Night of the Magician Read Online Free PDF Page B

right or someone gets his financial world straightened out“
    “Perhaps you manage to dazzle people in other areas of your life,“ Lucian pursued softly. “In your relationship with the man who was waiting for you at the restaurant last night, for instance?“
    Ariana lifted her chin and gave her guest a quelling glance. “You seem rather fascinated with Richard.“
    “I’ll admit I’m a little curious about him,“ Lucian said honestly.
    “Why? He has nothing to do with this.“
    “That’s one of the reasons I’m curious. What would he say if he knew you were feeding me dinner tonight and that you’re planning to have me pose as your lover?“
    “Not my lover,“ she repeated automatically. “And you don’t have to worry about Richard. Please forget about him!“
    “Does that mean you’re not going to worry about him?“
    “Of course I’m not going to worry about him. Why on earth should I?“ she snapped. Somehow she had to get control of this ridiculous conversation.
    “Then he’s not your real lover?“
    “Lucian, I don’t know what makes you think you have the right to pry into my personal life like this, but…“
    “I just want to be aware of all the potential risks,“ he told her flatly.
    “Risks!“ She stared at him, dumbfounded. “You’re worried about the risk of Richard finding out you’re pretending to be my – my friend, and taking offense?“ She refused to use the word lover.
    “There might not be time to explain that I’m only pretending. A man in his position could be forgiven for losing his temper rather quickly if he were to discover that you’re entertaining strange males in the evenings. All I’m asking is whether or not he has the right to lose his temper over such an event. Is he your real lover? Because if so, I think you’
    d better tell him exactly what’s going on.“ There was a steel-edged note in his words that enraged Ariana.
    She set her glass down on the table with a crystal clatter and glared furiously across the short expanse of space separating her from the magician. “Let me try and make a few things very clear, Lucian Hawk. First, you have no need to concern yourself with any aspect of my private life. You may rest assured that Richard Dearborn will not descend on you and beat you to a pulp, even if he were to misunderstand the situation. He’s a gentleman. Second, I do not need or want your advice on what I should or should not tell him. I’ll handle my relationship with him as I see fit!“
    “Are you sleeping with him? That’s all I’m asking,“ Lucian growled.
    “That’s none of your damn business!“
    “It is my business! My God, woman, if you’re having an affair with him and he finds out about me, you’re asking for all kinds of trouble. What’s the matter with you? Are you so naive that you think he won’t care? A man who feels he has a claim on a woman isn’t going to take kindly to the notion of said female pretending to be in love with another man, regardless of the situation or reason. And he’s going to be even angrier about it if he finds out in a less than straightforward fashion!“
    “You speak knowledgeably on the subject!“ she flung back.
    “I speak from a man’s point of view. I know damn well how I’d react if I found out my woman was involving herself in a situation like this without consulting me first!“
    For an instant Ariana could hardly speak, she was so enraged. It took the sum total of her willpower to ask far too sweetly, “And what, exactly, would you do, Mr. Hawk? Use your magic to turn the other man into a frog?“
    He looked at her with a disconcerting directness that made her catch her breath. She had the impression that he was actually trying to put himself in Richard’s place. “I would,“ he ground out at last, “be furious mat you hadn’t taken me into your confidence. To put it bluntly, there would be hell to pay.“
    Ariana took a savage grip on her temper. “Then it’s fortunate