Neck & Neck Read Online Free PDF Page B

dressed and acted as if they were simply a group of friends out for a good time. They’d hired a handful of guys who looked ten years younger than they actually were to accompany Max, as if they were friends of the fourteen-year-old. They never booked rooms under anyone’s real name, and they never booked them all at one time. But in spite of all the precautions, there was invariably someone on the staff of any given hotel or restaurant who recognized Russell, and once he was recognized, the vultures started circling.
    Damn those People magazine lists, anyway.
    “An event planner,” Finn repeated blandly, hoping his tone of voice would prevent her from going into detail about whatever event she had planned that she wanted Russell to be a part of.
    “That’s right,” she said brightly. Then, clearly not picking up on that tone-of-voice thing, she continued, “I’ve organized a party for Derby Eve that’s going to be the hottest ticket in town, and I’d like to extend a personal invitation to Mr. Mulholland to attend.” Before Finn could utter another word, she was whipping an envelope from her purse and extending it toward him. As she did, she added, “And do please tell your employer he’s free to bring as many of his, ah . . . friends ”—she punctuated the overly emphasized word with a quick wink—“as he’d like to bring. Normally, there’s a five hundred dollar fee for the party, but—”
    Finn wasn’t able to mask his surprise over that. He interrupted, “You want to invite my employer to a party, and then charge him money, to the tune of five hundred bucks, to attend? That’s nuts.”
    This time, she did pick up on his tone of voice, because she halted midsentence with her mouth hanging open and blinked a few times, as if a too-bright flash had gone off before her eyes. Then she stammered, “I . . . it’s . . . I mean . . . the party is for a good cause. It’s a fund-raiser. The hostess is donating all proceeds to—”
    “Thank you, Ms. Beckett, but no thanks,” Finn said, interrupting her again. It didn’t matter where the proceeds of the party would be going. What mattered was that Russell wouldn’t be. “Mr. Mulholland has a very full schedule while he’s in town. Unfortunately, he won’t be able to attend your party. But,” he added as he plucked the invitation out of her hands, deliberately folded it into uneven quarters, smashed it down with both hands, and stuffed it with total disregard into his back pocket, “I’ll talk to his assistant about sending around a check.”
    She looked nonplussed and not a little ruffled at his reaction. Her smile fell as quickly as her expression, and she studied him in unmistakable disbelief, as if she had been absolutely confident that a simple invitation accompanied by a sweet smile and plunging neckline would win her the outcome she’d expected.
    Obviously, someone thought very highly of herself.
    “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Ms. Beck,” he continued, deliberately calling her by the wrong name, “I was just on my way out for a bite.”
    And with that, Finn brushed past her without sparing her a second glance. Unfortunately, he didn’t think he’d be quite so successful in not sparing her a second thought. Or a third thought. Or a fourth. Because Natalie Beckett really did have a sweet smile. And it didn’t go with the plunging neckline at all.
    Sugar and spice, he thought as he exited the Brown Hotel and began to make his way down Fourth Street. He’d never been able to resist either.
     
     
    NATALIE WATCHED FINN GUTHRIE’S LEISURELY RETREATING backside until it disappeared through the revolving door that led from the Brown lobby to the street. And she thought, Damn. His backside is even nicer to look at than his front side.
    Then she remembered how easily and carelessly he’d dismissed her. “It’s Beckett,” she said softly in the direction of the hotel exit. “Natalie. Beckett.” To herself, she added, Thanks so much for