Seduced in September (Spring River Valley Book 9) Read Online Free PDF Page A

explode and she’d never be able to liberate the contents of the can of fancy dog food she’d just retrieved from the cupboard.
    Why had she decided it would be a good idea to have three drinks last night instead of her customary one? (Or had it been five?)
    Oh, right. Because she’d been with Quinn, dancing, kissing, making silly sexy promises to each other, and she’d needed the liquid courage to keep her from running away in shame the moment his back was turned. Hmm, his back. She vaguely recalled leaving some scratches there in the throes of passion. She wondered if he—no, she wasn’t going to do that to herself. She wasn’t going to think about him, because the terms of their bargain were not to expect anything more from last night than exactly what it was.
    Fortunately, the dog food didn’t require a can opener because the whirring noise would have rattled her teeth loose. The four aspirin she’d swallowed with her orange juice this morning had just begun to take the edge off her hangover, but the effects of her bout with those very evil spirits still lingered. Her friend Lydia, the maven of organic living, would have a fit if she knew Lily hadn’t properly hydrated and anti-oxidized before going on her end-of-summer bender. Good thing Claudia was the only one of Lily’s friends who knew she’d stumbled out of a cab and into their shared apartment at five after seven this morning looking like something the cat dragged in.
    Fortunately she’d been spared a lecture from Claudia because she’d managed to pretend she felt fine, and after a steamy shower, a shot of orange juice and aspirin, and an organic oatmeal cookie, she’d breezed back out on her way to Aunt Maddie’s to feed Ricki.
    His mistress would be home in two days, and Lily’s obligation to care for the obnoxious little furball would end. With any luck, her headache would be gone by then too.
    She plopped an unappetizing pile of “Sirloin nibbles” into Ricki’s bowl and set it down for him. Mercifully, his barking ceased, replaced by satisfied slurping and the jangle of his nametag as it banged against the edge of the metal bowl.
    Lily leaned on the counter and held her head in one hand. Lesson learned, she decided. For once in her life she’d gone completely off the deep end, and while it had been a night to remember, she had no desire to repeat it any time soon. “How do people do this kind of stuff every— ahh!”
    Why had she chosen a spicy Caribbean beat for her ring tone? The jaunty tune nearly scared her out of her sensible shoes (the miserable stilettos had gone out in the morning’s trash). Clutching the edge of the counter with one hand, she retrieved her phone from the pocket of her shorts and flipped it open to check caller ID.
    A tight knot formed in her stomach when Quinn’s name appeared in brightly glowing letters on the tiny screen. How…why? Why would he be calling her so soon? Scratch that, why would he be calling her at all after they’d both agreed—
    You left him your phone number, dummy. He probably thought you wanted him to call you.
    Didn’t you? Really, want him to call?
    Electronic kettle drums still beat in her palm. If she didn’t answer soon, the call would go to voice mail, and then she’d have to face the dilemma of whether or not to call him back.
    After a deep, cleansing breath, she answered, making her voice as cheerful and noncommittal as she could. “Hi!”
    “Hey! Good morning, sunshine.”
    “Good morning.” Her face blazed. How could he do that with just his voice? How could he make her remember every sweaty, lusty moment of the night before in such vivid detail just by saying good morning?
    “How are you feeling?”
    “Oh…pretty good. You?”
    “Amazing. I hope you had a good time last night.”
    “Oh, I definitely did.”
    Ricki had finished his breakfast and was staring up at her, shiny black eyes bulging. He either expected a second course or he was waiting for the