Captivated by You (Crossfire#4) Read Online Free PDF Page A

… And let me tell you again, there is no way I can pull
    together a proper wedding before the end of the year!”
    My daily Google alert hadn’t hit my inbox yet, so I did a quick search, typing so quickly I spelled
    my own name wrong. It didn’t matter.
    Socialite Eva Tramell has nabbed the brass ring. Not literally, of course. Multibillionaire entrepreneur Gideon Cross, whose name is synonymous with excess and luxury, wouldn’t slide anything less than platinum onto the finger of the woman who’ll bear his name. (see photo at left) A source at Cross Industries confirmed the significance of the giant rock on Tramell’s left hand. No comment was made regarding the ring Cross has been seen wearing. (see photo at right) A wedding is planned before year’s end. We have to wonder what the rush is. Operation Gideva Baby Bump Watch has commenced.
    “Oh my God,” I breathed, horrified. “I have to go. I have to call Dad.”
    “Eva! You need to come over after work. We have to talk about the wedding.”
    Thankfully my dad was on the West Coast, which bought me at least three hours, depending on his
    work schedule. “I can’t. I’m going to San Diego this weekend with Cary.”
    “I think you need to put off any travel for a while. You need to—”
    “Start without me, Mom,” I said desperately, glancing at the clock. “I don’t have anything specific
    in mind.”
    “You can’t be seri—”
    “Gotta go. Have to work.” I hung up, then pulled open the desk drawer that held my smartphone.
    “Hey.” Mark Garrity leaned over the top of my cubicle and offered me one of his charming crooked
    smiles. “Ready to roll?”
    “Uh …” My finger hovered over the home button on my phone. I was torn between doing what I
    was paid to do—work—and making sure my dad heard about the engagement from me. Usually, it
    wouldn’t be a dilemma at all to choose. I loved my job too much to risk it by slacking off. But my dad had been in a funk since he’d messed around with my mom and I was worried about him. He wasn’t
    the kind of guy to take sleeping with a married woman lightly, even one he was in love with.
    I put the phone back in the drawer. “Absolutely,” I replied, pushing back from my desk and
    grabbing my tablet.
    When I settled into my usual seat in front of Mark’s desk, I sent my dad a quick text from my tablet saying I had something important to share with him and that I’d call at noon.
    It was the best I could do. I could only hope it was enough.

    3
    “MAN, YOU ARE smooth.”
    I looked up at Arash after setting the receiver back in its cradle. “Are you still here?”
    The attorney laughed and settled back in his seat on my office sofa. The view wasn’t nearly as
    pleasant as the one my wife had given me not too long ago.
    “Schmoozing the father-in-law,” he said. “I’m impressed. I expect Eva will be impressed, too. Bet
    you’re counting on that heading into the weekend.”
    Damn right. I would need all the points I could earn when I met up with Eva in San Diego. “She’s
    about to go out of town. And you have to head into the conference room before they get too restless in there. I’ll join you as soon as I can.”
    He stood. “Yes, I heard. Your mother’s here. Let the wedding insanity begin. Since you’re free this
    weekend, how about we round up some of the usual suspects at my place tonight? It’s been a while,
    and your bachelor days are numbered. Well, technically they’re over, but no one else knows that.”
    And he was bound by attorney-client privilege.
    It took me a beat to decide. “All right. What time?”
    “Eight-ish.”
    I nodded, then caught Scott’s eye. He got the message and rounded his desk to head up to reception.
    “Great.” Arash grinned. “See you at the meeting.”
    During the two minutes I had alone, I texted Angus about getting to California. I still had unfinished business there, and taking care of it while Eva was visiting her dad gave me a