Fatal Wild Child Read Online Free PDF Page B

that?"
    Seth shook his head. "It wouldn't have made any difference at all. Don't try to make light of this, Gabrielle. It's your life he's trying to sell."
    "It's yours he's trying to manipulate, too," she pointed out. "I've had twenty-eight years of it. You had five minutes of it. I tried to warn you, didn't I?"
    "Yes, you did." He smiled and she saw the anger disappear. "Your father really is a master power player, isn't he? No wonder you've been at odds with him for so long. I'm beginning to understand some of the stories behind the headlines, now."
    "This is unusual, even for him," Gabrielle hurried to add. "My father is a political player, but this is...this really takes the cake, Seth. I've never known him to do something this shameless."
    "Perhaps he has no limits when it comes to his daughter?" Seth suggested.
    "His other daughters, perhaps. Not me," Gabrielle said sadly. "That's part of the vast tracts you don't understand about me and my family, Seth. He just sees this as a quick way to off-load a trouble-prone daughter onto some poor schmuck with a knack for saving her ass."
    He stepped closer to her and his big hand cupped her jaw. "I don't know much about your family. You're right there. But I think you're wrong about your father."
    His heat and scent stole into her senses and she was glad she was already leaning against the wall, for she had to lock her knees and prop herself against the weakening wave of lust and wanting that washed through her. She lifted her head to look up at him.
    "We'll see," she managed to answer.
    "You changed into your own clothes," he murmured. "Is this what you normally wear around here?"
    The little skirt and silk stockings and the satin camisole were a thousand miles away from the yoga pants and jeans she had been schlepping around in the cabins away from the prying eyes of the media. She had put them on because she had known she would see Seth again. He had already seen her at her dowdiest. The stilettos were high enough that she reached his shoulder, but she still had to lift her chin to look up at him.
    "I...er...yes," she lied.
    His smile warmed and the expression in his eyes grew hot. "I like it," he said. His hand dropped to the camisole. His fingers barely grazed her skin, but it made her gasp. With a brush of the tips of his fingers, the top button of the camisole fell open, revealing most of her cleavage.
    Her heart was thundering against her ribs. "Seth," she whispered.
    He leaned closer still. She could feel the heat of him radiating against her. The brush of his jeans against her ankles sent weakening waves of pleasure up her legs.
    Gabrielle wanted him to press against her and pin her against the wall. She almost moaned with the need to feel his weight against her.
    Seth’s lips were next to hers. His gaze locked with hers. "Your father has made it impossible for me to stay here," he said softly.
    She clutched at his wide shoulder, as cold fright tore through her. "No, Seth...you have to ignore him. If you let him influence your behavior in any way at all, you're letting him win."
    "If I stay, Gabrielle, you're not going to know why."
    She gripped his shirt, bunching it in her fist. "I'll figure it out for myself. You said it yourself, Seth. You'll bleed for me. Right?"
    He detached her fist from his shirt, uncurled her fingers and kissed her palm, his blue eyes looking into hers. "For enough money, even blood can be faked, Gabrielle. As a movie star, you should know that."
    "Former movie star," she said, her lips stiff, her heart squeezing to what felt like a painful, slow stop.
    He let her hand drop. "I'm sure I'll be seeing more of you, Gabrielle Sherborne. Have a nice life."
    He turned and walked away. Gabrielle watched his back as he went, stunned. It was the first time a man had ever walked away from her and she didn't know what to do.
    In the end, she did nothing. She sank down to the carpet, her legs folding like an accordion so that she was scrunched against