Chosen for Power (Women of Power, #1) by Kathleen Brooks Read Free Book Online

reached up to his mask at the same time a loud ringing broke the tranquility of the courtyard.

CHAPTER SIX
     
    “Oh my gosh . . . what time is it?” Elle scrambled off his naked body and grabbed her purse.
    “I don’t know. It’s probably a couple hours past midnight. How about breakfast after this party breaks up?” Elle was too busy fumbling for her phone to answer.
    “Hello?” she spoke into the phone.
    “Elle, are you all right? Did something happen?” she heard Finn asking.
    “I’m fine, why? What time is it?” she asked, looking around for her clothes.
    “It’s ten minutes until two. You're twenty minutes late and you’re going to miss your conference call with the Swiss bankers if you don’t get your butt out here right now.”
    “Oh no, I’ll be there in just a second.” Elle hung up the phone and tossed it on the bench as she tugged on her dress. She reached behind to grab the zipper. “Can you get this?” She lifted her hair and turned her back to her naked dream. Reality had just called and shattered her fantasy.
    “I guess that means no to breakfast?” he asked with good humor as he fastened the top of her dress.
    She shoved her breasts back into place and slipped her feet back into her heels. “Sorry. The real world called and I’m needed.” She leaned down and took one last kiss. She hated to leave but if she didn’t run out and leave him right this instant, she was going to blow a huge deal. With regret, she turned and ran back into the gallery as fast as she could.
    Elle raced down the corridor and over the dance floor. People stared at her, but she didn’t care. She pushed the heavy glass door open and rushed onto the sidewalk. She looked around wildly for Finn. She heard a sharp whistle and turned to see him half a block down the street. She picked up her dress and ran.
    “Come on. It’s almost two. Haul ass, boss,” Finn yelled as he held the door open for her.
    “Get the car started,” she shouted back between alternately gasping for air and cursing her high heels.
    Finn nodded, jumped into the driver’s seat, and started the car just as she leaped into the backseat and slammed the door closed. Tires squealed, horns honked, and the big limo shot out into the street, tossing her around on the seat.
    “Looks like someone had a good night,” Finn teased from the front seat.
    Elle flushed. Could he tell she’d just had the most mind-blowing sex ever with the man of her dreams? “What do you mean?” she tried to ask innocently.
    Finn laughed as he took a corner so fast that it sent her sailing to the other side of the limo. “Only that your hair is a mess and your shoes are on the wrong feet.”
    Elle looked down at her feet. This was so much more embarrassing than being caught with her bunny slippers on.
     
    Drake sat stunned. The woman of his dreams had just disappeared into the night. He panicked and nearly chased after her until he remembered his nakedness. Damn, he didn’t even get her name. She had to be an on-call doctor the way she ran off. He had to find her before she left.
    Drake shot to his feet and tugged on his pants. He slipped on his shoes, not even bothering with his socks. Instead he stuffed them into his pocket and went to work on his shirt. Getting it halfway buttoned was good enough, he thought, slinging on his jacket. He looked around to grab his bow tie and saw the small black phone sitting next to it on the bench. She’d left her phone.
    He grabbed it and hurried through the thinning crowds as people made their way to their cars. Lines of limousines stretched down the street. But it was the one half a block away with the squealing tires that made his heart plummet. He’d lost her. He looked at the phone in his hand. It was the only lead to find the woman of his dreams.
     
    *     *     *
     
    Drake sat in his office and stared at the phone. He tried turning it on, but the battery was almost dead and it was password protected. Good