Bedding The Billionaire by Kendra Little Read Free Book Online Page A

man.
    Jealous eyes.
    The man glanced from him to Abbey.
    "Tarken!" She stared wide-eyed up at the
newcomer. "What the Hell are you doing here?" There was frustration
in her voice, but no indication on her face of what she'd just been doing under
the table. Nick hoped he looked just as composed.
    "Having dinner. Who's he?" The man, Tarken,
jerked his thumb in Nick's direction.
    "None of your business."
    "None of my business? Abbey, come on, I — "
    "She said it's none of your business," said Nick,
keeping his voice low. "Now leave."
    He hoped Tarken didn't have enough guts to challenge
him. Nick couldn't get up — he was still protruding from his shorts.
    Tarken rounded on him, a challenge in his eyes. "Who
do you think you are, ordering me around?"
    Nick drummed his fingers on the table. Who the hell
was this arrogant S.O.B.? And how dare he speak to a woman that way. How dare
he speak to him, Nick Delaware, that way!
    "Who are you?" Nick countered.
    "Abbey's boyfriend."

Chapter 4
    Nick felt like something was pressing down on his
chest. Abbey had a boyfriend? And it was this idiot?
    The man, Tarken, was dressed in casual but expensive
pants and a Ralph Lauren shirt; his hair tousled in an overly styled boy-band
way. He supposed many women would consider him a good looking man with his dark
blonde hair and square jaw. He definitely didn't look like a pimp. Not that Nick
knew what a pimp looked like. Maybe he really was her boyfriend.
    "You are not my boyfriend!" said Abbey,
her eyes spitting blue sparks in Tarken's direction. "You seem to have
forgotten that I found you kissing Melinda yesterday. She told me you'd slept
together while I was away. And I seem to recall telling you that we were
through when I handed in my resignation."
    Even in the dark restaurant, Nick could see Tarken's
face had flushed.
    "I think you should leave," said Nick
quietly, deliberately. Damn, he couldn't get up. He needed a distraction. "Waiter!"
The waiter was immediately at his side. "This man is bothering us."
    Tarken's eyes widened and his face suddenly slackened.
"I was just leaving. I've lost my appetite anyway."
    Nick watched as Tarken rushed out of the restaurant
without even glancing back at Abbey. When the eyes of the other patrons finally
diverted, Nick discretely zipped his fly. He glanced across the table at Abbey
but she was looking down at her empty plate.
    "You okay?" he asked.
    She nodded but didn't look up. "Sorry about
that," she muttered. "I didn't mean to cause a scene."
    "You didn't. He did." Nick drew in a deep
breath, feeling more in control now that he was no longer in such a vulnerable
position with his fly open. He reached across and touched Abbey's arm, folded
in front of her on the table. She looked up at him. Her eyes were moist. She
looked incredibly lost. Small. He just wanted to take her in his arms and hold
her, kiss her. Tell her everything was okay because he'd take care of her.
    Nick shook his head to dismiss the ridiculous
thoughts. Taking care of a hooker was not on his agenda for the week. What was coming over him? Melbourne was having such a strange affect on his behavior. Or
maybe it was the heat.
    Banishing all possessive thoughts, Nick straightened. There
was something he wanted to know. "So, is he your boyfriend?"
    "Not any more."
    "He cheated on you with someone called Melinda?"
    She nodded and turned away.
    "He's a fool. If I were him, I wouldn't let such
a beautiful woman like you go."
    Her head snapped up. Her eyes bore into his but he was
damned if he was going to look away. Nick Delaware never looked away first.
    He didn't know why he'd said that. It had just tumbled
out of his mouth. If he weren't careful, he'd turn into a soft romantic. He
swallowed, Abbey's direct gaze unnerving him with its penetration. Finally,
thankfully, she wavered and glanced away.
    Nick let out a long breath. He should not have
said that. The last thing he wanted to do was give Abbey the wrong idea. He
didn't want to