Lone Star Millionaire by Susan Mallery Read Free Book Online

year?”
    She glared at him. “They’re more interesting than that.”
    â€œI doubt it. You are not the kind of woman who has deep, dark secrets. Don’t worry, Sabrina, I’m not complaining. Far from it.”
    Before she could protest that she could be bad, too, if she wanted, he did the most extraordinary thing. He reached out and took her hand in his.
    Sabrina blinked twice, then stared at their linked fingers. She and Cal often touched. A light brush of his arm against hers when they walked together. A teasing poke in her side if he thought she was being too stuffy. He’d hugged her a half dozen times or so over the course of their working relationship. But those had all been impersonal buddy-type contacts. This was personal.
    She felt his heat and strength. His long fingers and broad palm dwarfed her hand, leaving her feeling incredibly feminine. A strange lethargy stole over her, and it was only when her chest started to get tight that she realized she’d stopped breathing.
    She forced herself to draw in a deep breath, then release it. This wasn’t happening. She glanced down and saw that it was. He was actually holding her hand. Then, as if he’d read her mind and realized what he was doing, he squeezed once and released her.
    Sabrina sat next to him, feeling as if she’d just survived a force three tornado. Her entire body felt buffeted. Every cell was on alert, her skin tingled where it had been in contact with his, and if she allowed herself to notice, she would have to confess to a definite hint of dampness on her panties.
    Danger! a voice in her head screamed. Danger! Danger! Do not do this to yourself!
    She straightened and gave the voice her full attention. Every word was true. Cal Langtry was deadly to women everywhere. He was only ever interested in the chase. Once he’d caught his chosen prey, he lost interest and ended the relationship. She’d seen it happen countless times. Besides, they had a perfectly wonderful working relationship. She adored her job, she was well paid, and she wasn’t a fool. Not only would she jeopardize everything if she started thinking of Cal as a man instead of her employer, she would be wishing after the moon. After all, she wasn’t his type.
    As painful as it was, she forced herself to remember a phone call she’d overheard nearly six years before. She’d been working for Cal all of two or three months and had been fighting a serious crush. It had been late and she’d entered his office unannounced.
    He had his back to the door and didn’t notice her in the shadows. She still didn’t know who he’d been talking to and she didn’t want to know. What she recalled most was that he’d been talking about her.
    â€œYes, my new assistant is working out great. I’m impressed with her.” He’d paused to listen. “I did say ‘her.’ Sabrina is very much a woman.”
    She thought about how her heart had leapt in her chest and her knees had grown weak. Was it possible he’d been attracted to her, too?
    â€œNo, you’ve got it all wrong. She’s perfect for me. She’s bright and too good for me to ever want to let her go. She’s attractive enough so that no one is going to think she’s a dog, but not pretty enough to interest me. It’s great. No matter how closely we work together, Sabrina Innis will never be more than office equipment to me.”
    The words had laid her soul bare. She’d crept out silentlyand spent the rest of the night crying away her foolish dreams. In the cold light of dawn, she’d made a decision. She could continue to want what she could never have, or she could make the best of what was a wonderful job. With Cal she would make enough money to put her three siblings through college and provide for Gram. She would also be able to build a nest egg for herself. The position of Cal’s assistant meant travel, all of