Bachelor's Bait by Mari Carr Read Free Book Online Page B

time it is personal.”
    “The trustees have two months to raise the funds to save the center. After that, I will buy the property.”
    “To build another shopping mall that the city doesn’t need.”
    Dad smiled, but his eyes betrayed no happiness. “Consider this—the money made at that mall will add to your inheritance.”
    The words felt like a slap to the face. “I don’t want your fucking money!”
    Dad scowled. “Sophia. Everything I do, I do for you.”
    She shook her head. “No. Don’t heap that crap at my feet. Everything you do, you do for yourself . But not this time. Thanks to you, I’ve had years of practice organizing fundraisers for worthy causes. You’re about to reap what you’ve sown.”
    With that, she headed for the door. For a moment, she thought she heard her father call her back, his gentle voice reminding her of the way it used to sound, but she dismissed it as wishful thinking.
    She knew what she had to do, even though the thought of going to war with her dad brought her no joy. In fact, she felt as if she’d been punched in the stomach. Hard.
    This wasn’t going to be easy…and she’d need help.
    * * * * *
     
    A bell jingled in the lobby but Marc didn’t look up. He was knee-deep in paperwork, trying to find some loophole that could buy the community center more time. Then he faced a long afternoon of preparing a witness for a murder trial that was scheduled to start tomorrow. When it rained, it poured.
    He rubbed his forehead, trying to fend off the tension headache building behind his eyes.
    “Rough day?”
    He glanced up at the sound of Sophie’s voice, pleased to see her.
    “I’ve had better.” It had started far too early, after a restless night spent tossing and turning and jacking off while fantasizing about the society princess currently leaning against his doorjamb.
    He’d been disappointed when Sophie had called him a couple of days earlier to say Jared had helped her jumpstart her car. To make up for the missed opportunity to see her, he’d stopped by Books and Brew last night for a beer. As usual, the conversation had ended up in a disagreement about her father and, like a jackass, he’d shared too many details about the community center case in a self-serving need to prove he was right. His father had always told him pride would be his downfall.
    What dear old Dad failed to realize was that when his pride joined forces with his cock, he became the biggest fool on Earth.
    Worst part was, even now, he didn’t regret the things he’d told Sophie. His instincts screamed that he could trust her.
    “Yeah. My day has pretty much sucked too.” Sophie walked in and claimed one of the two chairs across from his desk. She glanced around the room. “Your office is ridiculously small.”
    “Thanks for pointing out the obvious.” She was right. Every available inch of space was filled with papers, files, law books. “Free legal aid doesn’t pay much.”
    She laughed. “Does it pay anything?”
    “A little bit.”
    “Not to sound rude, but what made you choose this career path? I mean, I think this is awesome and all, but it seems to me you could be making bank anywhere else.”
    He didn’t take offense at her question. God knew it was one he’d been asked a million times in the past few years. “I did the big law firm deal right after graduation. I was on the fast track to a partnership.”
    “Sounds profitable.”
    “It was. Very.”
    “So why would you give that up for this glamorous inside office with no view?” she asked.
    “I was twenty-nine with high blood pressure and suffering from my third ulcer in as many years. I didn’t date, ate all my meals at my desk and slept less than five hours a night, usually on the couch in my office. At my yearly checkup, my doctor informed me I was a prime candidate for a heart attack.”
    “Ouch.”
    “I walked out of his office and realized I was sick of it all. I turned in my resignation and walked away.