Guilty Pleasures Read Online Free PDF Page A

least, that was herexcuse for getting that close to him. Then he’d kissed her. Worse, she’d kissed him back.
    Her lips tingled just at the memory of it. And a kiss had never had that effect on her before.
    She shook herself mentally. In striking her bargain with him, she’d bought herself time—she could have him for base pay for three months. If the restaurant turned around and made a profit, she could offer him more. If it didn’t, then a raise wouldn’t matter…none of them would have a job. She had to focus all of her energy on ensuring that situation didn’t happen.
    The last thing she needed was to get sidetracked by her bizarre physical attraction to the very sexy Nick Avery.
    â€œHi there.”
    She looked up. Speak of the devil.
    Nick stood in the open back doorway. His clothing emulated the rest of the crew’s normal attire: long-sleeved T-shirt, a pair of black, loose-fitting slacks, comfortable shoes. The only difference was his shirt didn’t sport one of the humorous slogans her crew normally wore.
    Well, that and the fact that the muscles of his chest and shoulders seemed to pull the fabric taut, in a very enticing way. His light brown hair was still damp from a shower.
    Nick in the shower…
    â€œYou’re early,” she said, displeased with the unruliness of her thoughts. “Shift doesn’t start till nine.”
    He shrugged. “Thought I’d come in early, get anypaperwork you might have out of the way. And maybe you could give me the layout of the kitchen.”
    â€œYou worked here last night. It’s a small kitchen.” She didn’t mean to sound curt, but after tossing and turning all night with restless thoughts about him, the kitchen was definitely too small to be alone with him. “I’ll go get your paperwork.”
    To her dismay, he followed her into the miniscule back room. He seemed to take up all the remaining space between them. She was having trouble breathing, it seemed. She opened a desk drawer, pulling out the paperwork Lindsay had meticulously filed. “Just fill it out and leave it here,” she said, hating the breathless quality of her voice. “Lindsay will take care of it when she comes in tomorrow. She’s the only one who works on Mondays. Says it’s quieter.”
    Now I’m babbling. She forced herself to shut up, and headed for the door.
    He was in her way. “I wanted to apologize.”
    She stared at him. He looked sincere. “I assume you mean for last night?”
    â€œYes.” His voice was like warm fingers, caressing her skin. “I shouldn’t have initiated that…well, you know.”
    â€œForget it,” she said. “I already have.”
    His eyebrow quirked up in an aristocratic arch. He didn’t believe her. Why should he? She was lying right down to her toes.
    â€œHappen often?” he asked with deceptive casualness.
    She bristled slightly at that. “No. In fact…” Shebit her tongue. She didn’t need to admit how long it had been since she’d had the time to get physical with a man. “I just think it’ll be easier for both of us if we just put the whole incident out of our minds. Okay?”
    He nodded, stepping to one side. She walked out into the kitchen, which felt degrees cooler than the back room, where Nick seemed to generate his own heat. Too quickly, he was out in the kitchen, again. Her body knew it even before she saw him walk towards her.
    He glanced down at the hasty, impromptu sketches and nearly illegible scrawls on her notepad. “New recipes?” he asked.
    She felt her guard snap into place, and shrugged. “Just kicking around a few new ideas,” she said. “I’m thinking of changing the menu. We need a new theme.”
    He frowned. “What exactly would you call the theme now?”
    She was irritated at his question—and since irritation was better than arousal