Temptation in Shadows Read Online Free PDF Page A

desperate and easy. The guy could get anyone he wanted, including the lovely Bentley. “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I said yes.”
    “So you said no? Are you crazy?”
    Not Gabby’s favorite question. “Yeah, I told him no.”
    Her irritation must have oozed through her voice, because Bentley’s cheeks leached of color. “Are you interested in someone else, then?”
    “No.”
Yes.
Part of her wanted to confide in Bentley, to tell all. But trust did not come easily to her, no matter how benign the topic. Even the smallest details could be used against you.
    Where was Sean, anyway?
    She hadn’t seen him all night. But sometimes she would have sworn he was watching her, his electric blues boring into her, taking her measure . . . wanting. Probably wishful thinking on her part. Men just didn’t look at her like that. Not plain little Gabby who didn’t have a lot of curves and was merely cute on her best days.
    She sighed. She’d dreamed about him every night since meeting him. Dreamed of him walking from the shadows in her bedroom, standing over her, and reaching out, smoothing the hair from her face. His skin was always hot, like a brand, his fingers callused.
    He liked to murmur to her, soft, soothing things she couldn’t decipher. Once he’d even brushed his lips over hers. She’d moaned in pleasure, but he’dtorn away from her rather than press his weight into her and give her what she craved. Him. Only him.
    She scanned the club, through the masses and around the tables, but there was still no sign of him. Disappointment filled her. He was supposed to be guarding the place and the employees, right? Why wasn’t he?
    God, she had it bad.
    “Something wrong?” Bentley asked. “You’re frowning.”
    “Oh.” Damn it! Caught mooning. “No, nothing’s wrong.”
    “You sure?”
    “Yep.”
    Bentley shook her head as if trying to dissolve a troublesome thought, then lifted her notepad. “Well, I guess I should get back to work,” she said, and strode to the tables in back to take orders.
    Gabby gathered up her tray and headed in the opposite direction. She stopped at one of the side tables, this one surrounded by drunk twentysomethings. One by one she placed their beers in front of them.
    When she released the last one, someone grabbed her wrist and tugged her forward. Without her arms to stop her momentum, she tumbled into the lap of the man closest to her. He laughed and snaked his arms around her, holding her captive. The tray clattered to the floor.
    Everyone else at the table laughed as well.
    Gabby ground her teeth in annoyance. “Let me go,” she said as calmly as she was able.
    “But I like you where you are,” her captor said. “And admit it: you want to be here. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have thrown yourself at me.”
    That earned several more chuckles.
    Just as Gabby latched onto his thumb and shoved it backward, toward his wrist, the man howling in pain, she saw Sean step to the table. He was scowling.
    “There a problem here?” he demanded, his voice hard as steel.
    Gabby popped to her feet, heart racing, and released the man’s thumb. “No,” she said, hating the way her voice shook. Sean probably thought she was scared, but she wasn’t. She’d dealt with men like that her entire life and knew how to handle them. She was excited, despite the fact that she might get fired for her actions.
    Finally, Sean was with her again.
    To her surprise, he smelled like mint and evening primrose. The floral fragrance should have been feminine, but on him it was delectably masculine, and she found herself breathing deeply.
    “Hell, yes, there’s a problem,” the man growled, jumping up. Though he wavered on his feet, he glared down at her. “You broke my thumb, bitch.”
    Gabby returned his glare with one of her own. “And you sexually harassed me, you son of a bitch.” She moved to flatten her palms on his chest and shove him back into his chair, but he was already out of reach.
    Sean