Never Dare a Tycoon Read Online Free PDF Page B

what privilege was like.
    The family finally drove off to church, then filed in, one at a time, taking a seat in the chosen pew. No matter how much teasing went on during the ride to church, they all knew that church was a quiet time. Everyone sat down, taking up a whole pew. Antonia made sure she sat between two of her aunts so she could avoid the inquiring glances from her brothers during the sermon. She wasn’t prepared to deal with them right now.
    Antonia didn’t hear anything during the service. She barely remembered singing hymns. But as they filed out, she greeted the priest with Sal right behind her, telling him that it had been a wonderful sermon.
    After church, the whole family gathered for lunch. The women, all except for Antonia, made lunch. Sometimes it was simple food, like sandwiches. But today, since the temperature was almost seventy degrees, everyone agreed to have a barbecue outside on the flagstone patio. Antonia was in the kitchen with the rest of the women instead of on the lawn or patio playing with her aunts’ kids or talking with her brothers.
    She didn’t want to admit it, but she was hiding from her brothers. All of them. She knew Sal had told them the whole situation. She’d received too many looks from each of them for her to delude herself into believing they didn’t know. So while Sal was in his study with a guest, she hid in the kitchen, hoping against hope that she’d be able to avoid a confrontation today.
    That was as far as her plan went until Sal came out of his study, accompanied by the man who’d occupied her dreams and driven her crazy with thoughts of his kiss for the past two nights.
    “Ladies,” Sal announced, stepping into the kitchen, “I’d like to introduce you to Brett Hancock. He stopped by to get some papers signed. I was hoping there might be enough food so I could invite him to stay for lunch.”
    Antonia had turned around with a smile on her face, ready to greet the person he was introducing. But when she caught sight of the tall, broad shouldered man standing next to her brother, she immediately turned back to her onion and chopped harder, hoping he wouldn’t see her amid the chaos of the food preparations.
    Antonia gritted her teeth as all her aunts and cousins laughed at Sal’s joke. There was always enough food to feed an army at any Sunday afternoon lunch in the Attracelli household. One more wouldn’t make a dent.
    Antonia’s Aunt Marsha was the one who spoke up. “Brett, you’re more than welcome as long as you can get the knife out of Antonia’s hand so she will stop mutilating that onion. It’s already been punished enough for its sins, whatever they were. It doesn’t need to be turned into pulp.”
Antonia turned beet red as four women laughed at Antonia’s attempt at chopping an onion.
    “Why don’t you do us a favor,” Jennifer, a cousin of Antonia said to Brett. “Have Antonia show you around the house and gardens. It’s nothing compared to what it will be like in a month or so when the weather becomes warmer, but the solarium might be nice right about now. I think Sal’s been working on it,” she said, noticing Antonia’s shocked expression but not understanding its meaning.
    “Ladies, I accept your challenge,” Brett said. He walked over to Antonia, towering over her as he laid a hand on her forearm that instantly stopped all movement, including Antonia’s heart beat. But as he slid his hand sensuously down her forearm, cradling her hand as he took the knife and set it on the counter next to the once proud onion, Antonia’s heart started back up. Triple time.
Putting a hand in the small of her back, Brett guided her out of the kitchen.
     
“Good luck,” Marsha said, amid five stunned stares. As soon as they were out of the house, Antonia turned to him. “How could you do that to me?”
     
Brett chuckled. “What did I do to you?” he asked. “Reveal to you how much you wanted me to touch you? Just like I wanted to