Bailey's Irish Dream

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Book: Bailey's Irish Dream Read Online Free PDF
Author: DEBBY CONRAD
looked him squarely in the eye.  “It hurts, so if I could just get that check.”
    His expression stilled and grew serious.  “I’ll accept your offer.”
    She hesitated, blinking with bafflement.  “But I thought--”
    “Do you want my help, or not?”
    Her voice rose in surprise.  “Yes, of course I do.  I think .  I mean--”
    “You want coffee?” he asked, cutting her off as he headed toward the small galley kitchen.  His profile was rugged, somber.
    “Yes, thank you.”  A ripple of excitement ran through her, making her feel giddy.  “What changed your mind?”
    “Hell if I know,” he said, removing the plastic lid from the coffee can.  “Maybe watching you sleep.  You looked so innocent, helpless.”
    Bailey swallowed.  He’d watched her sleep .  Forcing a smile, she said, “Well, whatever your reason, thank you.”  She licked her dry lips and ran a hand through her tangled hair, almost afraid of what she must look like this morning.  She felt something in the mass of knots and managed to dislodge it with her fingers. 
    The paper umbrella.  How embarrassing!  As inconspicuously as possible she stuck the toothpick end of the umbrella in the dirt of a potted plant sitting on the bar.
    “You can keep that as a souvenir if you’d like.”
    The man didn’t miss a trick, she thought.    
    “About the money . . .  Gwen and I were sort of discussing it, and she thinks I’m being way too generous, and frankly, so do I.”
    He shrugged carelessly.  “A deal’s a deal.  You can’t renege now.”
    “Yes, but I feel you’re taking advantage of me, Mr. Quinn.  One hundred thousand dollars is a lot of money for one night’s work.  And besides, we were only speaking hypothetically.  Remember?”
    His features held a strong sensuality as his eyes raked over her.  “Honey, if I’d wanted to take advantage of you, I would have done so last night while you were passed out in my bed.”
    Bailey swallowed nervously.  He had a point.  “Yes, but still--”
    “Do you have any other prospects?” he asked, challenging her.  “I suppose you could always ask Pete.  He might be willing to lower his standards and take a cut in pay.  But not me.  I’ve got my pride, you know?”  His smile was wide, his teeth strikingly white against his tanned face.
    And he was suddenly grating on her nerves.  “Do you have any aspirin?”
    Opening a cupboard above the stove, Quinn grabbed a bottle of aspirin and tossed it to her.  “Nice catch,” he said.  He set a quart of tomato juice and a glass on the counter.  “Great stuff for a hangover.” 
    Bailey shook two aspirin from the bottle then filled the glass with juice.  “I’m not hung over.  I only had two drinks.”
    “But apparently you’re a one-drink girl.”  He reached behind him and grabbed two mugs from the dish drain.  “Anything else I should know about you before meeting your parents tonight?”
    Oh, God, she’d almost forgotten.  Her parents would be at her place in a matter of hours.  “I suppose I should write down some personal things about me, and maybe you should do the same.  Although since you’re really supposed to be Stanley, and I’ve already told my parents all about you--or him, rather--then I guess you don’t have to.  Unless, you think it would help.”  She was rambling, but couldn’t stop.  “Do you have a pen and paper?”
    “First drawer on your right.”  Quinn filled the mugs with steaming hot coffee.  “Cream and sugar?”
    “Yes, please.”  She watched as he took a sugar bowl from the cupboard and a paper carton of half and half from the refrigerator and pushed them toward her.  Quinn ignored the sugar, but poured a hefty amount of cream in his mug.  “Cream, no sugar,” she said as she wrote it on the paper and etched it into her memory. 
    He picked up his mug and walked around the breakfast bar into the main room.  “While you’re making your list, I’m going
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