Friends and Lovers Trilogy 03 - Seduced Read Online Free PDF Page A

nearly breaking his toes and emblazoning her favored footwear in his memory. “Guess you borrowed those sandals too.”
    She leaned heavily against him, sighed. “My head hurts and my legs are numb.”
    “Nine shots and three beers will do that to you, kid.” And she was a kid. Not even thirty. Which almost qualified him as a dirty old man. Now
there
was a depressing thought.
    She clutched his T-shirt as her knees gave way. “I don’t want to cause a scene,” she said, slowly sliding down his body.
    Too late
. Ignoring the murmuring clientele, he swept her off her bare feet and headed for the lobby. Halfway to the front door, he nixed the idea of pouring her into his jeep and driving forty-five minutes to his place. He handed his credit card to the front desk clerk, thinking he was going to have to sign on for a couple of extra jeep tours before this night was over. Or, he could send the bill to Murphy. It would serve him right for disrupting Joe’s peace. And he
had
been at peace. Well, relative peace. At least he’d started sleeping through the night. Nice while it lasted. He was definitely sending Murph the bill.
    After securing a standard room—Christ almighty,
no
, he did not want a suite—he spirited away fast-fading Sofia who kept muttering something about reporters and a scandal. The front desk clerk had assured her they could count on the resort’s discretion. Joe had slipped him a hefty tip as insurance. The fact that he was shacking up in a posh hotel with a plastered television star didn’t faze him. The Beretta fazed him. He wanted to know why she was in possession of a pistol with an illegal mag. He wanted to know who owned the slicker and flip-flops. He had a lot of questions, but he wouldn’t be getting any coherent answers until tomorrow.
    His cell phone vibrated just as he shouldered open the door of the guest room. He placed Sofia in the center of a King-sized bed. “Don’t move.” Like there was any chance of that. She was damn near comatose.
    He turned on the desk lamp, answered his phone. “Hey, Murph.”
    “So?”
    The clipped one-word-question brimmed with concern. “Relax. I’ve got her.”
    “Is she okay?”
    “Depends on your definition.” He glanced over and saw Sofia pushing herself up into a sitting position.
    “It’s hot in here,” she complained.
    “No, it’s not,” Joe said, away from the mouthpiece. “It’s that slicker. Take it off.”
    “What’s going on?” Murphy asked.
    She shoved her bountiful, layered hair out of her red-rimmed eyes, swayed slightly as she fumbled with the top snaps of the coat. He imagined sliding his fingers through those decadent cherry locks. Imagined thumbing open the coat snaps one by one, peeling off layers of clothing and … He blew out a breath, wishing to hell she’d put him out of his misery and pass out. “She’s trashed.”
    “Drunk?”
    “Oh, yeah.” He freed his hair from the elastic band, scratched his hand over his pounding head.
    “I watched that woman put away a bottle and a half of champagne at our wedding. She wasn’t even tipsy. I’ve seen her do shots of whiskey without batting an eye. Lulu said she’s never seen her drunk.”
    Sofia wrestled with the snaps, cursed.
    Joe massaged a dull ache in the center of his forehead. “Trust me on this.”
    “What about the trouble she mentioned?”
    He studied the Beretta a moment before placing it in the desk drawer. “Not up to speed on that yet.” No need to worry his brother, until he knew the score. “I’ll let you know. In the meantime, have a safe trip and give that pretty wife of yours a hug for me.”
    “Fly to Vermont and hug her yourself.”
    At that moment he heard a succession of pops, snaps unsnapping and … “I have to go.”
    “I really appreciate this, Bogie.”
    “Don’t worry.” His mouth went dry at the sight of mocha-skinned Sofia in a white satin demi-bra and G-string. “You’ll pay.” He signed off and laid the phone on the