Dangerous Attraction Romantic Suspense Boxed Set by Patricia Rosemoor, Toni Anderson, REBECCA YORK, Dana Marton, Sharon Hamilton, Kaylea Cross, Debra Burroughs, Lori Ryan, Jill Sanders, Marie Astor Read Free Book Online Page A

affectionate squeeze. “You knocked ‘em dead, kiddo. Proud of you.”
    “Thanks.” She was thrilled, ecstatic, electrified by a rush of endorphins. And glad she’d come here despite her worries. “Ready for the next one?” Ray was headed to a meeting with the team of lawyers the Pakistani government had assembled to discuss funding, while she was meeting the female Dean of Education of a local university.
    “You bet. I’ll meet you for dinner at the hotel once I get back from my meeting with the US ambassador, and you can tell me how it went with the university folks.”
    “Sounds good.”
    As he’d promised, Hunter was waiting for her in the lobby along with Ray’s head of security. The two men escorted them back to the waiting SUVs and the drivers turned out of the parking lot in opposite directions.
    “So, how’d it go?” Gage asked as he stopped at the first traffic light.
    “Great. No, better than great.” She couldn’t stop smiling. God, they’d done it. The rest was essentially just a formality now.
    “Glad to hear it.” He reached across the console and thumped a fist into Hunter’s shoulder. “Aren’t we?”
    “We are,” Hunter answered dryly, staring straight ahead.
    “Don’t mind him, he really is happy for you. I can tell because he’s not scowling.”
    She hid a smile, liking Gage already. Too bad Hunter couldn’t let his guard down a little with her as well, but she understood why he wouldn’t.
    “You hungry?” Gage continued. “I picked us up some lunch, which was no mean feat considering pretty much every food place is closed until sundown.”
    She thought she’d smelled something good when she climbed into the vehicle. “Great, because I’m starving. Thanks,” she said when he handed a Styrofoam container back to her. The scent of cinnamon and cloves and something else sweet tickled her nose. She was so hungry she wanted to devour it all.
    “Hunt said you’re not a vegetarian—thank God—so I figured a salad with chicken was a safe bet until I get to know you better.”
    “Sounds perfect, thanks.” She popped the lid open to find a sliced chicken breast drizzled with spices and honey on a bed of greens and pieces of ripe mango on top. Oh, yum. It tasted even better than it looked, too. “So good,” she moaned around a bite of chicken.
    “Right? Stick with me, lady. I know all the good food joints around here.”
    Hunter shot him a bland look and started in on his own lunch but didn’t say anything. Khalia stuffed her face all the way across town and was just closing the container when Gage suddenly turned up the radio. Since the broadcast was in Urdu she couldn’t understand what the announcer was saying, but Gage quickly shoulder checked and changed lanes, moving them across to the far right side of the highway.
    “Something wrong?” she asked.
    “Just have to re-route, is all. Accident up ahead is clogging everything up. I’m going to try a couple tricks to get around it.” His tone and demeanor were calm, as though he’d anticipated the possibility long before they began the drive. And he probably had. He certainly knew his way around the city.
    “We’ll get you there on time, don’t worry,” Hunter added, crumpling up the paper napkin he’d just wiped his mouth with and tucking it into the takeout container.
    When they’d tried three different routes without success and came to yet another standstill on the last one, Hunter unbuckled his seatbelt and swiveled to face her. He looked down at her feet. “Can you walk a while in those heels?”
    “Sure.” She set her container on the seat beside her and undid her own seatbelt, assailed by nervousness. In light of the possible threat against her, walking around out there in broad daylight even with a bodyguard didn’t thrill her. Especially in shoes that would leave blisters after a few blocks.
    “Let us off at the next intersection,” Hunter directed Gage.
    Gage pulled over and half straddled