Cautious Lover by Stephanie James Read Free Book Online

life-style you 're leading. If I were you, I would at least instruct your male friends not to answer the telephone at seven forty-five in the morning. It gives a very bad impression. But, of course, I suppose that's your business."
    Elly's fingers tightened around the receiver. "Yes, Aunt Clara. Considering the fact that I'm thirty years old and self-supporting, I'd say it definitely is my business. Now, if you don't mind, I haven't even had coffee yet, and I'm due to open the store in an hour. I appreciate you informing me of your decision. As I said, I will take it under advisement. Goodbye, Aunt Clara."
    She hung up the phone before her aunt had finished sputtering in her ear. "This is not starting out to be one of my more scintillating days. Did you know you give a very bad impression on the phone, Jess?"
    "I'll have to work on my telephone manners." He spoke offhandedly as he watched her face. "That rather rude woman is your aunt?"
    "Unfortunately." Elly stalked toward the kitchen. "Any coffee?"
    "Not yet. I just came in from outside. Haven't had time to make it." He followed her to the kitchen door, his eyes never leaving her as she busied herself with the cof fee pot.
    "What were you doing outside? Are you a jogging freak or something?" Elly asked irritably as she ran water into the pot. The way he was watching her made her more aware than ever of her rumpled, unexciting appearance. None of the fantasies she had ever had about her first morning with Jess Winter had gone quite like this.
    "No. I just wanted to have a look around to see if I could find any trace of last night's visitor."
    Elly's head came up quickly. "And did you?"
    "Afraid not. It rained around four in the morning. Whatever evidence there might have been was long gone by the time I got outside. Don't look at me like that, Elly ," he added too mildly. "There really was someone out there."
    "I'm not going to argue the point. Lord knows I've got enough of an argument on my hands as it is."
    "Something to do with your Aunt Clara?" Jess dropped casually into a seat by the window.
    "Aunt Clara and most of my other relatives except my parents who are, thank goodness, out of the country."
    "What's the problem?"
    Elly sighed. "It's a long story. I'm sure you've got better things to do."
    "Nope. Not a thing. Tell me the story, Elly ."
    "Look, Jess, I have to be at work in an hour. I don't have time for a long chat. Do you mind?" She hovered grimly over the coffee machine, waiting impatiently for it to brew.
    "You can talk and make breakfast at the same time."
    "Good grief. You're as bad as Aunt Clara. Why is everyone in my life so damned arrogant?"
    "I don't think of myself as being arrogant. I think of it as being assertive."
    She caught the thread of amusement in the words and glanced up sharply. Jess smiled benignly.
    "Maybe I should take notes on assertiveness. It certainly seems to work for the rest of you," Elly grumbled. She poured coffee and began rummaging around in a cupboard for some granola cereal.
    "Oh? Is it going to work for your aunt, then? Going to give her whatever it is she wants?"
    "Not if I can help it. If she thinks I'm going to sell off the family inheritance, she's out of her mind," Elly said, flashing a determined look.
    "What puts you in the position of even being able to sell off a family inheritance?"
    Elly groaned. "You never give up, do you? You just keep pushing and prodding until you have an answer." She carried the canister of cereal and a carton of milk over to the table and they both sat down.
    "I told you: assertiveness."
    It was Elly who gave up. "I'll give you a short summary of the situation. My father's brother, Uncle Toby, founded a company called Trentco . When he died he left a sizable block of shares to me—controlling interest, in fact. Not that I wanted them, mind you, but because good old Uncle Toby knew his own relatives. He had a pretty fair hunch they'd sell off the company if they got the chance. Having put his