Corporate Seduction by A.C. Arthur Read Free Book Online Page A

granddaughter. “Gal, don’t keep asking me foolish questions. I’m here, ain’t I? I told you I took a cab. Now if you want to make yourself helpful, put on a pot of water for some tea. I’m hungry.”
    Khalil had gone to shut the front door. Now that it appeared Reka wasn’t in any danger he figured he should probably leave. But something told him all was not right with this picture. She’d said she lived alone, yet there was an elderly woman scouring through her refrigerator. He found himself walking back towards the kitchen to check on them.
    Reka had almost forgotten about him until she’d put the water on to boil and turned to see him standing in the doorway.
    “Um, this is my grandmother,” she’d begun to explain when Grammy stopped fixing her snack and pushed her to the side to stand in front of Khalil with her hand extended.
    “I’m Estelle Grant, and you are a very handsome young man.”
    Reka rolled her eyes skyward, praying her grandmother would not continue to embarrass her. Why hadn’t Khalil just left when he realized it wasn’t a burglar in her kitchen? This man was just too chivalrous for her.
    Khalil smiled at the warmth in the woman’s eyes, eyes like Reka’s. He took her hand and shook it lightly. “Thank you, ma’am. I’m Khalil Franklin. I work with Reka.”
    Estelle held on to his hand. “Reka. Isn’t that a pretty name?” she asked, then looked down at his hands. “And you have nice big hands. You know what that means,” she said, casting a satisfied smile over her shoulder to Reka.
    Over Estelle’s head Khalil found Reka’s gaze and admitted seriously, “Yes, ma’am, it sure is a pretty name.”
    Reka shifted uncomfortably beneath his gaze. “Grammy, Khalil was just dropping me off. He needs to get home.” He needs to get away from me, and he definitely needs to get away from Grammy and her wandering eyes, she thought to herself.
    This was the first time he’d heard her say his name. He liked how it sounded on her lips.
    “Nonsense. You’re being rude. At least offer your date a nightcap.”
    “He’s not my—” she started to say.
    “It is rather chilly outside. A cup of tea would be nice.” Khalil had instantly liked Mrs. Grant. Her open smile and twinkling eyes gave him the impression that she, too, would be a good ally. With one glance at Reka’s glare, he knew he was going to need all the allies he could get to win her over.
    * * *
    Grammy and Khalil had long since moved into the living room, where he’d so helpfully started a fire. Now they sat on the couch, talking and laughing like long lost friends, while she stood in the kitchen looking through the small opening in the wall at them.
    She’d called her mother and, together, they’d discovered that Grammy had left Sunny Days Retirement Center early this morning and hadn’t returned. Reka had no idea how long her grandmother had been in her apartment, nor did she have a clue as to how she got in. Her mother had said to let her stay for the night, that she’d be there first thing in the morning to take her back.
    Reka sighed. She’d seen Grammy slip a brown paper bag from the pocket of her mutli-colored housecoat and pour something into her tea. No doubt it was whiskey. Grammy loved her VO.
    “So where’d you take my granddaughter this evening? And why are you back so early? In my day, my beaus didn’t bring me home a minute before curfew.” Grammy crossed her legs at the ankles and folded her arms, rocking back against the big pillows on Reka’s couch.
    “Actually, I didn’t take her anywhere. We were at a bar for happy hour with another co-worker. I just met her today.”
    “Oh. Well, you plan on taking her someplace special, right? Because my grandbaby deserves the best.”
    Khalil smiled, wholeheartedly agreeing with her. “Yes ma’am, she does deserve the best.”
    With that statement Reka made her way into the room. It was definitely time for him to go now. “Grammy, it’s time for