Heart Of Gold Read Online Free PDF Page A

be
summarily tossed off the property, she wondered whether cops were going to be
involved.
    Instead,
the woman smiled. “Tell you what, I'll give you twenty minutes to see for
yourself if he's that awful. If you're crazy enough to want to give it a try,
you might as well get the full experience. Besides, the way he'll throw you out
will be a heck of a lot more interesting and inventive than anything I could do
to you.”
    Carter
gave the woman a frozen smile, feeling like she'd volunteered for torture.
“Thanks.”
    Swallowing
unexpected fear, she followed the woman through the house, taking in the
spacious rooms. Every one was filled with antiques and an air of elegant
leisure, with freshly cut flowers adding to the sophistication and grace. When
they came to a stout mahogany door, the other woman paused before knocking.
    “Do
yourself a favor. Make it short and sweet. He likes things that way.”
    She
knocked, and when a muffled reply was heard, the housekeeper opened the door
and they walked in to an old-world study.
    Nick
Farrell looked up from an ornate desk and Carter's feet stopped working.
    The man's
eyes were the most unusual color, a gray so pale that the irises were almost
invisible, and being looked over by them was like getting hit by a blowtorch.
He seemed to absorb every nuance of her appearance—her expression, the space
she took up. He was, she realized, powerfully intelligent, immutably
domineering and, surprisingly, the hardness emanating from him only added to
his allure. It made her wonder if there was any softness in him at all, and she
imagined that women had driven themselves crazy trying to find it.
    With a
shiver of awareness passing through her body, she knew his face must have
launched a thousand women's fantasies. He had high cheekbones, a chiseled
jawline and a strong, straight nose. His hair was thick and dark, brushed off
his forehead, and his skin was tanned. The lips caught and held her attention.
The lower one was fuller and she wondered, in a flash of insanity, what it
would be like to kiss him.
    Her heart
began to pound and, as if he'd caught the scent of her thoughts, she saw
speculation flare in his expression. Abruptly, she was assessed as a woman. As
those eyes narrowed and lingered on her legs, a flush bloomed deep inside of
her.
    Before
she allowed herself to speculate on what he thought of her, she told herself
not to bother. The man was a heartbreak waiting to happen. Not for her, of
course. But she pitied whoever fell for someone like him.
    “This
woman is here to see you,” Gertie announced.
    One dark
eyebrow rose sardonically. “I don't recall asking to meet with any teenage
girls.”
    His deep
voice wrapped around the words, creating cynical shadows in the syllables.
Carter was distracted by the sound and then realized he'd just insulted her.
    Recovering
quickly, she replied with a tart clip, “I can't speak to your schedule,
but I've been out of my teens for a decade, thank you very much.”
    The
eyebrow took flight again. Her tone had been every bit as commanding as his had
been, and it occurred to her that he wasn't used to being addressed in such a
way. Their eyes clashed as the housekeeper left.
    She took
a steadying breath. “I think we should start over. Mr. Farrell, I'm—”
    The door
burst open and bounced off the bookcase with a slap, causing her to jerk in
surprise. A teenage boy brushed past her, as if she was just another piece of
furniture in the room.
    Even
though she'd jumped at the interruption, Nick Farrell's expression never
varied. The only change had been where his eyes were directed. The man was more
self-contained than a tank.
    “You
can't let her do this!” the kid exclaimed, putting both hands on the desk
and pushing out his chin. He was dressed all in black, his hair styled so it
stood straight up off his scalp. She wondered how he got it to stay vertical
like that.
    “And
what has she done?” Farrell's voice was calm, but she noticed