Fresh Temptation: Barboza Brothers, Book One by Reeni Austin Read Free Book Online Page B

wide-rimmed glasses. “So, out with it.
Tell us all about your big day.”
    Marcy and Patty both
looked at Cara, who was now staring straight ahead at nothing,
wondering where to start.
    Cara took another moment
to think, then put her hand on her chest, over her top button. She
let out a sigh of relief. “Oh good. It held. I’m about to bust out
of this top. Thank God for safety pins.” She stuck her palms
against her eyes, whining. “Oh shit, I think he noticed, too. He
thinks I’m too poor to buy clothes. That’s why he gave me a check
today.”
    “What?” Patty asked. “He
gave you money?”
    “Yes,” Cara said. “He
thinks I’m pathetic. It’s an advance on my paycheck. That’s how I
bought all these new clothes today. I barely have any nice clothes
in my closet that fit anymore. I could wear anything to Doyle and
they didn’t care.”
    Marcy picked up a long
blue skirt, inspecting it from top to bottom. “But he didn’t know
that, did he?”
    Patty said, “Yeah, you
didn’t tell him you needed money, did you?”
    “No.” Cara’s eyes rolled.
“He seems to know a lot more about me than he should.” She glared
at Patty. “Have you been keeping in touch with him since you met
him the other day? Did you tell him Doyle owes me
money?”
    “Absolutely not, hon,”
Patty said. “I think he does his research because he likes
you.”
    Cara sighed. “No, he
doesn’t. I promise. You should’ve seen the way he looked at me
today. I’m a charity case to him.” She let out a loud groan. “Would
you believe I ripped a huge hole in my pantyhose when I got out of
the car? I had to take ‘em off. He kept staring at my legs.” She
huffed. “Probably at my varicose veins. I was so embarrassed. But
at least I remembered to shave.”
    Marcy snickered and shot a
funny look at Patty. “Are you hearing what I’m hearing? Sounds to
me like he was checking her out.”
    Patty nodded. “Yes, I was
just thinking the same thing. He was looking at your
legs.”
    “Ugh,” Cara said. “Why
would he do that? I felt like a stuffed sausage in this outfit. I
should’ve worn my body shaper to keep everything in place.” In her
heart, even with the extra weight, Cara didn’t feel unattractive.
She always turned a few approving heads when she went out in
public. But she was afraid to get her hopes up about
Victor.
    “I don’t know why you’re
so down on yourself,” Marcy said. “You’re as pretty as
ever.”
    Cara picked up a blouse
from the pile. “I’m not pretty enough to land a guy like Victor.
And I’m not sure I’d even want to. He seems like a control
freak.”
    Patty slapped her own knee
as she laughed. “God help the man who ever tries to control
you.”
    Patty and Marcy shared a
long laugh at Cara’s expense.
    Determined not to let them
get to her, Cara stood up and headed to the stairs. “I don’t care
what you guys think. It’s stupid to think a guy like Victor Barboza
would ever be interested in someone like me. You should’ve seen
that woman he was with at the charity dinner.”
    Patty shook her head. “You
don’t give yourself enough credit. The guy’s obviously interested.
Just let it happen and stop being so you about it.”
    Marcy gasped and brought
her hand to her mouth. “It’s like a fairy tale come true. Cara, you
deserve a fairy tale. Don’t chase him away.”
    Cara let out a frustrated
growl. “Fairy tales do not come true. You’ve been watching too many movies.
Or reading too many of those cheesy romance novels about regular
girls getting swept away by the dashing billionaire.” She sighed as
she walked upstairs, her voice trailing off. “What a load of
crap.”

Chapter Five
     
    It was eleven-thirty on
Cara’s first day at Monarch Enterprises, and so far it was
uneventful. She had spent most of the morning sitting through
employee safety videos that would probably never apply to her.
Gary, Victor’s assistant, had given her the grand tour of the
building.
    But