His Most Exquisite Conquest by Emma Darcy Read Free Book Online Page B

work cut out winning her over, but she is attracted to him. No question.’ Lucy wrapped her towel around her, tucking it in above her breasts.
    ‘What about you?’ he asked, wrapping his own towel around his waist.
    ‘What about me?’
    ‘How long have you been unattached?’
    ‘Oh, a couple of weeks,’ she answered, waving an airy hand as she headed out of the bathroom.
    ‘You weren’t devastated by the break up?’
    ‘Not at all. I’d been going off him for some time and I finally called it a day.’
    She entered a second bedroom. He followed, watching as she opened a built-in wardrobe and lifted down a medium-size travel bag from the top shelf. ‘This should do,’ she said, smiling at him as she turned to lay it on the bed, waving at a chair in front of a computer desk. ‘Take a seat while I pack.’
    He sat, noting that Elizabeth’s room was very different from Lucy’s—no vivid colours, less random clutter, more orderly, somehow not as endearing in personality. ‘Why did you go off him?’ he asked, curious about Lucy’s dislikes in a man.
    She rolled her eyes. ‘He was getting to be a control freak, wanting everything his way. In my book, relationships should be a two-way street. I am not going to be told what to do, what to wear or what to say, and he actually started answering for me when people asked me questions....’ She threw up her hands.
    ‘No respect for the person you are,’ Michael deduced, liking her stance for individuality.
    ‘How come you’re unattached?’ She tossed the question at him, returning to the wardrobe to fetch clothes.
    ‘I wasn’t available enough for the last woman I was involved with. She thought I should take off from work any time at all, specifically when she wanted me to.’
    ‘Ah!’ Lucy grinned at him as she brought an armload of garments to the bag. ‘No respect for your position.’
    He nodded. ‘Altogether too self-centred.’
    She shook her head, wryly remarking, ‘It starts off good. You think it’s going to be great. Then it all goes downhill.’ Her eyes sparkled brightly at him. ‘Let’s make a deal, Michael. I won’t try to change you and you won’t try to change me. If we don’t gel as we are, then we accept that and part with no hard feelings.’
    ‘Sounds good to me.’
    He didn’t want to change one thing about Lucy Flippence. Her directness and spontaneity were a delight. He imagined her last guy had been the type to want to catch a butterfly, put it in a bottle, poison it and pin it to a board so it could never fly away and attract anyone else’s eye. She was well rid of him.
    ‘I’ll just grab Ellie’s toiletries and make-up from the bathroom and pack them before I add the good stuff. Don’t move. I’ll be right back,’ she instructed.
    It was strange being in his PA’s bedroom. It actually felt like an intrusion of her private life, which he’d known nothing about until Lucy had enlightened him. He hoped Harry would be careful with Elizabeth, not treat her feelings lightly if he pursued the attraction that Lucy was so sure of.
    Maybe a trip over to the island might be a wise move, to check out what was happening between them. In a month’s time Michael wanted a fully functional Elizabeth back in the office with him, and that might not be how it would end up if his brother messed with her emotions.
    Lucy waltzed back in with her plunder from the bathroom.
    ‘Are you free this coming weekend?’ he asked her.
    ‘Free as a bird,’ she answered blithely, placing Elizabeth’s essentials in the bag.
    Or a butterfly, Michael thought, smiling over his image of her. ‘We could go over to Finn Island, see how your sister’s doing, stay Saturday night and enjoy the facilities ourselves.’
    Her face lit with delight and she clapped her hands in excitement at the prospect. ‘I’d love that, Michael.’
    ‘I’ll call Harry tomorrow, set it up.’
    ‘Wonderful! I know about Finn Island, of course—exclusive getaway, open