Steele Trap (Heart of Steele) by Crystal Blue Read Free Book Online

Your client is about to royally screw mine, though."
    "Okay, so let's
say you're right, and our interests are aligned. What do you have in
mind?"
    "I asked Steele
whether our materials are coming from Johansson's manufacturing plant, and they
aren't. If Johansson can get replacements for you within your budget, you'll
have no reason to continue the strike."
    "There's the
slight matter of back pay."
    "I think he can
get a draw from his construction loan if you guys go back to work. What do you
say we talk to Steele, see if we can get him to back your play."
    "I guess it can't
hurt."
    Once Jake introduced
Big Jim to Wally and explained his idea, he would leave it to the other two to
implement it. He didn't need to be in the middle. Unfortunately, Steele had
left his office for the day and wasn't answering his cell phone. It would be
Monday before they could reach him, unless Jake took Big Jim to Steele's house.
    He wanted to think
about that before he did it; it might be presumptuous. Bidding Big Jim goodbye,
he said he would call if he found a way to see Steele before Monday. It had
been a long day by now, and besides, he had a date to call a girl.

Chapter Ten
     
    “Hello.”
    “Ashley? It’s Jake.”
    “Oh, hi, Jake!” As if
her phone hadn’t told her who it was.
    “I promised to call
you.”
    “So you did. What did
you want to talk about?”
    For the second time
that day, Jake removed the phone from his ear and looked at it quizzically. Now
what game was she playing?
    “Uh, I guess I just
wanted to talk.” What the hell? Now he would have to find something to say.
Jake was beginning to believe that Ashley was either a multiple personality, or
the most annoying woman he had ever met. Was the incredible sex worth the
hassle? Maybe not. One evening in bed wasn’t much of an investment, he could
write that off. But, he still needed to take her to that damned concert. He
tried again.
    “So, do you want to
come over?”
    “What did you have in
mind?”
    God, she wasn’t going
to make it easy. “We could hang out, or go out for a drink.”
    “You don’t want to have
sex?” Jake definitely wanted sex; that was the only thing that would salvage
this evening, but at this point he couldn’t read her, couldn’t figure out what
she would want to hear. Ashley made a different contrary answer to whatever he
said. Might as well go for broke.
    “I wouldn’t turn it
down. Do you?”
    “Maybe.”
    “Okay, why don’t you
come over, we can talk, I’ll give you a drink if you want one, and then you can
decide.”
    Ashley was beaten at
her own game. If she wanted sex tonight, she would have to concede, and go to
his house. Remembering the last time, she decided, why not?
    “I’ll be over in a
while.” At least she would make him wait and wonder.
    “See you when you get
here.” Jake wasn’t going to make a fuss, he considered that he had gotten off
relatively easy. If she showed up, great. If she didn’t, well, at least his
apartment would be clean. He wouldn’t expect anything until he held her in his
arms.
     
    Two hours later, Ashley
knocked at the door. Jake strolled over to answer it, still refusing to be the
eager puppy. He had on nothing but low-slung jeans, worn commando. Ashley’s
first glimpse of his physique took her breath away. If he was a statue of a
Scandinavian god, she would convert to whatever Norse religion he belonged to
and worship at his feet. Ashley didn’t understand herself. She had never had
this much trouble controlling herself. But, Jake was perfect. Sculpted muscles
limned his chest, shaped his arms, and as she remembered from last time,
descended to a washboard stomach and genitalia that melted her panties. His
build didn’t come from hours in the gym, like Dirk’s, but from honest work that
he did every day. Topping the body was a face to die for, and the eyes had to
have been stolen from a royal jewelry box. There simply weren’t such eyes
anywhere else in the universe, she was