Claiming Her Billion-Dollar Birthright by Maureen Child Read Free Book Online Page A

his chair, Christian looked across the room at the youngest Jarrod sibling—well, now thanks to Erica, she was the second youngest. Melissa hadn’t taken long at all to decide to come home to Aspen. She’d quit her job managing a trendy, luxurious day spa in Los Angeles and had taken over at the spa here at the resort. Since she was also a yoga instructor, she had plans to include yoga retreats at the spa, as well. She’d slipped back into mountain life as if she’d never left it.
    â€œWhat do you want to hear?”
    â€œI don’t know,” she said, laughing again. “I have a sister I’ve never met. Is she fun? Does she smile a lot? Is she stuffy? You know, more into business than anything else? Because really, with my brothers, I’m hoping she’s not.”
    â€œShe didn’t seem to be,” he said, thinking back on that one day he’d had with Erica. Not like he hadn’t been doing a lot of thinking about her ever since they first met. On the long flight home, he’d almost convinced himself that the instant attraction he’d felt for her wasn’t as overwhelming as he’d believed. But then Erica had called him that night to tell him she would be arriving in just a few days.
    All it had taken was hearing her voice and his body was tight and hard and… Christian cut those thoughtsoff fast. Melissa was pretty damned intuitive and he didn’t need her picking up on what he was feeling for her sister.
    â€œShe was,” he said, before Melissa could prod him again, “surprised. As shocked as all of you were to hear about her connection to the family.”
    â€œPoor thing,” Melissa murmured, her soft heart show ing. “I can’t even imagine having that curve ball thrown at you.”
    â€œYou did have it thrown at you,” he reminded her.
    â€œYeah, but I already knew I was a Jarrod. She’s coming into this cold and it had to be hard to find out you’re not who you think you are.”
    Christian smiled at her again. She was going to be an ally for Erica. A safe harbor in a strange new world. And that was a good thing. He had a feeling she was going to need friends. In their communications with him, Blake and Guy weren’t exactly warming up to the idea of a new sister. And as for Gavin and Trevor…he’d know when they arrived what their attitude was going to be.
    â€œI think it’s safe to say it hit her hard. She’s strong though,” Christian told her. “Every bit as tough as you are. But she’s got a soft side, too,” he mused, remembering the sheen of tears she’d managed to keep at bay when they’d been talking.
    â€œDo I detect some interest there?” Melissa asked.
    â€œWhat?” He straightened up and glared at her. Damn it, he couldn’t afford to relax his guard for a minute around her. She was way too perceptive. “No. You don’t. Besides, that would be inappropriate.”
    â€œOh, for heaven’s sake, Christian,” Melissa said with a sad shake of her head, “you sound like a Puritan or something.”
    â€œI’m not and I’m also not discussing this with you. Don’t you have a spa to run?”
    Frustrated, she huffed out a breath. “Honestly, men are the most bizarre creatures.”
    â€œThanks so much. Goodbye.”
    â€œOh, I’m going,” she said, smiling now as she headed for his office door. “But don’t think this ends the conversation, Christian.”
    Once she was gone, he leaned back in his chair again and told himself to shape up. He couldn’t afford to show any of the Jarrod siblings that he was attracted to Erica. With the board of directors due to meet in a few months, he couldn’t afford to start rumors.
    Dating a member of the Jarrod family was one sure way for an employee to find himself quickly unemployed. It was there in the contracts they all signed, since Don