The Dangerous Seduction by A N Bond Read Free Book Online Page A

scary smiles and touching his arm a little too often for his liking. Still, he puts on his best smiles and makes elaborate small talk and generally acts like the courteous Texas boy his mama raised him to be.
    Joseph doesn’t dance. Instead, he takes a spot at the bar and a succession of people line up to congratulate him on the award, which sits on the bar beside him in all its plastic, kitschy glory. Ryan watches him surreptitiously as a tall, dark-haired, and extremely attractive woman approaches him. She’s zipped into a tight midnight-blue dress that shows off her assets to their best advantage, and she has the kind of smile that wouldn’t be out of place in a toothpaste commercial. He can’t help watching Joseph and her together, how she leans in really close to hear what Joseph is saying, the way her fingers run over the award, the way she tips back her head when she laughs.
    He drags his gaze away from them and glances down at his watch. It’s 1:00 a.m. and he suddenly wants to be away from here more than anything. He wants to be back at home in bed with Daisy, feeling her warm, soft body pressed up against him and her hair tickling his face. It feels like he hasn’t seen her in months, and it’s making him feel strange and unhappy and discombobulated.
    He lifts his brandy glass to his lips to take a sip. He’s been drinking steadily all night, and he’s feeling a little dizzy right now. Some of the older couples are starting to leave, the women taking their wraps and coats from the staff, the older men exchanging last-minute small talk.
    Does he have to wait for Joseph’s say-so before he can leave too? The guy’s been practically ignoring him all evening and it’s getting late. It’s going to be hard enough to get a cab at this time of night, and he doesn’t really want to take the subway. He looks back toward the bar and freezes in surprise. Joseph is looking at him, right at him. The attractive girl in the blue dress is still next to him, leaning into him and whispering something into his ear, her back to Ryan, but Joseph is not looking at her, he’s looking over her shoulder and directly at Ryan, something hot and dark and compelling in his gaze.
    Ryan blinks and brings his glass up to his mouth with shaky fingers. He’s staring unblinkingly back at Joseph and not paying attention. The ice cubes clink against his teeth, taking him by surprise. The cold sticky liquid dribbles down his chin and onto his collar. He curses under his breath and wipes his mouth with the side of his hand, his cheeks flushing red with embarrassment. He’s feeling ridiculously flustered, a stupid klutz making a fool of himself right where Joseph can see him. He takes a breath, drops the glass onto the nearest table, and crosses the room toward Joseph.
    “Hey,” he says.
    The girl acknowledges him first, turning around to eye him curiously. “Uh, hey?” she says.
    “I’m Ryan,” he says. He holds out his hand. Her eyes drop to it, like she’s not sure what she’s supposed to do with it. She glances over her shoulder at Joseph, who just shrugs, looking infuriatingly amused by the entire situation. Finally, she takes Ryan’s hand.
    “Wow, you have really big hands,” she says. She drops her hand from his and holds it up, palm side out. “Look.” She nudges Joseph in the side. “Look what big hands he has.”
    Ryan feels the absurd urge to laugh out loud as he raises his hand to press his palm against hers. He really does have big hands; he knows that, and he’s heard all the jokes about it, too. He glances across at Joseph, who’s watching them both with an inscrutable look on his face, his eyes dark when their gazes cross.
    “Can you pick up a basketball with one hand?” the girl asks. “I have this friend who can do that? He’s, like, six foot seven, though, so he’s taller than you. How tall are you?”
    “Six four,” Ryan says, “and no, I’ve never tried picking up a basketball with one