Hot Property by Carly Phillips Read Free Book Online

surprise. A really pleasant surprise.
    She settled herself onto a barstool near the island, where he was working.
    “I buy presliced chicken because my schedule’s so hectic I never know how much time I’ll have. On a night like tonight, it comes in handy. You can buy precut vegetables, as well, but it takes me no time and I’d rather eat fresh. Now I’m nearly ready to toss the vegetables into the wok.”
    She blinked at how fast he’d prepared a meal that would have taken her an hour minimum. “Maybe I should be taking notes,” she mused as she reached over and plucked a carrot from the cutting board.
    “Hey, quit nibbling or you won’t be hungry enough to enjoy my masterpiece.” He playfully smacked at her hand, but she was faster.
    She nabbed another carrot before he could stop her.
    In two steps he stood by her side, his presence big and overwhelming, the heat in his eyes matching the desire pulsing through her veins. From the moment she’d laid eyes on this man, she’d been seduced by his looks. What sane woman wouldn’t be?
    But in the short time she was with him tonight, she’d seen glimpses of the everyday guy he really was. She really liked what she saw.
    He reached for the carrot and she tucked it tighter into her hand.
    “Give it up,” he ordered, clearly amused by her game.
    She bit the inside of her cheek. “Make me.”
    He tickled her but she held on fast, eagerly anticipating his next method of extraction.

    Their eyes met and held. Her pulse pounded hard in her throat and the anticipation of his lips hot and hard on hers sent tremors quaking through her body.
    She slid her tongue over her mouth, moistening her lips, waiting, hoping…
    The jarring ring of the telephone broke the thick silence surrounding them. His head jerked toward the sound.
    Needing space, Amy jumped up from her chair. “You should answer it,” she said, her voice unusually shaky.
    He shot her a glance filled with equal parts heat and regret before grabbing the portable phone behind him. “Yeah,” he barked into the phone, then listened to whoever was on the other end.
    “Sorry. Happy New Year to you, too, Mom. Why aren’t you out at one of those Hollywood parties you love so much?”
    Hollywood? That was an interesting tidbit of information, Amy thought. And far better to focus on that than how close they’d come to kissing.
    “Oh, right. Time difference. I forgot. I’m distracted, that’s all.” His gaze settled on Amy, his stare deep and consuming, letting her know he hadn’t forgotten what had almost happened between them. What could still happen if she let it.
    He cleared his throat. “That’s okay. What’s going on?” he asked. His expression darkened the longer his mother spoke. “No, Mom, I’m not giving Ben money to invest in a gym.”
    He listened, then said, “Because giving money to my brother is like throwing it away, that’s why.” Roper pinched the bridge of his nose.
    “Have you forgotten about all the failed businesses that I did subsidize for him? Never mind. I can’t talk about this now. I have company.”
    He winked at Amy, but she didn’t miss the fact that his previously playful side had disappeared.
    “Yes, Mom, female company. Just how long am I supposed to compensate Ben because I made it in the majors and he didn’t?”
    Obviously his mother wasn’t listening to what Roper said, and Amy winced. As an only child, she wasn’t used to dealing with siblings. But she was used to coping with stubborn adults who acted like kids and who wouldn’t take no for an answer. She was being given an inkling into Roper’s family dynamics, and they seemed to be in as much turmoil as his career.
    “I didn’t say family wasn’t important, Mom. Go to your party and we’ll talk about this tomorrow,” he said, his voice softening.
    He obviously loved his mother. He also had a complex family situation, but really, who didn’t? She’d had to leave home to get a life, but that didn’t