Seduction by the Book Read Online Free PDF Page A

book is magic, too.”
    â€œBut you haven’t read it yet?”
    â€œYou may read it if you want. I’ll let you see it sometime.”
    He was somehow nervous about the magic, she thought with a sudden insight. But considering her background, she wasn’t afraid of gypsies or magic. Just curious.
    Nick had actually told her about something important to him, though. Annie thought that might be some kind of breakthrough, so she tried a friendly push to keep him talking.
    â€œI’d rather hear your story than read one,” she told him. “Tell me about Christina. Talk about how you two met.” She’d put her hand on his forearm to let him feel how much she cared, but the electric shock she felt when she’d touched his skin made her draw the hand back in a hurry.
    Annie got up and began to casually clear their dessert dishes with feigned indifference. She knew she was probably being pushy with a man who was her boss, and she didn’t want this to seem like an interrogation. But he needed to talk.
    And she needed to get over whatever these odd feelings were toward him. Even though he was sometimes infuriating, he was a nice man and obviously hurting. And she just wanted to help—not jump him.
    â€œUm…well, Christina’s father and my father were old friends—more business partners than friends, I guess you would say. My father does not cultivate friends that serve no purpose.” He’d said that with a rather strangled sound in his voice, but Annie had her back to him and couldn’t see his expression.
    She let him talk while she busied herself at the sink.
    â€œAnyway, Christina and I knew each other all of our lives,” he said quietly. “When I was old enough to leave Europe for the United States to attend university preparatory school, Father informed me that our families would be well served if the two of us were joined.”
    He took a deep breath, and it was all Annie could do not to turn around to see his face. “I understood his point completely and recognized my obligation,” he beganagain. “And spoke to Christina about our future so that we would have an understanding before I left Alsaca.”
    That did it. Annie spun around. “You became engaged as teenagers? Just like that?”
    He looked up at her with slight confusion in his eyes. “Yes, of course. I know that isn’t the way it’s done in the United States, but in Europe it’s quite common for two prominent families to join like that.”
    â€œBut what about love?”
    â€œChristina and I had a close relationship. We had always been friends. It was just natural.”
    Natural, maybe, Annie thought. But definitely not romantic. She sighed softly. What about the magic? But she managed to kept her mouth shut.
    Nick got up and moved to the sink to stand beside her. He picked up a towel. “If you’ve changed your mind about washing the dishes now, may I help?”
    Annie looked down at the sink and realized she’d been washing and stacking the dishes while she listened to him talk. “I guess so. If you really want to.”
    â€œYes. The time goes by faster if you stay busy.”
    How right he was. Annie had learned that lesson early in a home where too much time on your hands only brought more teasing from older siblings.
    â€œSo how long were you two married?” she asked as she handed him a dish.
    â€œWe celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary right before…”
    Oops. “Four years?” she broke in hurriedly. “Boy, that’s so short a time. But you didn’t have any kids?”
    â€œNo.” The answer came slowly, almost as if it pained him just to admit it.
    Annie figured she’d managed to make one more mistake with her big, fat mouth. But never let it be said that she knew when to just shut up.
    â€œI’ll bet you two were so busy with your lives and being newlyweds that you