Seducing Simon Read Online Free PDF Page A

to curl herself into his arms and tell him she loved him. But now, she’d placed an insurmountable barrier between them.
    She shoved the book aside and slapped a pillow over her head. How much different would this be if she and Simon were in a relationship?
    Simon would make such a wonderful father. They could have read pregnancy books together. Cuddle on the couch. His tendency to be overprotective would be endearing.
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    Maya Banks
    Her tears wet the sheets beneath her and she closed her eyes wearily.
    She wondered what the preggo book would have to say about her weepy fits.

    A warm hand shook her awake, and she slowly climbed from the comfort of her dreams.
    “It’s time to eat,” Simon whispered close to her ear.
    She yawned broadly and lay there blinking at his face, so close to hers. It would be easy to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him to her lips.
    He extended a hand to her and pulled her up to a sitting position.
    “Thanks,” she mumbled.
    “I’ll see you in a sec.” He turned and eased out the door leaving her to temper her raging hormones.
    She was going to have to get it together. She couldn’t continue like this. Not only was she setting herself up for major disappointment, but if she didn’t cool it, she could wreck the friendships of four people.
    That had a sobering affect.
    Smoothing her unruly hair, she padded into the kitchen where the guys already sat at the bar. Matt patted the stool beside him and she slid onto the seat.
    “How you feeling?”
    “Much better,” she replied.
    Simon set a plate in front of her, and she sniffed appreciatively. Her stomach growled in response, and she didn’t spare any time digging into
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    Seducing Simon
    the baked chicken. For once, the thought of food didn’t make her nauseous and she was going to take full advantage.
    “The guys and I have been talking,” Simon spoke up.
    “Uh oh.” She set her fork down and eyed them suspiciously. “Anytime a sentence begins with ‘the guys and I have been talking,’ it usually means you’ve hatched some hare-brained scheme, and it usually involves me.”
    They laughed.
    “Well, it does involve you, but I don’t think it’s hare-brained,” A.J.
    volunteered.
    “Do tell.”
    “We don’t want you to move out,” Matt said.
    Simon crossed his arms over his chest and nodded in agreement.
    “We’ve talked it over, and we want you to stay here where we can help out. You’ve been there for all three of us, and we aren’t dropping the ball on you. Moving out right now doesn’t make sense. We don’t want you to have to go through this alone. Besides, this is your house.” Tears welled in her eyes.
    “Ahh shit, Simon, she’s going to cry again,” A.J. said with a frown.
    Matt quickly handed her a napkin.
    “It’s normal,” Simon said matter-of-factly.
    “Let me guess, you read it in the preggo book,” A.J. said rolling his eyes.
    “As a matter of fact, I did,” he replied. “You can also expect her to be moody, prone to tears, easily fatigued, and nauseous for the first trimester.”
    “Gee thanks,” Toni muttered. “Nothing like kicking a girl when she’s down.”
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    Maya Banks
    “The good news is that all changes with the second trimester. See, then—”
    “Simon,” Matt interrupted.
    “What?”
    “Shut up!”
    He grinned. “Fascinating stuff. You should read it sometime.”
    “So will you stay?” A.J. asked, directing the attention back to Toni.
    “Yeah, I’ll stay,” she replied. “For now, at least.”
    -32-

    Seducing Simon

Chapter Three
    Despite the fact she had been exhausted when she went to bed, Toni couldn’t sleep. After tossing restlessly for an hour, she shoved aside the lacy covers and swung her feet to the floor. Running a hand through her hair, she sighed and got up.
    She shuffled to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of juice. Then she tiptoed into the living room and sank into the couch with the remote.
    She turned the volume down low