Bachelor's Special by Christine Warner Read Free Book Online Page B

nothing serious about it, that’s how we let off steam. He’s ribbing me about our mother trying to marry me off now that he’s engaged. When he found out about our business arrangement and you living here, he couldn’t resist a few jabs.”
    “Oh.” What more could she say? It sounded logical enough. With all the banter she’d witnessed between Mel’s brothers, it seemed to fit. They’d both teased each other about heading toward the altar to get their mother’s hackles up.
    “As for your misguided notion of how I treat women in the workplace, you’re way off base.”
    No way could she have gotten this whole thing wrong. She had a better grasp at reading people than that. Well, her senses might have been thrown off by this man’s intense sexual energy that propelled her to him like a magnet.
    “By the expression crossing your face, I’m assuming you don’t believe me.”
    “Oh, now you’re some kind of psychic?”
    “Sure, I do readings on my lunch hour at work.” He rolled his eyes. “Think about it. In this day and age, there are plenty of talented women in the workforce, and several work for me. I’ve passed on promoting men in my organization for more qualified women.”
    “I just bet you did.” Sarcasm filled each of her words.
    “Not because they looked a certain way, but because they deserved it, worked for it, earned it.”
    Although tempted to ask for pictures of the women he’d promoted, she bit her lip instead. Her inner voice, the one she relied on to steer her in the right direction, told her he wasn’t lying.
    “What about your two uses for women?”
    At least he had the sense to color slightly.
    “You’re going to hate this, but remember, guy talk.” He closed his eyes as if unable to meet her glare.
    “And?”
    “Use number one is a woman making the bed, and the second one is what she can do in it.” He spoke the words through stiff lips, then peeked at her with one eye.
    She bit the inside of her cheek. Okay, she could see the humor in it. Mel and she’d had several similar conversations, only referencing men. No law against that.
    “Listen, I’m sorry. It’s just a tender subject with me.” Jill understood him now. She’d have to come up with another argument in making him unappealing besides her new mantra of him being her boss and that he had a bad opinion of women. Maybe he’d wear a bag over his head. Hell, more like a suit of armor.
    “How so?”
    She couldn’t meet his eyes, so she focused on the grain of the wood floor, tracing the pattern with the tip of her sandal. His question required an answer related to their first meeting and all the trouble that had followed. Only her mom and Mel were privy to her rants on the subject.
    “Hey, if you don’t want to talk about it, I’m not pushing. But I’m a great listener.”
    And that’s all it took. The silky compassion in his voice turned her insides to gelatin. Her inner voice pushed her to trust him.
    She regarded him steadily. “Care to guess why I’ve lost so many jobs over the last year?”
    …
    From the direction of their conversation, Chet had a pretty good idea but didn’t want to assume. “Tell me.”
    “I can’t think where to start.”
    “The beginning’s good.” He wanted to offer her a comforting gesture, take her hand, give her a hug, but held back. Though he hadn’t known her long, he sensed that wouldn’t be her style. Her proud, independent streak blazed across her like a neon sign.
    “Yeah, the beginning’s always a good start.” She smiled, her lower lip trembling.
    Hell, he hoped she wouldn’t cry. He’d never known how to handle a crying woman. He’d more than proved that a year ago when he’d grabbed her in the kitchen and kissed her in order to stop her tears— or was it something more? Best to keep quiet and let her get her emotions controlled.
    “I’m thinking you might not like what you’re about to hear.”
    “Try me.”
    “After what happened between you