Read Online Damned If You Don't by Linda J. Parisi - Free Book Online

him lower the window. He told the driver to find the name of a national hotel chain, then closed the window again. “We’ve got another hour or so, why don’t you try to rest some more.”
    “Only if you tell me why you’re trying to be nice.”
    “Ouch! I guess I deserved that. You’ll have to let me know when I get out of the doghouse.”
    She gave him an evil smile. “You mean Chateau Bow-wow? It’s like Hotel California. Once you check in, you can never check out.”
    He grimaced. “I’ll remember that.”
     
    STARING AT HER was becoming a hard habit to break. And Jack knew that if he wasn’t careful, he wouldn’t just be teetering on the edge of a cliff. He would end up falling for her.
    Time to play the game his way. He was a master at seduction. He also knew how to do whatever he had to do to find the truth. Truth, justice, and the Andrew Jackson way.
    He turned his grimace into a deliberate smile, showing her he could be unfazed by her attitude.
    “What will you do when you can’t hate me anymore?”
    She sighed. She looked weary. They were both tired. “I don’t hate you, Jack.”
    “Good to know. But I’m being serious. BioClin feels they have every right to press charges. You work for them; the property is theirs. But you believe the work is yours. Did you sign a contract? Was there a nondisclosure agreement?”
    She gave him a long, pointed look. “Why are you asking?”
    “Just curious.”
    Of course he was lying, and they both knew that. He was more than curious.
    She answered after what felt like hours. “The nondisclosure agreement was in regards to leaking information to a competitor; it didn’t say anything about not letting anyone have it at all.”
    He sighed. She had a point. “So you’re basing your freedom and your career on semantics? Not a good idea.”
    “Sue me.”
    “Now there’s a thought I’m sure your employer has thought of.”
    “Too much bad publicity. They won’t.” She grinned, not a nice sight. “And you can stop the third degree. It won’t work. I’ll let you know when I’m damned good and ready.”
    That was great. Just wonderful. Because without answers, he was blind. With a sigh he said, “Get some sleep, kitten.”
    “Don’t call me kitten.”
    She settled back into the corner farthest away from him, which made him sad for a moment and then made him realize he was going to have to work harder. In order to get to the truth, since she wouldn’t answer him any other way, he was going to have to seduce her. Not an arduous task at all. Just dangerous.
    “What would you like me to call you, then?” he asked, trying hard to be patient. After all, they were both at fault.
    “Nothing. So stop being annoying.”
    Funny, but her anger only made him more determined than ever. Because if there was anything Jack hated, it was falling into someone else’s cesspool. But what really got to him was the thread of raw hurt underneath.
    “Who are you, Jackson Kent?”
    Obviously she didn’t realize she’d actually whispered the question out loud until she heard the words reverberate through the silence in the limousine.
    Jack reached out without realizing. A little too much too soon? To cover the action he answered, “A friend. More than a friend, I hope.”
    “You’ve got to be kidding me,” she cried in disbelief.
    He gave her a what-can-I-tell-you look. He hoped it would seem genuine. Most of it was. “It’s not just going to go away, you know.”
    “Touch me, and I’ll break your fingers.”
    Jack threw back his head and laughed. “Damn. I like you feisty.”
    “I don’t like you at all.”
    His chest shook with suppressed laughter. She was lying, and they both knew it. “By the way, just so you know. The driver thinks you’re cheating on your husband and that’s why the ride’s on the QT.”
    “You didn’t,” she whispered, her tone scandalized.
    He laughed out loud. “We really shouldn’t disappoint him, you know.”
    Shocked, she