Gamemaster by Unknown Read Free Book Online Page B

matter," Joel went on smoothly but very
    pointedly. "She's my accountant, too."
    Dean arched one brow but responded to the dismissal politely. "That's quite all right, Mr. Cassidy. Shelley and I
    were finished for the day." He smiled engagingly at her. "I'll give you a call later about the current inventory levels,
    okay?"
    "That'll be fine, Dean," she said tightly, annoyed not with him but with the other man. The door closed behind her
    client, and she whirled on Joel. "What in the world do you mean by telling him I'm your accountant? Do you always
    make up convenient lies when you want to get rid of someone? And what did you say to Carol to upset her? Under
    normal circumstances, she would never have interrupted me when she knew I had someone in my office!"
    He ignored the controlled tirade, striding across the room to plant his large, square hands flat on the polished
    surface of her desk. "You never answered my question yesterday. Are you sleeping with him?"
    "That's none of your damn business!"
    "It sure as hell is. As his chief creditor outside the bank, I've got a right to know whether his accountant has a
    conflict of interests," Joel growled, his eyes raking her infuriated expression.
    "Even if I am sleeping with him, there would be no conflict of interest, would there?" Shelley shot back with an acid
    sweetness. "Either way, I'd have Ackerly's best interests at heart!"
    "If we're concerned with the best interests of everyone involved, I'd like to point out that it's definitely to your
    benefit to keep me in a good mood," he murmured with a soft menace that sent a shiver down Shelley's spine.
    "Is this how you intimidated poor Carol? Did you lean over her desk and threaten her?" she countered.
    "Who the hell is this Carol person you keep worrying about?" But he straightened away from her desk and began
    pacing around the small room, examining the functional furniture, the plants she had hung in the window and the stack
    of professional magazines. He reminded her of a panther in a cage. The restless power combined with his obvious
    irritation to produce an intimidating effect.
    "Carol is the receptionist you pressured into interrupting my meeting with Dean."
    "Oh, her." He clearly lost interest in Carol. "I just told her I wanted to see you. Now." He paused by the window to
    stare out at the high-rise building across the street "Are you sleeping with him, Shelley?" This time the question was a
    gentle, wistful request. Shelley didn't trust the tone for a minute.
    "Why are you here, Joel?" she asked with a sigh.
    "To talk you into having dinner with me again tonight," he admitted, swinging around to pin her with that
    perceptive gaze. Then he glanced at the thin gold watch on his wrist. "You're about through for the day, aren't you? I
    know a great little Mexican place where they make their own tortillas and green corn tamales."
    Shelley jumped at the first excuse she could think of. "Thanks, but last night blew my diet for a month. Besides, I've
    got some work to do at home and I—"
    "And you don't want to listen to me ask about your relationship with Ackerly all evening," he concluded for her,
    nodding in resignation. "Okay, you have my word. I won't ask you again if you're sleeping with him, all right? Look,
    you have to eat something, Shelley. Come out with me and have a quick bite. I want to talk to you." Joel gave her an
    appealing glance, shoving the fingers of one large hand distractedly through the red depths of his hair.
    Shelley knew she ought to refuse, knew he was manipulating her, but for some reason she found herself
    surrendering to the persuasive request she saw in his eyes. She hesitated a moment longer and then gave in
    completely. "I'll go out with you for a bite, Joel, if you promise to take me some place that has a salad bar," she finally
    managed with a wary smile. "And provided that you really do have some honest business to discuss with me!"
    "Oh, I have business to discuss, all right," he