Kissing the Tycoon by Dominique Eastwick Read Free Book Online Page B

name.”
    “No”
    “What are you doing here?”
    “Would you believe I was blackmailed into coming?”
    “Blackmailed?”
    “Um…yes.”
    “Wow. I’m actually speechless. I’ve never heard anyone admit that they were blackmailed into helping a women’s shelter.” Riley turned but stopped when Barret placed a stilling hand on her arm.
    “Please wait.” He removed his hand from her arm and rubbed at the tension creeping into his shoulders, the sudden energy seeping from his body.
    “Are you all right? You look ill.”
    “I’ll be fine, just extremely jet-lagged. After a fifteen hour flight, plus two to get through customs, I discovered my idiot brother stole my truck from the long-term lot and the only way to get it back was to come here.” He sat in the nearest seat as his legs threatened to give out from under him.
    “You’re exhausted.”
    “Understatement.”
    Riley took the seat next to him. “So, blackmailed?”
    He nodded but quickly said, “But I’m glad to see you, and of course I want to help the shelter.”
    Her face relaxed and her smile sent an electric pulse shooting through his body. “It’s good to see you too. You haven’t changed much.”
    “You’re more beautiful…” The words slipped out before he could stop them. “I heard congratulations are in order. You’re engaged. I hope he is worthy of you.”
    “He wasn’t.” She sighed.
    Hope surged through him, causing his ears to ring. “Wasn’t?”
    “You’re the last person I want to discuss Chad with.” Getting to her feet, she looked around “If you’ll excuse me.”
    “Please stay.”
    “What do you want?”
    “I miss you, Riley.”
    “Give me a break.” Her eyes glistened.
    Good God don’t let her c ry, he thought. It would destroy him.
    “You had me and didn’t notice.”
    “I noticed. I just didn’t see.”
    “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
    “There you are, Barret,” his brother said, coming up behind Riley.
    She tensed and Barret took a deep steadying breath.
    “One second you were there then poof —disappeared.”
    “You remember Riley?”
    “Riley?”
    Calmly, Riley turned to greet his brother. “Chandler.”
    “What are you doing here?”
    “I head Sherman Industry Charities.”
    “You…” Chandler looked like a fish out of water.
    Riley smirked, and Barret couldn’t help but smile. His brother had always gotten Riley wrong from the first day. Calling her a gold digger, only after what she could get. At first, Barret had tried to correct his brother’s view but in the end didn’t bother. Riley had more money waiting for her in a trust fund than Barret or Chandler could have ever dreamed about back then.
    “You’re related to the Shermans?”
    “One and all.”
    “I kept telling you she wasn’t after my money.”
    “Riley, excuse me for interrupting, but Tony said it’s time,” Callie, Riley’s favorite and heavily pregnant cousin, said softly. She smiled at Barret before returning her attention to Riley. “Tony would’ve come over himself, but he didn’t want to be accused of, and I quote, ‘being a Neanderthal.’”
    “I’m surprised they left me in peace this long.”
    “Oh, they are on raptor patrol.”
    Both women squeaked. “Raptor patrol?”
    Barret signaled to Tony to the front of him. “Distracter, makes someone think you only have to deal with him, which to a lesser man would be intimidating enough.” He signaled behind him, much like a flight attendant would when describing the exit doors behind them. He watched both women’s jaws drop. “Those two come in for the kill when you aren’t looking. They sometimes change but there are always three.”
    “Son of a—I can’t believe they—How did you know?”
    “Hunter warned me just after we started dating. From one Southie guy to another, I guess. They hunt in packs, he said, much like raptors. So we coined it the raptor patrol.”
    “Huh.”
    “Barret, I hate to take her away, but she