Midnight Encounters by Elle Kennedy Read Free Book Online Page A

check. Finally, unable to concentrate on the thriller in front of him, he closed the book and glanced at his watch again. Quarter to nine. Man, time sure flew by when you were fantasizing about a hot redhead while pretending to read.
    “Do you think it’s him?” came a high-pitched female voice.
    Shit. Even in his fairly isolated booth, Ben knew the two women sitting on the tall stools by the counter had a clear view of him. He yanked on his baseball cap at the same time he heard the two words that made him cringe—“Ben Barrett.”
    All the muscles that had relaxed stiffened again, and his brain ordered him to get out before either of the females at the bar decided to approach him.
    Maggie’s throaty voice stopped him from rising.
    “Sorry, honey, it’s not who you think it is.” She gave a loud, exaggerated sigh that made Ben’s lips twitch. “I thought it was him too, but it’s not. I already asked.”
    “That sucks,” said one of the women. “I heard he’s in the city.”
    “If he is, he wouldn’t come to a place like this.” From his vantage point, Ben noticed that the smile on Maggie’s lips seemed forced. “Big celebrities like that rent suites at the Plaza and entertain high-class call girls.”
    Ben choked back a laugh. He was tempted to march over there and kiss her senseless for the way she’d covered for him— again . Instead, he waited patiently for another fifteen minutes, then stood up when he heard Maggie tell the blond-haired bartender she’d be back in thirty.
    Tucking his book in his pocket, he hopped out of the booth and headed for the door. He breathed in the late evening air. A few moments later, Maggie walked out of the bar. She paused near the streetlight by the curb, the pale yellow light causing her hair to appear redder and brighter. Like a halo of fire kindled by the calm evening breeze.
    “Hey,” he greeted her with a smile.
    She, on the other hand, stared him down with obvious wariness in her eyes. And there it was again, that annoyance. What the hell was up with that?
    “Hi.” She held on to the thick strap of her oversized purse. “I have a half hour for my dinner break. I usually grab a hot dog.”
    “Let’s go,” he said easily.
    She nodded and then pushed forward, her high heels clacking against the pavement.
    Ben fell into step with her and cocked his head. “You look angry.” She shot him a sideways glance. “What makes you think that?” He shrugged. “Well, are you?”
    “A little.”
    “Because I showed up at your place of work?”
    Her hands dropped to her hips as she stopped walking. “Yes. Thanks to you, I’ve spent the last three hours as your bodyguard, trying to keep every female in the place away from you.” He had to grin. “I never asked you to do that.”
    “You didn’t have to. You turned white as mayo when I asked who you were, it was obvious you didn’t want to be bothered.” She paused. “Besides, I owe you. Celebrity or not, I still barged into your room last night.”
    With a frown, she resumed walking. He quickened his pace to keep up with her, oddly pleased that his celebrity status was an obvious thorn in her side.
    It sure as hell was a thorn in his.
    “So what do you want?”
    She got right to the point, which he suspected she did a lot. Just another item to add to his already growing list of reasons why he liked her.
    “I told you, I came to return something.”
    They stopped in front of a hot dog vendor, who Maggie greeted by name. She ordered a dog with all the fixings, paid the man, and turned back to Ben.
    “So that’s it? You came by only to return my underwear?”
    A loud cough sounded. Glancing over, Ben saw the hot dog vendor raising his bushy eyebrows at them.
    Maggie waved a dismissive hand. “Just a figure of speech, Joe. Pretend you didn’t hear that.” She said good-bye and gestured for Ben to follow her. Moments later they were leaning against a brick wall a few yards away, and Ben couldn’t help