Dream of Me: A Sweet Contemporary Romance by Delaney Cameron Read Free Book Online Page B

observed.
    “I can’t do that when I’m working,” she pointed out.
    “Why not? Maybe a little distraction is what Corbin needs.”
    “Nothing about me distracts Corbin.”
    “You sound disappointed.”
    “You’re being ridiculous.”
    Richard laughed softly. “You wouldn’t be the first person to be interested in your boss.”
    She could see his smile even in the semi-darkness and wondered if he was serious. “No, but I don’t think getting involved with my employer is a good idea.”
    “You’re a little prude, aren’t you?” Richard bent his head until their faces were just inches apart. “I won’t hold it against you because I don’t want you to get involved with Corbin.”
    When they reached the stairs leading to the deck, she half turned to him and he smiled ruefully in the dark. Unless his instincts were way off, he wasn’t going to be asked inside.
    “Thank you for dinner, Richard. I enjoyed it very much.”
    “Did you? Then I must have done something right.” With a faint, almost mocking smile, he bent to kiss her cheek. “Goodnight, mermaid.”
    As he walked to his car, he tried to remember the last time something like this had happened and couldn’t.
  * * * *
    Aubrey got a surprise when she reached her room that chased all thoughts of Richard from her mind. Horace hadn’t enjoyed being left by himself and had taken out his frustration on his temporary prison. The roll of toilet paper hanging enticingly on its gold stand had been too much of a temptation. As she picked up the strips of white paper dotting the floor, Aubrey debated getting a cat carrier. She couldn’t have Horace doing this every time she left him alone.
    Deciding not to try his patience further, she allowed him to roam the bedroom and just before she succumbed to sleep, she felt him crawling around on the bed. The next moment he was curled into a ball at her feet.
    Mindful of a long to-do list, Aubrey was up early. Horace was delighted to share her breakfast of bacon and toast before trailing her into Corbin’s office. Here she worked diligently, the only interruption being a telephone call from Phoebe. When Aubrey decided it was time to take a break, the afternoon was well advanced and she was starving.
    After fixing a sandwich and finding a more appropriate place to keep Horace, she decided to eat on the deck. The view of the ocean never got old, and watching the people had become an enjoyable pastime. It wasn’t long before her thoughts reverted to the previous evening.
    It had been months since she’d done anything fun, and Richard’s undemanding company had been just what she needed. She hoped he would ask her out again. Into these pleasant thoughts came an equally unpleasant one; one she couldn’t ignore any longer. Though he phrased it politely enough, Corbin had in essence warned her to stay away from Richard. Did he think her incapable of handling anything? She wasn’t a child.
    Another confrontation was looming, and as much as she hated to create friction between them, she couldn’t let Corbin dictate decisions about her personal life. Just because she lived with him didn’t give him the right to give her advice on men.
    “Why the frown?” a deep voice called to her.
    Aubrey turned around in her chair in time to see Richard mounting the stairs, a wide smile on his tan face. He wore swimming trunks and a t-shirt, neither of which hid his slim, athletic build.
    “Was I frowning? I guess I have a lot on my mind.”
    “I know the cure for that. Let’s go swimming.”
    “I’d like that,” she responded with a wide grin.
    “Great! Go change your clothes while I find us the perfect spot.”
    Glancing at the almost empty beach, she laughed. “I don’t think you’ll have too much trouble.”
    He was already in the water when Aubrey dropped her tote bag and towel on the sand. A wave of recklessness swept over her as she shed her wrap and went to join him. What was the harm in spending the afternoon