Taken by Chance Read Online Free PDF Page A

“I
meant…shit, Lena, no, I haven’t seen any pictures. I have no idea what happened
to you, but if it messed you up this bad, it must have been terrible. I’m not
going to see them, either. You tell me about when you’re ready, but as far as
I’m concerned, you’re just the girl next door, you understand?”
    They had stopped
under the trellis that covered the walk from the garage to the main building,
and the warm California light was falling on her face in shifting patterns,
twisting and turning in the slight breeze coming in off the water. Every time
he looked at her, she was more beautiful. He was twisting up inside, just
trying to keep himself from thinking about how much more beautiful she’d be
when she came, pissed at himself for having a dirty mind with a woman who’d already
been sexually violated once this week. That was the last goddamn thing she
needed.
    He was determined
to be the good guy this time. He’d have to be all Dom with her. See how she
reacted to what was going on inside, and take it from there.
    “The girl next
door,” she said, with a kind of sad smile. “I’ll take it.”
    “Was that one of
your questions?” he said, unable to help himself. He wanted to see that pure
smile again.
    “No, you don’t get
off that easy.”
    She had to use the
phrase “get off?” Chance shook his head, and it was just as ineffectual as the
last time. “Wouldn’t have it any other way. Look, let’s at least get inside,
then you can grill me all you want.”
    Lena looked at him.
“I will.”

 
     
    chapter 3
     
    Lena tried not to
pry, as a general rule, but this was the new Volare club. Everyone wanted in,
nobody knew would be in and who would be out, and here she was.
    It was amazing.
The club must have bought six lots, all contiguous, maybe more, and turned the
whole thing into a walled compound. Some of the houses had
been rebuilt , some had been torn down . There
were landscaped gardens and water features, a pool, a hot tub—Lena’s mind
lingered there for a while—a spa, hammocks swinging in the trees, all of
it shielded from outside view. The whole place looked absolutely blissful, and
she hadn’t even been inside yet.
    And Chance…
    The man’s presence
just overrode every rational thought in her brain. It was like she kept
slipping into the moment when he was around, forgetting what was going on in
her life, just enjoying herself. And then with a start she’d remember, and she
didn’t know whether to be suspicious or embarrassed or…well, turned on.
    Whenever he gave
an order—and they were definitely orders—she was positively turned
on.
    She couldn’t help
it. She doubted any woman in her position would be able to keep her head
straight, but she wasn’t most women . She knew better
than most how risky it was to trust anyone.
    Yet she could feel
herself looking, searching, yearning for a reason to trust this man.
    Totally
nuts.
    “You ok?” he said
again. He was holding the door open for her. She must be such a distracted
mess.
    “Just grand,” she
said, and stepped inside.
    Holy…
    She had expected
something serene and private. Instead they had just entered a great room that
was buzzing with activity. There were dozens of people running around, clearing
out furniture, setting up giant sculpture lights that looked
like…sea creatures, maybe? It looked like every crazed party planning
process she’d ever seen. Like a wedding, only with a lot less lace and a lot
more leather.
    Oh my. What was that contraption?
    Lena looked at
him. “Dude.”
    Chance laughed
again. She loved to hear it—it was like warm gravel, somehow. She didn’t
even know what that meant. He was actually making her lose it.
    He said, “Yeah,
this stuff isn’t really my thing. I’m more about the actual party.”
    She could imagine. Do NOT look back at that equipment.
    “I didn’t know you
guys had opened, officially.”
    “We haven’t.
Tomorrow night’s a special preview for special