His Most Exquisite Conquest Read Online Free PDF

but real friends stay in your life.’
    ‘You don’t count any men as real friends?’
    ‘A few gay guys. They’re lovely people. Lots of empathy and caring.’
    ‘No straight ones?’
    Her dimples deepened as her luscious lips twitched into a provocative little smile. ‘Well, sooner or later most straight men turn into frogs.’
    ‘Frogs?’ he repeated, needing enlightenment. He’d heard ‘empathy and caring’ loud and clear but ‘frogs’?
    Her eyes danced teasingly at him. ‘You suddenly turn up in my life and everything about you shouts that you’re a prince amongst men.’
    A prince. That was a surprisingly sweet stroke to his ego.
    Her hands lifted in a helpless gesture. ‘But how do I know you won’t turn into a frog tomorrow?’
    ‘Ah!’ he said, understanding. ‘You’ve been with guys who haven’t lived up to their promise.’
    She shrugged prettily, the off-the-shoulder sleeve of her peasant blouse sliding lower on her upper arm. ‘It happens,’ she said in airy dismissal. ‘I’m hoping not to be disappointed with you, Michael.’
    The seductive challenge sizzled straight to his groin. He was up for it, all right. He wished he could whizz her straight off to bed. How long would this birthday luncheon go on—main course, sweets, coffee? At least another hour and a half. He’d give Elizabeth the rest of the afternoon off, take Lucy to his penthouse apartment. Although...
    ‘Do you have to get back to work this afternoon?’ he asked.
    ‘Yes, I do,’ she answered ruefully. ‘I have to deliver the angels’ heads to the stonemason, take the van back to the office, then visit the people who own the burial plot that’s been mistakenly used, and hopefully persuade them that one burial plot is as good as another.’
    ‘Tricky job,’ he said with a sympathetic wince.
    ‘Not really. It’s a matter of getting them to empathise with the bereaved parents who have just laid their daughter to rest—how terrible it would be for them to have her dug up again,’ Lucy explained. The caring in her voice moved something in his heart, reminding him of laying his parents to rest, the final closure.
    Caring, empathy...he sensed something quite special in this woman. She wasn’t just fantastically sexy. There was much more to her. So far it was all good.
    ‘Are you free tonight?’ he asked, not wanting to wait any longer to have her to himself.
    ‘Yes.’
    Her smile promised an eagerness that matched his for a more intimate encounter. Which made his hard-on even harder.
    Fortunately, the waiter showed good timing in arriving with their main course. Their conversation moved to food as they ate their steaks, which were perfectly cooked, asparagus on the side with a touch of Béarnaise sauce, and crunchy roasted potatoes.
    Lucy was into cooking, loved experimenting with different combinations of ingredients. Better and better, Michael thought, looking forward to enjoying many meals with her. She had an infectious enthusiasm for life that made her company an absolute delight. He was wondering if she’d ever cooked frogs legs after bidding a frog goodbye when Harry claimed his attention, leaning an elbow on the table and pointing a finger at him.
    ‘Mickey, I have the solution to my problem with the resort.’
    The problem that had brought him to the office this morning—the discovery that the resort manager was feathering his own nest at their expense. Michael frowned over the interruption. He didn’t want to talk family business with his brother when he had plans to make with Lucy.
    ‘You have to clear that guy out, Harry,’ he said tersely—the same advice he’d given earlier. ‘Once you confront him you can’t leave him there. The potential for damage...’
    ‘I know, I know. But it’s best to confront him with his replacement. We walk in and turf him out. No argument. A done deal.’
    Why was he persisting with this discussion here? ‘Agreed,’ he said impatiently. ‘But you don’t