Champagne and Bullets: Book 1 (Military Moguls) Read Online Free PDF Page A

anyway.”
    Amanda studiously avoided looking at him, instead staring up at the sky. The past was a dangerous thing to talk about. Better to keep things to now.
    “Has that Poplin guy been bothering you lately?”
    “Not at all. Thank you for talking to him for me. Our regular law firm would have charged me four hundred dollars an hour to do that.”
    No wonder his mother had pressed him into service. A charitable organization shouldn’t be paying crazy fees like that.
    “I was happy to help, Mandy. Let me know if I can do anything else.”
    There was a long silence and finally she turned to look at him, her expression conflicted. The playful, happy moment they’d shared had quickly disappeared. “Please don’t.”
    There was a plea in her voice that pulled at his gut. He’d never been able to turn her down when she sounded that way.
    “Don’t what? Don’t help?”
    “Don’t call me Mandy.” She shook her head and took a few steps back. “I’m not Mandy anymore.”
    “Funny, you look like Mandy and you sound like her too.” He tilted his head and gave her a smile, trying to get back those few seconds of easiness between them. “I don’t think you’ve left her as far behind as you think. You came out here to play on the beach with me, didn’t you?”
    She turned her back to him, her shoulders rigid. “Just don’t call me that. Mandy was a child and I’m a woman.”
    A beautiful and desirable one. His fingers itched to pull the pins from her hair and then run his hands over her soft curves before pressing her to her knees in the soft sand.
    “I don’t want to upset you.”
    Whirling around, she lifted her chin in defiance. “I’m not upset. What I am is leaving. There’s no point to any of this. Good night, Seb. It was nice to see you again.”
    She marched through the sand and up to the house, not sparing him even a glance over her shoulder. He’d fucked everything up again. He should have known better than to dance and then spirit her away without clearing the air first.
    But one thing was clear to Seb now. He still loved Amanda, and she still had some feelings left for him. Yes, there was anger and hurt there as well. He would have to deal with those but perhaps they could move past all that had happened and build something new.
    After seeing her again, he simply could not imagine his life without her in it. He’d been only half-living since he’d left. First the first time in a long while he felt awake. Something inside of him had shifted and he couldn’t go back to the way things had been.
    She might tell him to go to hell, but honestly that’s where he’d been already. He had to take this chance and try to reach out to her again. He had to try and win her love.
    With more stalwart determination, he marched through the cool sand, retrieving his shoes at the bottom of the stairs. He’d made an important decision tonight and there would be no going back.

Chapter Five
    ‡
    S taring into the mirror in one of the upstairs bathrooms, Amanda tried to repair her hair and makeup. The wind had teased her carefully pinned chignon apart and the brief spate of tears had smeared her mascara. She dabbed at her eyes with a tissue, her hands still trembling from her conversation with Seb. It wasn’t fair how he kept bringing up the past and using it as a club to batter her heart.
    She needed to get the hell out of here.
    Stuffing the tissue back into her small purse, she gave her appearance one last perusal. Thankfully she looked almost normal. Only the most eagle-eyed observer would be able to see the traces of tears she’d artfully concealed.
    She slid the chain strap of her purse onto her shoulder and twisted the doorknob, determined to find Darby so they could leave. Only when she was home and away from everyone would she feel safe again.
    She jumped back when a large figure stood on the other side of the door. “Excuse me. I’m sorry.”
    Two masculine hands gripped her shoulders to steady her