Gracie’s sister, Dean was starting to realize he might not have a choice in the matter. She was a temptation, one he wasn’t sure he wanted to resist.
    Catherine swallowed several times before replying, “No, it’s not a problem at all. I just didn’t figure you for the nightclub type.” She paused for a few seconds, then a frown replaced her confusion. “Or is this just another way for you to keep an eye on me because you don’t trust me around your brother and Gracie?”
    The reminder that he didn’t trust her made the idea of getting involved the dumbest one he’d come up with in a long time. Still, she intrigued him, and it’d been a damn long time since a woman had managed that feat.
    Not willing to delve into his reasons, Dean answered, “If I come tonight it’ll be because I want to be there.”
    She laughed and shook her head.