His to Possess by Opal Carew Read Free Book Online

joined them in
     the elevator. They rode the rest of the way in silence. When they stepped onto the
     street, the warm spring breeze blew several loose strands of Jessica’s hair into her
     face and she brushed them aside.
    Melanie’s shoulder-length dark blonde hair fluttered along the collar of her dove
     gray suit. She wore a light turquoise and white print blouse today and her tailored
     jacket accentuated her slim figure. She was a little shorter than Jessica, but the
     heels she wore today put them at the same height.
    “I know you’re on a budget, so we could go to this great little diner around the corner,”
     Melanie suggested.
    “Sounds good.”
    She walked with Melanie down the block and they turned right at the light. A few minutes
     later, they sat at a window booth in the modest diner, while the waitress filled their
     glasses with ice water.
    “So is there something wrong?” Melanie asked, concern in her emerald green eyes.
    Jessica shook her head, her stomach still churning. “I don’t know. I have some doubts
     about this job.”
    What could she possibly say to Melanie? That she thought she only got the job because
     she’d slept with the boss?
    “Are you concerned you can’t manage it?” Melanie asked. “Because I’m positive you
     can.”
    “I’m not really sure what he expects of me yet. We were supposed to talk about it
     before he got that call.”
    “If you’re worried about working for Dane Ranier, don’t be. He likes things done his
     way, but he’ll take the time to ensure you know what that is. He’s patient and fair.
     As far as bosses go, he’s a gem.”
    “I … uh … met him before today.”
    Melanie sipped her water. “Yeah, I know.”
    Jessica’s gaze darted to her new friend’s face. “You do?”
    “Yeah, he told me. He gave you a ride to the job fair when it started to rain in the
     morning. I thought that was so nice of him. In fact, he asked me to check for your
     résumé, assuming you’d drop it off at our booth and when you didn’t, he asked me to
     go to the job fair to find you the next day.”
    “So that wasn’t really a chance meeting between us,” said Jessica, even though she
     already knew that.
    “No. I felt a bit guilty about not mentioning it, but I really liked the fact he wanted
     to help you out and I liked being a part of it. He told me if I just explained the
     situation to you, that you would probably be uncomfortable. That made sense.” She
     gazed at Jessica with wide eyes. “You aren’t mad at me, are you? I just wanted to
     help.”
    “No, I’m not mad. I’m just wondering … why did he go to so much trouble to help me?”
    Melanie frowned. “You don’t think he was trying to hit on you, do you? Because if
     he wanted to do that, he wouldn’t actually hire you. He’d just offer the possibility
     of a job, then talk you into sleeping with him. And by ‘he’ I mean most men, not Dane
     Ranier. A Ranier man wouldn’t have to trick a woman into his bed.”
    Something about Melanie’s tone and her faraway expression drew Jessica’s attention.
    “Are you attracted to Mr. Ranier?”
    Melanie’s cheeks tinged pink. “Well, not that Mr. Ranier.”
    Her eyebrows arched. “What do you mean not that Mr. Ranier?”
    “Your boss, Dane Ranier, has a brother. Rafe. He’s the other big office on the floor.
     I work for both of them.”
    “And…?”
    Melanie shrugged and her cheeks tinged a deep rose. “I’ve always had a bit of a crush
     on Rafe Ranier.” She toyed with the napkin on the table in front of her. “But I would
     never act on it. I love this job, and I wouldn’t want to jeopardize it. An office
     romance is a tricky business, especially with someone who runs the company.” She raised
     her gaze to Jessica again. “And that’s why I know you don’t need to worry about Dane
     Ranier as your boss. Neither brother has ever made a move on one of their employees.”
    Was it true? Had Dane Ranier had his