Conflict of Interest by Jayne Castle Read Free Book Online Page A

involved, she told herself darkly.
    How was Lang going to react? She was counting on his male ego to carry off the situation in her favor but what if he decided this morning that business was more important?
    Damn! She shouldn’t have invited Davis up to the apartment, she thought bleakly as the doorbell chimed.
    The situation was too tricky, too full of risks. Or was it? What did she have to lose? she asked herself again as she went to answer the summons. Even if the plan didn’t have any effect she was no worse off than before, was she?
    Deliberately, Kali forced an expression of pleasant serenity as she opened the door to the attractive man in the hall.
    „Hello, Davis. Won’t you come in?“ Politely she stood back, watching him a little curiously, in spite of herself. It had, after all, been a year…

    The hazel eyes moved over her with something of the same curiosity as Davis stepped into the room. „Kali,“ he said simply.
    Then he reached out and cupped her chin in his hands, drawing her close for a charming kiss of greeting.
    Kali froze and then hastily beat back the instinctive reaction, furious with herself for even the slightest evidence of disquiet. With a cool effort of will, she let her face be lifted for the kiss. When Davis’s lips brushed hers she could pinpoint the exact second that he became aware of the sound of the shower. A tingle of satisfaction went through her.
    Lang had ceased his song shortly before the doorbell chimed but he hadn’t yet turned off the water. The roar of it finally impinged on Davis.
    The handsome brow furrowed and the charming kiss was abruptly broken off. „You have company?“
    „Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. But please have a seat, Davis. I’ll get you a cup of coffee. You’re looking well,“ she added lightly as she gestured him toward the yellow sofa. Belatedly she realized the black evening jacket still hung on the chair. Davis saw it almost at once but made no comment. She sensed an element of confusion in him, however, and gloried in it.
    „You have a lovely apartment here, Kali,“ he began with deceptive ease, strolling over to the huge windows. „When did you move from the place on Capitol Hill?“
    „About six months ago.“
    An abrupt silence descended on the room as the shower was turned off. Kali slanted a subtle glance at Davis as she poured coffee.
    His lean frame in the dark business suit seemed to tense briefly.
    „Is your, uh, visitor going to be upset finding me here?“ he asked crisply, turning as she came into the living room with the mugs. The hazel eyes regarded her with a level, assessing glance.
    „You mean is he going to beat you to a pulp? Have no fear, Davis,“ she chuckled, taking a seat. „My visitor is a business acquaintance.“ Her gray gaze held the essence of unconcerned blandness.
    „Business?“ He glanced pointedly at the black jacket as he sat down on the sofa.
    „Why, yes. You of all people should know how easy it is to combine business with pleasure. You’re the one who taught me the trick.“ She smiled politely. „And I’ve never forgotten the final lesson, you’ll be happy to know. The business end of things must always predominate.“
    Davis reached for his coffee, eyes cool. Kali could almost feel him weighing her mood and deciding how to handle it. „Kali, you can’t blame me for the way things turned out. Who could have foreseen the offer from Hadley at that particular time? And you certainly can’t say the end result hasn’t benefited your career!“
    „Oh, it has,“ she drawled obligingly. „Enormously. But even though things have all turned out for the best, I find it’s difficult to get over my annoyance at being used.“
    He shrugged faintly beneath the expensive material of his jacket.
    „It was a matter of timing. One has to move when the opportunity is hot, after all.“
    „I couldn’t agree more,“ she murmured, sipping her coffee.
    She didn’t know what she would have said next.