Chosen Read Online Free PDF Page B

reaching out to stroke her arm.
    Alexana moved away, aware that he was trying to bait her. “I am merely proposing that we continue your crash course education on the real Jerusalem,” she protested.
    “At the Seven Arches restaurant? Pretty swanky and romantic for a Jerusalem 101 class.” He was giving her a run for her money and enjoying every moment of it.
    “It will balance out The Green Door,” Alexana said, allowing a tiny smile to reach the corners of her mouth.
    “A smile! Your whole face lights up,” Ridge said appreciatively with a wide grin of his own. As she looked back at his handsome face, Alexana frowned at the sudden hammering of her heart.
The guy buys you the right hat, and he’s got you all aflutter. Get ahold of yourself, Sana.
    “Shall I pick you up at seven?” he asked, noting the change in her expression, but letting it pass without comment.
    “No,” she said firmly. “I’ll pick you up in front of your hotel at six. And Ridge …”
    “Yes?”
    “This is not a date,” Alexana said firmly. She turned and walked away, casually putting the hat on as she did so. She did not notice that Ridge caught her admiring her reflection in a shop window down the street.
    “Not a date, huh?” Ridge muttered under his breath, still unable to stop himself from grinning. “Whatever you say, Doctor. Whatever you say.” When she had turned the corner and was out of his line of vision, Ridge turned on his heel and whistled all the way back to his hotel.

C HAPTER F OUR
F EBRUARY 12
    A lexana waited for Ridge in the back of a black BMW cab, smoothing the fabric of her stunning ivory silk jumpsuit. With its dramatically sleeveless, fitted bodice and stylishly flared pants, the outfit emphasized both her narrow hips and gentle curves, and Alexana felt terrific in it.
    Completing the ensemble was an oversize silk shawl of rust, royal blue, and gold, which she had knotted around her shoulders to guard against the chill of the evening.
    Briefly she wondered why she had gone all out for Ridge, then quickly decided it was all an act to show him that he couldn’t peg her, as he seemed to do with everyone else.
I’ll surprise him left and right,
she thought coolly. She toyed nervously with her hair, which had been smoothed into a French twist, revealing the tiny dropped pearls at her ears. Glancing out the window, she inhaled sharply in spite of herself as Ridge appeared at the door of his hotel, dressed in a black, tapered tuxedo jacket that flattered both his broad shoulders and lean waist.
    Alexana took a deep breath as Ridge approached the car. She could not allow herself to consider it a date, even if he was drop-dead gorgeous and they were going to the most romantic place in town.
    Ridge opened the door and leaned in with a broad grin. He looked her up and down, then whistled.
    Alexana scowled at him. “Get in, McIntyre,” she said with the humorless tone of a schoolmarm to an errant boy.
    “Sor-ry. Just thought I’d give you a compliment,” he said, getting in. His face did not ask for forgiveness. Alexana knew that he felt he had bought some latitude with the hat.
I have to nip this in the bud …
    “Are we in grade school?” she asked curtly.
    “No-o,” he said, sobering quickly. “I …” His voice trailed away as he looked out the window, searching for words.
    “What?”
    “Forget it. I’m not very hungry. That pizza didn’t agree with my stomach.”
    “What?” she laughed, back-pedaling from her harsh tone. The mood lightened again. “Ridge McIntyre, unable to handle street food?”
    A gentle smile eased back into Ridge’s face as the taxi sped off. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,” he pretended to grumble. “I’ll start our dinner with some tonic water and be fine.”
    At a quarter after six, Ridge and Alexana entered Intercontinental’s elegant, five-star Seven Arches Hotel. Along each wall, huge arrangements of flowers adorned antique tables that had been oiled to a deep