Adversaries and Lovers by Patricia Watters Read Free Book Online Page A

laughed. "I'll chance it." He bent down and pressed his lips to hers, teasing, tasting, moving against them. Oddly, it wasn’t his lingering kiss that held Kate's attention, but the feel of his hands moving idly up and down her arms. It was some time before she had the presence of mind to push him away. Angry with herself for allowing him to manipulate her again, she said, irritably, "I wish you'd stop doing that."
    Ben gave her a disarming smile. "If you'd wanted me to stop you would have carried out your threat. Instead you kissed me back, and I'm wondering why."
    "You caught me by surprise," Kate said, which he hadn't, and as soon as she’d said the words she realized how ridiculous they sounded.
    "Do you have a problem with men in general," Ben asked, "or me in particular?"
    "Definitely you. I don't like being kissed by someone who means nothing to me."
    Kate felt the tingle of his warm breath on her forehead as he said, in a quiet voice, "I intend to change that." He stepped closer.
    "What are you doing?" Kate said, edging backwards.
    "Relax. I'm not going to kiss you again," he said. "I just want you to look into my eyes and tell me you didn't enjoy my kiss, even though you responded to it."
    "Fine. I didn't enjoy your kiss. Why should I? I barely know you."
    "But you will soon." Seeming to be done with their bantering, Ben tapped her portfolio with his fingers and said, "I like your ideas, they're innovative, and I want to go forward with the AirFlo ad campaign, and others. We have a new line of swim fins that we'll talk about later."
    Kate looked at him, stunned. "Just like that? You're giving Boswell your business?"
    "No, I'm giving it to you," Ben said. "We'll work together to develop what I want. You'll spend time at my office, get familiar with our line of products. I'll also want you to test them. We'll have you fitted in all four AirFlo helmet styles and road-test each, and after that—"
    "That's not necessary," Kate cut in. The thought of meeting with Ben behind the closed door to his office was bad enough. Clinging to his muscular torso while straddling the seat behind him on his motorcycle set her nerves humming.
    "If you want the account," Ben said, looking steadily at her, "it is necessary."
    Kate folded her arms, and replied, "And maybe I don't want the account that bad."
    "But you do want to be art director," Ben said, "and that comes with landing my account."
    Kate eyed him, dubiously. "How did you know about that?"
    Ben shrugged. "I always do my homework. So, what's it going to be?"
    Kate eyed him with vexation. She didn't like being backed into a corner, especially not into a corner with the enemy. And she'd better not forget that Ben Stassen was the enemy. He was also the means by which she'd land the job as art director of Boswell Advertising, so it seemed she had no choice. Inhaling a long, steadying breath, she said, "Alright, you win."
    "This isn't supposed to be a win-lose situation," Ben said. "I was hoping we'd be on the same side."
    "Maybe with your advertising campaign we will be," Kate said, "but we're definitely on opposite sides of the zoning issue, which is a win-lose situation. Only for you there's nothing to lose. Either way, you'll have your new office. But a whole neighborhood of wonderful old folks stand to lose everything they love if your zoning change goes through."
    When she'd finished her diatribe, Ben said, "I'll be out of my office for the next few days, but I’ll plan to see you there next Friday at four."
    "Is that an order?" Kate said, miffed that he'd ignored her plug for the old folks, while issuing orders like a platoon leader.
    Ben chucked her under the chin. "No, it's an invitation. I'll buy dinner afterwards."
    Kate didn't like the warm cushy feeling she got when she looked into Ben's amused eyes. It broke down her resolve. "I'll come at four, but we'll skip the dinner," she said. She glanced down the hallway at the closed door to Grandma’s bedroom, and added in