The Seduction Request Read Online Free PDF Page A

getting old.
    The doorbell rang and she rose from her seat, grabbing the ten-dollar bill for the pizza from the coffee table on her way to the door. Money in hand, she pulled the door open, but it wasn’t the pizza guy standing outside her apartment. It was Matt.
    And she’d be damned if her traitorous heart didn’t lift a little at the sight of him. That cocky grin he always wore told her he was up to no good.
    She leaned on the doorjamb, trying her best to look annoyed while her lips itched to return the smile. His hair was damp, his chin freshly shaved, and the clean scent of soap and shampoo begged “notice me!” Drops of rain spotted his muscle shirt, drawing her attention to the impressive width of his shoulders and the definition in his biceps and arms.
    Something hot and feminine stirred deep inside her.
    She conjured up her best annoyed voice. “Are you stalking me?”
    From behind his back he produced a large pizza. “If you won’t come to dinner with me, I bring dinner to you.”
    â€œI’m not hungry,” she lied, and as if on cue, her stomach gave a hollow moan.
    â€œYour stomach disagrees.” Matt lifted the lid and peeked inside. “Pepperoni, sausage, bacon—you sure you don’t want a slice?”
    â€œHow did you know…wait a minute, that’s my pizza! You rat! You stole my dinner.”
    The grin widened, his dimple winking adorably. “I paid for it, so it is technically mine now. But I’d be willing to share it with you.”
    â€œIs there anything you won’t do to get what you want?”
    â€œThat depends on what I want.” The simmering look in his eyes, his smoldering tone, warmed her all the way through to her bones. He didn’t even seem to be doing it on purpose. It was as if oozing sex appeal came naturally. Effortlessly.
    She crossed her arms over her chest. “How did you even know where I live?”
    â€œCIA.”
    â€œThat’s very funny.”
    â€œIt’s classified. If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you.”
    She glared at him, tapping her foot.
    â€œAll right, I asked your brother.” He lifted the box lid. “Hmm, smells delicious.”
    Her mouth watered as the scent wafted her way. She’d skipped lunch so she was beyond starving and there was next to nothing edible in the refrigerator.
    â€œAnother minute and you’re going to be drooling, Em.”
    This was so unfair. He knew how much she loved pizza.
    â€œFine, you can stay.” She stepped back and held the door open. Only then did she realize she was wearing her baggy pajama bottoms and the University of Michigan T-shirt with the paint splatters on the front. Like he would even notice.
    Or care.
    Matt stepped inside, gazing around her one-room flat.
    â€œIt’s small, but I like it that way,” she automatically explained. She had no idea why she felt the need to justify her living conditions to him. Although it might have had something to do with her mother’sconstant, “Why don’t you get a real apartment, Emily,” or “If you can’t afford a decent place to live, why don’t you move back home with us?” As if that would ever happen. Emily would be hauled away in a straitjacket inside of a week.
    â€œI have closets bigger than this,” Matt said, then cringed and added, “I didn’t mean that like it sounded. I’m just thinking how ridiculous it is that I have so much stuff I need closets the size of an apartment.”
    He looked so disturbed by the idea, she had to wonder if maybe he wasn’t quite as egotistical as she’d thought. Or maybe he was only pretending to be like the old Matt. The question was, why? What could he possibly want from her? Was it possible that he really did want to be her friend?
    â€œWhen I signed my first pro deal, I had money for the first time in my life,” Matt said. “I swear all I did that