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

The tense moment was shattered by a lighthearted whistling version of the country-and-western song which had begun in the shower. She glanced toward the hall, swallowing her sip of coffee with great caution.
    Across from her Davis Wakefield stiffened. She could hear his teeth coming together in a near-silent gesture of irritation and his head turned as he followed her gaze.
    With the nonchalance of a man intent on making himself perfectly at home, Lang Sterling sauntered into view, obviously en route to the kitchen. He was wearing one of Kali’s huge chocolate towels wrapped around his waist and nothing else at all. The russet hair gleamed damply from the shower and droplets of water clung to the expanse of crisp reddish brown hair covering his chest.
    Kali knew a moment of sensual shock which she frantically masked. Last night Lang had gotten no farther than removing his jacket and unknotting the formal tie. She had felt the smoothly muscled power in his body, sensed the bold contours of his maleness as he’d pinned her beneath him. But she hadn’t really seen the sinewy line of his arm from elbow to wrist, nor had she been given an opportunity to visualize the tapering tangle of hair as it marched with rough, blatant masculinity down to his waist and beyond. The lean hips and strong thighs were aggressively evident beneath the towel and she found herself wondering fleetingly how he’d kept his tan well into the Seattle winter.
    But the one thing she didn’t have to concern herself with in that moment was the worry about how her moment of disconcerted reaction to Lang’s near-nakedness was affecting either of the two men. They appeared totally oblivious to her presence as they confronted each other across the short expanse of carpet.
    Even though Davis held the advantage of being somewhat prepared, it didn’t seem to do him much good. He looked as taken aback as if he’d had no notion of the fact that there was a man in the apartment. He simply stared at Lang. For once, thought Kali with inner delight, the great Davis Wakefield didn’t quite know how to handle a situation.
    The problem didn’t seem to bother Lang, however. After coming to a short halt during which he looked Davis up and down, he continued on into the kitchen. But he was clearly by no means indifferent to the discovery of another male visitor.
    „Who the hell are you?“
    The question was a hard growl of demand. Kali held her breath, hearing the small noises which told her Lang was pouring himself a cup of coffee. He emerged a moment later, mug in hand, and stood with his feet spread slightly apart, awaiting an answer. The bronze-green eyes were narrowed and glittered with belligerence. He ignored Kali completely, his whole attention on the other man.
    From a store of resourcefulness which Kali had long since learned to respect, Davis recovered his aplomb.
    „Davis Wakefield. I’m a friend of Kali’s.“ He made no move to follow up the introduction with a proffered hand. Instead there was a deliberately laconic tone in his words designed to imply a relationship which was considerably more than friendly. Kali felt the tension uncurl in the pit of her stomach.
    „Not any longer, you aren’t.“ Lang’s response was immediate and uncompromising. The gleaming gaze finally swung to Kali’s carefully bland expression. „Say good-bye to your friend, sweetheart, and show the nice man the door.“
    He had a lot of nerve, she thought distractedly, challenging her to defy him like this. If it wasn’t for the awkward fact that he was reacting exactly as she wanted him to react she would have taken the opportunity to put him in his place. As it was…
    „Whatever you say, darling,“ she said quite meekly, looking at a thin-lipped Davis and wondering if he would go quietly.
    „A business acquaintance, I believe you said,“ he gritted, getting to his feet.

    „Oh, he is,“ she assured him, leading the way toward the door.
    He was going to go