A Passionate Business Read Online Free PDF Page B

Hilary and then
    turned a smiling look on Logan.
    „My congratulations, Logan, I never would have thought… oh. I see now why Hilary was so anxious to apologize
    all of a sudden.“ He was staring across the room, a thoughtfully disapproving expression on his face.
    Before any further comment could be made, Hilary wriggled her trapped hand. „I believe you promised to release
    me as soon as the apology was made, Mr. Saber?“
    „So I did,“ he grinned unlocking her wrist, his eyes following Crawford’s gaze. The grin faded as he saw the
    good-looking, sandy-haired young man dressed in a blue workshirt and jeans.
    Hilary didn’t hang around to explain. Crawford would do that, she thought ruefully. He didn’t particularly care for
    Kevin Thorne. She walked through the room to where Kevin stood waiting, smiling at customers as she went. Some of
    these people were becoming regulars and she wanted to keep them faithful.
    „Good morning, Kevin,“ she said brightly as she drew close. „Come for breakfast?“
    „Wouldn’t miss it. You know it must be good if I’m willing to sacrifice the morning light for it!“ He bent his shaggy
    head, giving her a brief, casual kiss of greeting. „Got a table?“
    „I’m sure we can find one,“ she replied. „The rush has pretty well passed. We’ll have you fed and back to your
    painting in no time!“
    „Some things are worth lingering over,“ he grinned cheerfully, following her to a small table on the other side of the
    room from Crawford and Logan.
    „Have a seat,“ she told him. „I’ll send Sheila over with the coffee.“
    „Sounds great. Was that your father I saw you talking with as I came in?“
    „Yes, he’s in town for a while. Plans to do some sailing,“ Hilary said briefly.
    „And the man with him?“ Kevin pressed interestedly, eyeing Hilary with a knowing look.
    „Another one,“ she admitted. Kevin knew all about Crawford’s matchmaking.
    „I thought so. Your father is pretty persistent, isn’t he? I keep telling you, love, there’s one sure-fire way to put a
    halt to his matchmaking…“ Kevin let the sentence trail off suggestively.
    Hilary smiled down at him as he took his seat. „One of these days I’m going to take you up on your offer of
    marriage and then what will you do?“
    „Eat free at the Silver Salt Cellar for the rest of my life,“ he chuckled, drawing an answering laugh from Hilary.
    „Just another free-loading artist,“ she scolded. „I’d better get back to the kitchen. See you later, Kevin.“
    „You bet. In fact, why don’t you drop around tonight? I’ll pick up a bottle of wine and some cheese and we can
    watch the sunset. We’ll both be watching it separately anyway. Might as well do it together.“
    „Sold. After such a romantic invitation, how could I refuse,“ Hilary grinned and turned to start back toward the
    kitchen. Unexpectedly her eyes encountered Logan Saber’s as she moved toward the swinging doors. He had been
    watching her with Kevin. She knew those gray-green eyes hadn’t missed a thing and she told herself she was glad. It
    would show him that she wasn’t Crawford’s lonely daughter who would be easily swept off her feet by any man
    willing to take the time to apply himself to the task!
    But even as she escaped into the kitchen, Hilary acknowledged there had been a disturbingly intent quality in
    Saber’s expression as he’d met her eyes. It was a look she hadn’t seen before in any of Crawford’s other candidates
    and it sent a small shiver of warning down her erect little spine. Candidate number four, she knew intuitively, meant
    business. If he had decided to marry Hilary in order to gain the restaurants, she was going to have her hands full
    defeating him. Something told her that Logan Saber was going to be a much more difficult opponent than the other
    three…
    „But,“ she found herself telling Kevin Thome that evening as they sipped wine on the patio of his cottage near