Overnight Cinderella by Katherine Garbera Read Free Book Online

right and spotted it toward the back of the lot.
    â€œCami?” he said again.
    This time she wouldn’t turn around. It didn’t matter. His eyes would still be shuttered. His expression so cold and aloof she couldn’t fathom if she were even registering in his mind. “Yes, Duke.”
    â€œThat kiss…”
    That kiss had been one in a million. She’d felt transformed from her outer body to her inner soul. Even now she could still taste him on her tongue, feel him pressed against her. Shivering, shewrapped her arms around her waist. And he’d walked away.
    She darted across the parking lot. Thank God she’d found her car. She didn’t want to dissect her feelings with him and share postmortems. She wanted to get into her car, go home and reaffirm her safety net in her small cozy house and her fiction books. She wanted to turn around and smack him.
    The violence streaking through her veins shocked her. Duke grabbed her arm to keep her from moving away. She tried to shrug out of his hold, but he held her too firmly. She looked into his winter eyes and saw an emotion she couldn’t define—something more than regret.
    â€œI can’t do this now,” she said. Her voice sounded shocked to her own ears.
    â€œI’ll show you my smile if you’ll show me yours,” he said.
    She couldn’t believe her ears. He was holding out an olive branch, but it wasn’t the one she’d secretly craved. Cami breathed deeply, inhaling the subtle fragrance of man tinged with an expensive aftershave. She sighed.
    She appreciated his kindness. She’d never been much of a poker player. He must have seen her hurt and was now trying to be nice. But he’d felt so darn good she wanted to fool herself into believing it had been something more…some emotion that had touched his soul.
    She tried to muster up her usual enthusiasm in vain. She gave him a half smile.
    â€œCome on, Cami. Give me your thousand-watt grin.”
    She tried again and he frowned.
    â€œIt’s not your fault,” she said.
    â€œWhy not?” he asked, letting her move away.
    â€œI’m just not the right kind of girl for you.”
    He cursed under his breath, and Cami moved quickly to her car. He’d confirmed what she’d known. She unlocked her door and started to slide into the car only to be stopped by his voice.
    â€œYou might not be the right girl, but you’re still tempting the hell out of me, sweetheart. And don’t you forget it.”
    â€œHow can I tempt you?” she asked, tears thick in her voice.
    He crouched next to her open door, bringing their faces on a level. “To me you’re sexy legs, sweet smiles and sassy intelligence. The most tempting combination a woman can be.”
    He stood and walked away before she could reply. As if she could have. Closing the door blindly, she blinked back tears. Duke had all the right lines and the right moves, she thought, and her mind tried to tell her heart that they were practiced. But her heart wasn’t buying. There was more to Duke Merchon than a set of patented moves, and she was going to dig deeper to find out what.

Four
    D uke skipped dinner and his evening run so he could stay late to finish a report that had to be on Max’s desk first thing in the morning. The office was quiet now—just the way Duke preferred it. Though Cami had called twice to talk about his security team and her caterer, he still hadn’t had time to talk to her. Actually, he was still avoiding her.
    He didn’t have time for this Gala and Max knew it. Getting involved with Cami had been a stupid thing to do. He didn’t want to work with her on a daily basis and after his behavior last night he didn’t know how she’d treat him today. After the way she’d been with him, all that energy and passion from one kiss…
    Cami had gotten under his skin. He started to remember the things he’d