Forbidden Surrender Read Online Free PDF Page A

most successful people play by their own rules.”
    His comment made me recall how far I had just gone to win him over as a client. “Do all your business transactions involve endangering your life?”
    “Just the interesting ones. The bite wouldn’t have been fatal if I went to the hospital immediately. When you want something bad enough, sometimes it’s surprising what you’re willing to do.” He adjusted his seat and his leg brushed mine sending an unwelcome flutter through my belly.
    The waitress returned with my drink and I took a sip, relishing the taste more than I should have. “Does that apply to swimming with sharks and jumping off cliffs?” I said, feeling emboldened by the mojito as well as the other alcoholic beverages I’d consumed since setting foot inside this bar.
    “It applies to whatever gives me a thrill. What gives you a thrill Kristen? Besides winning my account.”
    Unsure if that was a flirtatious line or an accusation, I answered, “Who says that gives me a thrill?”
    “It makes you good at your job. Pitch aside, the materials you gave me were polished.”
    “Thank you.” I flustered at the compliment. It was rare to have my work given the appreciation I felt it deserved even by my colleagues, let alone a client.
    “What would you do if I chose your company?”
    “You’re saying after I did all that, you’re still not convinced you can trust us with your money?”
    “What you did puts Waterbridge-Howser back in the running. After your partner insulted my intelligence this morning I had almost ruled you out.”
    Crap. “I’m truly sorry about that, it wasn’t intentional. We were just trying to be persuasive and it seems we missed the mark.”
    “Fair enough.” He stirred his drink and shrugged. “I’m curious, what are you doing in a bar like this?”
    The question sounded like he thought I was here on the prowl—which was not at all the reason. “It was my friend Riley’s idea.” I pointed a blaming finger at Riley across the bar, who seemed to be too enamored with her company to notice. “She’s a little adventurous.”
    “So are you,” he said touching my hand with the tip of his finger. “Do you have a boyfriend?”
    “Excuse me?” The conversation had turned decidedly flirtatious and I wasn’t sure how to react. I’d never been hit on by a potential client before and there were no company guidelines addressing this type of situation. Regardless of how attracted I was to Vincent, if anybody at work suspected I was mixing business with pleasure, my professional reputation would be ruined. I’d seen it happen before.
    “Don’t tell me your partner is.”
    “You mean Richard? He’s definitely not my boyfriend.”
    “Good. So you’re single.” He leaned his breathtaking face closer to mine heightening awareness of him.
    I stood my ground. “Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. Either way I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t date potential clients,” I said, hoping the brush-off would end the personal discussion and we could return to talking about business.
    Those seductive lips so close to mine curved into a smile. “Who says anything about dating? I just want to finish what you started this morning.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “We were here.” He gently but firmly took my hand in his and placed it on his chest. The move caught me off guard and all I could do was suck in a deep breath when I felt the sudden warmth of his body and the strong beat of his heart beneath my palms. “Let’s move it further.” He began to move my hand slowly downward. As my fingertips traced the hard contours at the base of his pecs and the firm cut of his stomach through his shirt, goosebumps ran across my skin and the hairs on the back of my neck stiffened. My pulse quickened and my lips parted to accommodate faster breaths. It wasn’t until my fingers reached the base of his stony abs that my mind caught up and I pulled away.
    “This morning was an