Mad About the Man by Tracy Anne Warren Read Free Book Online Page B

with—at least not any longer. She’d more than learned her lesson a few years earlier when she’d had an affair with a fellow lawyer. To say it had ended badly was an understatement; it was a mistake she would never let herself make again.
    â€œAre you finished?” he asked in a carefully polite tone.
    â€œA-Almost.” She held up a finger and gave way to one more belly laugh before she forced herself to sober up. Her lips twitched a couple more times before she was finally able to hold it together. Catching her breath, she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “I didn’t know you even had a sense of humor, let alone such a good one.”
    He gave her a look that put her in mind of a predator. “Who says I’m joking?”
    â€œYou must be. The two of us together? It would be like a WWF match. It wouldn’t be lovemaking. It would be hatemaking.”
    â€œWhat does love have to do with it?”
    â€œHey, that’s an old song, isn’t it?”
    â€œLaugh if you want, but I’m going to have you, Brie Grayson.”
    â€œNo, you are not. I don’t sleep with clients.”
    â€œWho said anything about sleeping? I’m talking about sex.”
    â€œI don’t do that with clients either.”
    â€œWe’ll see.”
    â€œNo, we won’t.” She stood and reached for her leather satchel. She pulled out a folder and laid it down on the coffee table. “Here is the client agreement and letter of retainer. You can sign it and messenger it over to my office. In the meantime, I’ll ask one of the other partners to handle your legal work.”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œNo, what?” She arched a brow.
    â€œThe understanding was that you would handle my legal work. If you refuse, then the deal is off. McNeal told me you agreed to all the terms.”
    â€œI did, but that was before you added an additional term.”
    â€œThe sex, you mean? Oh, that’s not a term of our arrangement. When it comes to my corporation, I’m all business, and our personal dealings will have no bearing on said business. Just consider the other a future side benefit to be enjoyed by both parties when the time is right.”
    â€œThe time will never be right.”
    He smiled that arrogant grin of his. “We’ll see. Lunch must be ready by now. Let’s go into the dining room.”
    â€œLook, Monroe, this isn’t going to work out between us, so we might as well put an end to our association right now.”
    â€œWhy won’t it work out?”
    She studied him for a long moment. “Truth?”
    â€œAlways. I expect scrupulous honesty in my lawyer, at least when it comes to her dealings with me.”
    Brie’s lips twitched upward again. “Then honestly it’s because we’re about as
in
compatible as two people can get. I didn’t like you when I was twelve and I don’t like you now. We go together about as well as peanut butter and sardines.”
    He took a moment to consider. “Well, you’re right that they wouldn’t go together on a sandwich, but in an exotic Asian dish, the combination might prove both spicy and delicious. Besides, why is likability a prerequisite to our working together? Or do you like everyone you represent?”
    Tiny frown lines settled between her brows. “No, but—”
    â€œThen I don’t see the problem. Now, lunch. My chef is the temperamental sort who’s been known to fling pans when he’s displeased. Since he’s one of a handful of Michelin three-star chefs in the city, I’ve learned not to piss him off.”
    Her eyes widened. She’d known the restaurant at the M Hotel boasted a fine-dining restaurant with one of the city’s top chefs at the helm, but she had never imagined the culinary master himself would be cooking her lunch.
    She scowled. Monroe really was diabolical. Did he know she was a foodie and would find