The CEO Gets Her Man by Anne Ashby Read Free Book Online Page A

qualifications. His father made him keep studying, even after he became an All Black. He used the off-season to do his practical hotel training. He’s told us without his dad pushing him he wouldn’t have anything now—no degree or no other job to fall back on.”
    Debra digested this unexpected fact with a frown. Perhaps checking Jase McEwan’s portfolio would have been more pertinent than assuming his sporting reputation had scored him the job.
    “Jase is going to cross-train us. I’m starting in reception next month.”
    Cathy blushed a little at Debra’s murmured congratulations. “When Toby is eighteen, he’s going to train as a barman. Jase says the wider our experience, the better wages we can demand.”
    Cathy continued to talk. Her hero-worship became more obvious with every sentence. By the time they were summoned for the pre-dinner briefing, Debra decided if she heard one more “Jase says” she might strangle her mentor.
    She’d have to talk to someone else if she expected to get any dirt on Jase. Cathy clearly thought the sun shone out of him.
    ****
    Debra felt steely eyes upon her as she crossed the dining room and knew instinctively who they belonged to. Her skin warmed. She felt her whole body respond to Jase’s prolonged stare. Her heart raced any time she allowed herself to remember their contacts.
    Thank God he’d been nowhere in evidence during the dining service. The bulk of their guests, a bus load of European tourists, had already left the dining room. There were only a dozen or so guests left, including her mother, who had invited Joyce and husband Ian to join her.
    She allowed a small smile to play around her lips, having caught Karin’s look of surprise—amazement, more like it. Karin would never have expected me to be capable of doing this.
    Meg and Cathy had covered a couple of times because of her lack of speed, but she hadn’t caused any havoc during dinner. Her chin jutted out. In fact I’ve done a great job, she considered. Great enough so I don’t need to worry about anyone watching.
    With a deep breath and keeping her back firmly turned on his prying gaze, she still prayed she wouldn’t do anything to attract Jase’s closer attention.
    ****
    Jase had been surprised at the improvement in the new waitress’s service when he was in the dining room earlier chatting to guests. He dismissed his earlier concern about her employment. However now she caught his eye again. Not because she’s doing anything wrong.
    Jase swallowed. His attention had little to do with anything except hormones. She was so very attractive. And the dark uniform, possibly a little on the tight side, accentuated her curves very nicely, thank you. He didn’t even try to look away when she glanced in his direction and their gazes locked. Time ceased as his pulse rate quickened.
    Her smirk as she hoisted a tray of wine flutes up to her shoulder irritated him. Clearly she found his regard amusing. His lips tightened.
    He kept his narrowed gaze on her as, after what seemed like an intense but short conversation with George’s head waitress, she headed across the floor toward Karin Laurie’s table.
    Within a couple of paces Jase detected movement on Debra’s tray. A faint wobble that experience had taught him would soon increase and cause a debacle. The breath caught in Jase’s throat. Disaster loomed.
    Well before his sprinting legs could take him anywhere near close enough to prevent the shambles, as if in slow motion, the tray tipped first one way and then the other. The flutes took on lives of their own and acting like lemmings they fell to their death on and around the table of the hotel’s owner.
    Karin Laurie’s guests both leapt to avoid the cascade of red wine and orange juice but she stayed remarkably still after an initial shocked jolt. Sliding to a stop beside her, Jase was horrified to see her clutching her leg, red of an alarmingly different hue from the wine slowly oozed between her