The Main Attraction by Jayne Ann Krentz Read Free Book Online Page B

picky about your men these days. You’re not getting any younger, you know, and the latest statistics claim it’s getting harder and harder for women in your age group to find a husband.“
    Filomena had laughed. „For your information, Mom, I could get married any time I choose. You’d be amazed how many men become interested in matrimony when they find out how much money I’m making these days.“ Filomena’s mouth had twisted wryly. „Believe me, the income from Cromwell & Sterling, Inc. is more than enough to compensate for all those dire statistics.“
    „Well, you wouldn’t have to worry about Trent Ravinder marrying you just to get a share of Cromwell & Sterling,“
    Meg had retorted. „The man gets paid a fortune by Asgard Development. In addition, he’s done extremely well on his own in real estate. Your Uncle George says Trent has an instinct for land and how to make money with it. George should know. According to George, Trent could probably buy and sell Cromwell & Sterling if he wanted to do so.“
    „Somehow,“ Filomena had said thoughtfully, „that is not terribly reassuring.“
    „You’re just being difficult,“ Shari had declared. „But be warned: Trent is closing in on you, and by the time you realize what’s happening, it’s going to be too late to run. Wait and see.“
    Filomena had sputtered slightly over her coffee, but the sputter had turned to laughter, and that had been the end of that topic of conversation.
    Thinking about it now as she drove the curving road toward town, Filomena decided the morning inquisition could have been a lot worse. There was no doubt her parents and everyone else were quite taken with Trent Ravinder. Given the fact that they were also uneasy about any possible plans Filomena might have regarding Brady Paxton, it was understandable that they would all cheerfully conspire to push her and Trent together.
    The only real mystery in the whole matter had been why Trent was allowing himself to be manipulated so easily.
    But perhaps that mystery had been cleared up last night when he had made that pass in the car.
    He wanted her, and he was not averse to having her steered in his direction.
    It made sense, Filomena thought, trying to be objective. Here he was spending several weeks in a relatively isolated location with only a small town nearby to provide entertainment. The possibility of a little dalliance with the innkeeper’s daughter was probably not such an uninteresting proposition, especially since the innkeeper’s daughter appeared old enough and savvy enough to know what she was doing. It was an added bonus that the innkeeper and his family were willing to aid and abet the affair.
    There was only one drawback as far as Filomena could see and that was that, while she might be old enough to handle an affair with Trent Ravinder, she wasn’t at all certain she was sufficiently savvy.
    The truth was that Filomena’s self-assurance had come from her business success and not from conducting a rousing love life. When one worked as hard as she had worked for the past nine years, there wasn’t much time left over for an active love life, even if one had been interested in conducting affairs.
    On top of that plain fact, there had been an added complication for Filomena. She knew deep inside she wasn’t really cut out for a series of light and scintillating affairs. Perhaps she was too much of a small-town girl at heart, or perhaps she knew she was inclined to care too much when she allowed herself to care at all. Whatever the reason, she wasn’t interested in a summer fling with Trent Ravinder or anyone else.
    But as she pondered the matter of dealing with Trent, Filomena admitted to herself it wasn’t going to be simple to keep him at a distance. That kiss in the front seat of the Mercedes had told her that much. It had forced her to confront the fact that she was attracted to the man, and she knew now he definitely wanted her. They were going to be spending