The Prince of Pleasure Read Online Free PDF

relaxed evening.
    Goodbye, Laurel Cruz.
    She was out of his head, gone for good, and in case there was the slightest danger she wasn't, she certainly would be, after tonight.
    What a relief.
     
    ********
     
    Not very far away, in a luxury condo off Turtle Creek, Caleb and Jake Wilde stepped onto the long, wide terrace that wrapped around Travis's condo.
    Casually-dressed people stood in small groups, laughing, talking, munching on goodies, drinking wine and beer. Classic rock poured from hidden speakers.
    The brothers headed for Travis, who was tending the coals of a charcoal fire because, they all agreed, that was the only kind real Texans believed in.
    "Good party," Jake said.
    Travis nodded. "We aim to please."
    Caleb peered at the bed of coals. "Too many briquettes."
    "You do it your way, I'll do it mine."
    "You never could take a little constructive criticism." Caleb took an olive from a small bowl on a nearby table. "Did you speak to Khan?"
    The briquettes were starting to glow. Travis gave them a poke with a long-handled fork.
    "I left a message on his cell."
    "But you warned him, right?" Jake handed Travis an open bottle of ale. "You said that Laurel was coming tonight?"
    "Thanks. No, I didn't warn him. I just asked him to call me."
    Caleb frowned. "Maybe you should have said more than that."
    "It'll be okay. He'll call any second now and I'll clue him in, tell him she's here and, if he wants, I'll give him a call after she leaves. I'm pretty certain he won't want to see her."
    "Damned right," Jake said. "She's the one started all the trouble the other night, not Khan. He was ticked, but he was absolutely the innocent party." He picked up a cracker piled with something brown from a tray, gave it a look filled with suspicion. "What is this stuff?"
    "I'm not sure. Amy brought it. I think it's some kind of eggplant thing."
    Jake aimed the cracker at a trash container, wiped his hand on the seat of his jeans.
    "That's what you get for dating a vegan."
    "She's not a vegan, she's a vegetarian."
    "Same difference. Stick with the meat-eaters, is my motto."
    "He doesn't stick with anybody," Caleb said, picking up a long fork and jabbing it at the coals. "You know our Travis. Four weeks, six if he's really enjoying himself, and then it's adios."
    "That's ridiculous," Travis said, elbowing Caleb out of the way. "I'm a bachelor, is all, same as the both of you. Variety is the spice of life."
    "Indeed," Jake said, flashing a smile at a stunning brunette who blew him a kiss from the tips of her fingers. "But Caleb's right. You should have told him."
    "Told who what?"
    The brothers looked around. Khan looked back at them.
    "Hell," Jake said softly and then, with artificial good cheer, "Khan. My man. Good to see you."
    Khan looked from one Wilde to the other.
    "What did I miss?"
    "Nothing," Caleb said quickly.
     Jake glared at his brothers. Then he leaned toward Khan.
    "Laurel Cruz will be here tonight."
    Khan blinked. He thought of widening his eyes and saying, Who? but what would have been the point?
    "I didn't invite her," Travis said. "Why would I? After the other night, I'd be happy if I never saw her again. But the senator called me said he wanted to get some papers to you."
    "Then, why didn't he?" Khan said in a tone even he knew was sharp. He took a breath. "I mean, he never contacted me."
    "I told him he could call you. Or have them delivered to your hotel. He said he wouldn't have them ready until this evening and I said, fine, he could have them couriered here, to my place."
    "And Laurel Cruz is his idea of a courier service?"
    Travis shrugged.
    "I had no idea he was sending her until he phoned a little while ago. I tried calling you, man. I figured I'd tell you to stay put until she showed up, dropped off whatever she's supposed to drop off, and left."
    "If you knew she'd be here, what did 'no pressure' mean?"
    "That you didn't have to run into each other. You can, I don't know, you can hang out in my study. Or