Blackmailed by the Billionaire Brewer Read Online Free PDF Page A

Seriously, add holistic massage to the list
     of your allowable expenses. You seem to need it.” He watched her face as she appeared
     to consider his suggestion. There were dark circles under her eyes; she could probably
     do with some pampering. He guessed things hadn’t been too easy for her. “What’s your
     favorite restaurant?”
    “The Loft is, but—”
    “Great. I’ll take you there and buy you anything you want. I feel like celebrating.”
    She smiled nervously and then the tension in her face seemed to melt. At last. “Okay,
     the Loft for lunch, then. I’ll have the rib eye steak with shrimp, a side of onion
     rings, and the best Cabernet Sauvignon they have.”
    “Cabernet, hmmm?”
    “Merlot is so passé.”
    “Do you want some nuts with that?”
    “Olives, the imported ones hand-stuffed with garlic by nuns.”
    He picked up his jacket and slid it back on. “In that case, I’ll have the biggest
     lobster in town. With melted garlic butter.”
    Her smile became a grin. “And I thought you could live on peanuts and potato chips,
     Mr. DeLeo.”
    “I can. And beer. It’s nutritious. In fact, I’m thinking of devising a diet based
     on it. Write a book, develop an app, maybe design some ultra-cool merchandise.”
    She tilted her head to one side. “The tragic thing is that I can see you actually
     doing that.”

Chapter Three
    Piper’s cheeks tingled as the cold air outside the brewery office building hit her
     full on. Matt DeLeo was no more than a foot behind her—she could feel his heat in
     the cool Colorado air, she would swear to it.
    “Which way from here?” she murmured. “Are we walking?”
    “Why not?” His voice was deep and calm, such a contrast to how she felt. “We can be
     there in about five minutes. Or I can get us a car.”
    She turned to face him. “I can walk five minutes to the Loft if that’s where you want
     to go.”
    “I’ve never been there, but if it’s your favorite, that’s good enough for me.”
    “It’s great, but—”
    “Then let’s get there because my stomach is going to be making really bad noises soon.”
    Piper wanted to say she was scared her buddies would spot her, that the bartender
     would be indiscreet, and that her best haunt was about to be sullied forever. She
     hadn’t thought about that when she’d blurted out that the Loft was her favorite place.
     “Okay, but don’t embarrass me. I’m a regular.”
    “Now why would I do that?”
    The way he said that made her even more fearful. She couldn’t trust him after he’d
     threatened to put her panties up behind the bar of the Railway Tavern, could she?
     She made a snap decision to lie for everyone’s benefit. “And to be honest, I’ve heard
     the chef’s not so hot on seafood.”
    “Really?”
    “I’ve never actually had the lobster myself, but the last time I was there, I did
     hear someone complaining.”
    “Would you like to go somewhere else?”
    She held in the sigh of relief. “I think it would be best. Perhaps Fernando’s?” She’d
     never set foot in the place because it was so expensive, but if Matt wanted to play
     this game to the max, she could get a nice meal out of it. “Although I hear they have
     a waiting list for tables as long as your arm.”
    “They’ll fit us in,” he said confidently. “But it’s not close by and it’s freezing
     out here. Let’s have a drink somewhere while we wait for a car and I give Fernando’s
     a call.” He gestured to a red and yellow awning a few yards ahead. “Tapas bar, perfect.”
    The heavy wood and glass door swung closed behind them and the warm air scented with
     garlic, chorizo, and sherry was heavenly in contrast with the gray chill outside.
     “I must do Spain one day,” Piper mused. “So colorful and vibrant.”
    “And warm.” Matt pulled out a tall wooden stool at the bar for her. “Although Seville
     in July can be a challenge.”
    “You’ve been there?”
    “I’ve been a whole lot of