Kiss Me If You Can by Carly Phillips Read Free Book Online Page B

grandmother’s necklace? A sick feeling settled in her stomach.
    He shook his head. “I don’t know. During my quick Internet search, I discovered that the ring was part of a set that had been stolen back in the 1950s here in New York. I need to do more research. And that is another reason why I can’t just sell you the ring.”
    She exhaled a slow breath and eased her hand out of his. She couldn’t concentrate when he was touching her and she needed to think clearly. “I don’t want you to do anything that’s going to hurt my grandmother. I’m certain she knows nothing about this and it would devastate her.”
    â€œAre you?”
    â€œAm I what?” She tipped her head to one side, unsure of his question.
    â€œAre you sure she knows nothing about its history?”
    â€œAs sure as I am about myself,” Lexie stated. “Look, I can talk to her about it, but I wouldn’t get your hopes up that she has the answers. And beforeyou ask—no, I don’t think my grandfather was a thief,” she said, acknowledging the next logical question.
    He held up his hands in a gesture of defeat. “I wasn’t about to suggest it. He could have come into possession second-, third- or fourthhand,” Coop said, although he wasn’t ruling anything out.
    She nodded. “I don’t want to upset my grandmother by even mentioning the fact that her necklace might have been stolen.” Lexie drummed her fingers on the table, desperately trying to come up with a way to find out more without directly involving her grandmother. “Maybe Sylvia would know something.”
    Sam raised an eyebrow. “Who’s Sylvia?”
    â€œGrandma Charlotte’s best friend. They’re like Frick and Frack. The Thelma and Louise of their generation.”
    Coop shook his head and laughed. “The more I hear about your grandmother, the more I think I’d like her.”
    â€œMost people do.” She paused, then met his gaze. “We need to find out more about these jewels. Maybe you’re wrong and they aren’t stolen property. Maybe they’re a copy of the originals or something.”
    â€œCould be,” he agreed. “Wait. What do you mean we have to find out more? I’m a reporter. I’ll do the digging and get back to you.”
    â€œI’m the computer geek. I can find out more with a few clicks of the mouse than you can discover in a week’s worth of questioning. Besides, if we work together we’ll find things out that much quicker. Sounds to me like we need each other.”
    He groaned and looked a little put out at the notion. Just a little. Because that spark of attraction was still simmering between them. She could see it in his eyes and the way his gaze fell to her chest every so often in pure appreciation.
    She wasn’t above using it. Not when she felt the same way about him. “Oh, and Sam? There’s one more thing you should know. If the ring turns out to be a fake, I still intend to buy it for my grandmother.”
    â€œI suppose we can add stubborn and determined to your list of attributes?”
    She edged closer to the table, resting her elbows on top. “I can be very persuasive when I want to be.”
    â€œI’d like to see you in action.” His gaze traveled from her lips to her chest and back up again. “So what did you have in mind?”
    â€œWell, since we’ll be working together, I think I can help you in other ways, too,” she said.
    â€œI’m listening…”
    â€œFor one thing, I’m very good at what I do and I was thinking, even with a book published by a small press, you need a Web site. Especially if you’re going to make that jump to the big leagues.”
    His eyes opened wide in surprise, and knowing his mind had been on their sexual tension, Lexie let out a laugh. “While we’re digging up information on the jewelry’s