Something to Prove by Shannyn Schroeder Read Free Book Online Page A

shake as she extended it. She’d known this was
     a long shot, and she really didn’t like to lose. If Keith caught wind of this, he’d
     never let her hear the end of it. He’d call it good-natured teasing, but she’d end
     up grinding her teeth.
    Ryan O’Leary shook her hand and she knew he wouldn’t be calling her. Well, she’d tried.
     Now she’d go back to what had always worked in the past. She’d start making calls
     to people she knew. Someone would send a man her way who could do the job.

    Moments after Elizabeth had left, Colin walked into the office, dying to hear her
     proposition. “What did Legs want?”
    “Huh?” Ryan looked up from the computer screen.
    “Long legs, power suit. Had a proposition?”
    “Oh. Her name is Elizabeth Brannigan.”
    “I heard her name when she introduced herself, but she’s a lot of leg. What was the
     proposition?”
    “Get your mind out of the gutter. It was business. I just Googled her. Her father
     is some big investor in resorts in Florida. He buys them when they’re run-down and
     fixes them.”
    “What does that have to do with you?”
    “She bought a bar and wants help.”
    “And?”
    “I told her no. I don’t have time to add another business. Although, now that I’m
     looking at the money and power behind her dad . . . the profit might be worth it.”
    “I’ll do it.” The words left his mouth before he thought clearly about what he was
     suggesting.
    “What?”
    “Give me the information. I’ll work with her.”
    Ryan shook his head. “She’s not looking for a bed-buddy. She needs a business partner.”
    Colin’s shoulders tightened. “I can do that. You just said that it would be profitable.
     Something like that would give me the money I need to open my own place.”
    Anger flashed in Ryan’s eyes. “So much for being here. It hasn’t even been a week
     since you swore you weren’t going anywhere. That I could count on you.”
    Guilt sank into Colin. It was a feeling he knew too well. “You run two bars and have
     for a long time. It’s a fact you’ve been shoving in my face for a year now. I can
     do what you do. I’m not an idiot.”
    They stared at each other like they had as children, each thinking he knew best, each
     knowing they worked better together than apart.
    “Whatever.” Ryan flung a business card at him. “Do what you want. That’s something
     you excel at.”
    Colin scooped up the card and tucked it into his pocket. “I’ll be at the bar if you
     need anything.”
    Ryan answered with a grunt. He’d get over it. At least Colin was pretty sure he would.
     He was ready for this. If that meant he had to prove it to Ryan first, he would.
    Back at the bar, he pulled the card out. Elizabeth Brannigan, VP Brannigan Enterprises. Hmmm . . . VP explained the power suits she always wore. Also explained the stick
     up her ass when she’d introduced herself.
    Completely different from the woman who was pliant and moaning in his arms. He knew
     he’d made the right choice by not sleeping with her. If he was going to get into bed
     with her, she was damn well going to be sober enough to remember it.
    And enjoy it.
    On the back of the card, neatly printed, Sheraton Hotel Higgins . Now he knew where to track her down.
    Stick up her ass or not, Colin could make this happen. He’d help her make the bar
     a success, they’d sell with a nice profit, maybe have a little fun on the side, and
     then go their separate ways. How hard could it be?

    Elizabeth sat in the conference room of the hotel and sipped from the glass of lukewarm
     water in front of her. She’d met with eight different men, each attempting to astound
     her with their business acumen. They all held MBAs and explained how they would increase
     profits and decrease loss.
    She didn’t like any of them. Profit-and-loss statements she understood. She didn’t
     need help with that. Something else was missing, and she didn’t even know the right
     questions to