Electric! Read Online Free PDF Page B

her and
he pushed her sometimes in hopes she’d finally see the attraction between them
was mutual—and undeniable. But he also knew she liked to maintain a certain
distance. A certain professionalism.
    Tonight, however, was different. Maybe it was the alcohol,
although they’d consumed more than that on other nights and he hadn’t ever laid
a hand on her. He wasn’t sure what drove him this evening, but he felt they’d
reached a pivotal moment. He felt it to the core of his being.
    “Let me ask you this,” he said in a quiet voice. “Are you
afraid to get involved with a man for fear he’s going to eclipse you and make
you inconsequential?”
    She stared up at him. “I never thought of it that way.”
    Chase grinned. “Well, you’ve got nothing to worry about.
Because that’ll never happen.”
    “What makes you so sure?” Her voice was soft, uncertain.
Tentative.
    He snorted. “You have a sharp brain and a big heart. You’d
never put up with a man who doesn’t see or appreciate both.”
    She swallowed hard. “What if I make a mistake and choose the
wrong guy?”
    Chase gave a slight shake of his head. “You’re too smart for
that.”
    “But—”
    “Hey.” He cut her off by placing a finger over her lips. “You’re
so afraid of fucking up it paralyzes you. Christ, Cass. You’ve got to lighten
up a bit. You have a fantastic career—and no one doubts your ability at
MII. You’ve worked too hard for anyone to question whether you’re good enough
for the position you hold—or for a promotion.”
    “There are no promotions,” she mumbled against his finger.
    “Okay, not currently. But you know what I’m saying. If
something were to open up in our division, you’d be a top candidate. The top candidate. The only thing you’re lacking, that I can see, is a social life.”
    “Oh whoa.” She pushed his hand away from her mouth. “Now we’re
entering pot calling the kettle black territory.”
    “Huh?” He looked taken aback.
    “Well.” She drained her champagne flute and set it on an end
table next to a tall potted plant. Crossing her arms over her chest, she said, “From
what I hear, you don’t date any more than I do.”
    “That’s an easy one to address,” he told her, holding her
gaze.
    “How so?”
    He thrust his chin upward. “The only woman I want to date
keeps shooting me down.”
    She stared at him for endless moments. He waited patiently
for her rebuttal.
    Finally, she said, “Here’s a newsflash—although it shouldn’t
be because you ought to know this by now. I’m not your type.”
    “Aren’t I supposed to be the judge of that?”
    She bit into her lower lip briefly, then gave him an
earnest, though somehow heart-wrenching look that disturbed him greatly.
“Chase, were we to get together, I would be a huge disappointment. Trust
me on this one.”
    Cassidy brushed past him, leaving him standing in the secluded
corner, his mind whirling.
     
    There. She’d done it. Cassidy had told him what she should
have said two years ago when he’d started lobbing flirty comments her way.
    Unfortunately, confiding in Chase did not lift the weight
from her shoulders, as she’d hoped it would. Rather, she felt even more mired
in the dismal reality that she did not possess any sort of animal magnetism
herself. Nor was she capable of getting a man so hot and bothered that he had
to have her this very second . She knew from experience.
    The sting of so many rejections caught up with her and
Cassidy knew it was time to call it a night. No more drinking with Chase.
    She collected her wrap from the coat-check stand and stepped
outside, inhaling the crisp night air. The country club provided a
complimentary Town Car for guests attending special functions, and she found
the driver amidst the Escalades. He dropped her off at the mini-chateau and
Cassidy flipped the switch on the tall gas fireplace. She kicked off her shoes
and curled on the sofa with her laptop and stack of tidy black