Intimate Read Online Free PDF Page B

orchestras in
the country, and you’re only twenty-five. Every one of them despises you.”
    “You’re the one
who wanted me to take this job.”
    “I know, but I
didn’t want it because I thought it would win you a lot of friends. I wanted it
because I thought it would be better for you.”
    He knew she’d
wanted what was best for him. It was why he’d taken the position in the first
place.
    It was also why
he hadn’t yet quit, even though he kind of wanted to.
    *
* *
    The party was a typical
black-tie, fund-raising affair. An excuse to gather the social elite: drink too
much, flirt with other people’s spouses, politic, network, kill time, and
pretend their lives were meaningful.
    He’d brought
Marissa as his date to events before, and everyone knew she was with him.
Unfortunately, that didn’t stop other men (and occasionally women) from hitting
on her right under his nose.
    It annoyed him
more than it should. That the fact of his presence meant nothing to all the
other men who buzzed around her like gnats. Yes, it was known the two of them
weren’t officially dating, but he was her date tonight, and that should
come with certain prerogatives.
     One of them
was that random men shouldn’t make moves on her while Caleb was standing less
than a foot away.
    It didn’t
matter that he’d been subtly flirting with the stunning daughter of their host.
He was still Marissa’s date, and he had every right to shoulder besotted,
drunken fools out of her line of sight.
    Which was
exactly what he did.
    The fool in
question was the revolting Kevin Davison, who’d played this same game with Marissa
before.
    You’d think
he’d have gotten a clue by now and given up his hopeless pursuit of her.
    But, no, there
he was again ten minutes later, trying to steer Marissa through the French
doors and out to the patio and pool area.
    Caleb was about
to rescue her when the luscious, red-haired daughter whispered something
decidedly naughty in his ear.
    He was briefly
distracted, but not enough to leave Marissa in the inebriated hands of an
obnoxious trombone player.
    When he left
the redhead and cleared the French doors, Caleb saw Marissa and Davison
standing by the pool, which had been uncovered and filled for the occasion,
despite the fact that it was still early spring. The pool water sparkled
exquisitely in the glow of carefully aimed spotlights.
    Because of that
lighting, Caleb could see Marissa quite clearly. She was facing his direction,
her back to the pool. He couldn’t see Davison’s face, but he could see his hand
very plainly when Davison made a gesture, “accidentally” brushing against her
breast.
    Caleb felt a
completely irrational wave of fury at the sight. He clenched his jaw and stalked
over, his fingers already tightening in primal anticipation.
    Marissa
casually swatted Davison’s offensive hand away. Seeing the easy manner in which
she’d dealt with it, Caleb was almost disappointed that he wasn’t needed.
    He’d really
wanted to put Davison in his place.
    But the man was
both drunk and horny, and Marissa’s efficient discouragement wasn’t enough. He
reached out for her in a more purposeful grope.
    Caleb made an
uncontrolled sound of rage—soft, throaty, and vicious.
    Marissa had
automatically begun to evade the grope, but she either heard or sensed his
coming because she looked away from Davison and over toward Caleb.
    Her face
changed as she saw his expression.
    While her
attention was diverted, Davison laughed loudly and moved toward her.
    This time, Marissa
wasn’t ready, and she took an awkward step backward, her eyes still focused on Caleb.
    Unfortunately,
there was no room to step backwards. There was only a slight incline around the
pool. She tripped on it. Stumbled back. Lost her balance.
    Fell into the
pool.
    Caleb had made
it over there by now, and he was close enough to actually feel a few drops from
the spray that went up as Marissa splashed in.
    Davison was
staring down into the