Dare She Kiss & Tell? by Aimee Carson Read Free Book Online

papers no one learned who my father was until a year later.”
    He studied her face, as if surprised. “That must have caused a few ripples.”
    “My boss was certainly nicer after he found out.”
    Or he
had
been nice up until she’d made an iffy decision and scandal had rocked her world—both personally and professionally. And, true to his word, her father had never intervened on her behalf…not even when she’d needed his help the most.
    The pain sliced like a freshly whetted knife, and Carly clutched her armrest and stared at the stage, grateful the music was loud as Hamlet belted out his monologue, bare-assed and lifting Yorick’s skull further skyward with every high note. Her father’s approval had always felt unattainable. But if she earned her current boss’s confidence, and a little leeway to choose her stories again, she’d regain a bit of the dignity she’d lost after her mistake.
    “California is a long way away,” Hunter said when themusic died down. “Your dad must have been happy you were hired on at the
Miami Insider
and moved back to town.”
    Carly bit back a bark of humorless laughter, staring at the stage. “You would think so,” she said. “But you’d be wrong. My father thinks a weekly online paper will fail. He’s convinced I made a disastrous career move.”
    Or, more accurately, a
second
disastrous career move. As always, his lack of confidence in her rankled. But after his prediction she wouldn’t leave even if the
Miami Insider
did take a nosedive at perilous speeds. She was hell-bent on proving her dad wrong.
    “As a matter of fact—” Carly sent Hunter a wry smile “—he’s probably eagerly waiting for the paper to fold just so he can be proved right.”
    Hunter narrowed his eyes skeptically. “You’re saying your father had nothing to do with you winding up on Brian O’Connor’s show?”
    This time there was no holding back the harsh laugh. The suggestion was so absurd it hurt. “My father would never show me that kind of favoritism.”
    “Seems a big coincidence we ended up at the very station your father owns.”
    “He had nothing to do with it. I contacted the producer of the show—”
    “Who wouldn’t have given you the time of day if not for the family name.”
    She wasn’t so foolish as to deny it. “Okay, so that part is true.” Having the last name Wolfe had to be good for something, because the parental aspect wasn’t so hot. “But Brian O’Connor is a fan of my column and was on board with the idea from the start.”
    “On board for what?” he asked dryly. “Ganging up on me?”
    She blew out an exasperated breath. “You handled us aseasily as you handled Thad and Marcus. And you know,” she said, fed up with the entire conversation as she twisted in her seat to face him, “I asked to come on Brian’s show simply to state my beef with your app.
You
weren’t even supposed to be there.”
    His brow creased with suppressed amusement even as his eyes remained unyielding. “Too bad for you I showed up.”
    Carly’s lips pressed flat as she remembered how he’d goaded her into losing her temper. Was that his intention now?
    His intense gaze was relentless as he went on. “I want you to end this public dispute.”
    “Well, I want you to admit The Ditchinator sucks.”
    “Fine. I admit it.”
    She shook her head. “Not good enough. Which is why I’m so pleased you agreed to a second show.” She sent him her best winning smile—the one that flirted at the possibility for more. “You can go on air to admit it sucks
and
share the inspiration behind your app.”
    He leaned close again, a spark of awareness in his gaze that sabotaged her smooth-talking abilities. “I won’t do either,” he murmured silkily.
    Desire constricted her throat, making breathing difficult. She knew he was attracted to her, and God knew he thrilled her like no one had before. She could never mix business with pleasure again, but a part of her longed to know if