Read Online Lust - 1 by Robin Wasserman - Free Book Online Page A

and was wal ed by floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the wide desert expanse. Kaia’s father had flown in an architect and designer from Manhattan, and the two had guaranteed that every detail—from the moldings to the banister of the spiral staircase, from the towels in the pool house to the sterling silver cocktail shaker on the ful y stocked bar—worked in concert, creating a pristine world in which everything had its place. (Everything except Kaia, of course, who hadn’t been prescreened and careful y selected for her ability to match the wal paper
    —and, mainly out of spite, never used a coaster.)
    Pool table, hot tub, open bar, an inside glimpse into the lifestyles of the very rich if not so famous? It was an offer even Harper couldn’t refuse.
    After al the oohing and aahing had ended—quicker than might be expected, since Adam had already seen the place from the outside and he’d had plenty of time to imagine what wonders the inside might hold; Kane’s excitement was rarely roused by anything he couldn’t smoke, drink, or snort; Harper would rather have died than admit even a fraction of the awe and envy that struck her as she stepped through the doorway, and Miranda loyal y fol owed Harper’s lead—they got down to work. Almost.
    “So, what’s this I hear about a hot tub?” Kane asked, sauntering through the large living room and pausing before one of the oversized windows that looked out over the pool deck.
    Harper cleared her throat in exasperation and waved her notebook in the air. “Forget the hot tub, Kane—we’ve got work to do. Remember?” Kane spun around to face the room, a slow grin creeping across his face. “Yeah, yeah, work beforeadviser,” Adam play,” he al owed. “But …” He strode to the edge of the room and squeezed himself behind the mahogany bar. “Rum and Cokes before work—don’t you think?” He cocked an eyebrow in Kaia’s direction—the closest Kane ever got to asking permission.
    “Be my guest,” she said, shrugging. “That’s what it’s there for.”
    “Harper?” Kane asked, brandishing an empty glass at her and temptingly dangling a bottle of rum over its rim.
    Harper sighed and tossed her notebook down on one of the leather couches. “Okay Fil ’er up.”
    She was only human, after al .
    Delighting in his favorite role, Kane began to dole out the drinks—vodka cranberry for Miranda, beer for Adam, dry martini for Kaia, and, of course, rum and Coke for Harper.
    Final y, Kane poured himself a glass of single-malt scotch, then stepped out from behind the bar and suggested they get started. He was already getting bored.
    “So Beth’s definitely not coming?” Miranda asked, catching Harper’s look and trying not to laugh as her eyes practical y rol ed out of their sockets.
    Adam shook his head. “She’s got some meeting for the school paper,” he said, frowning. “She told me to say she was sorry she couldn’t help out, though.”
    “Now, how could I begrudge her when she’s devoting her time to the worthy cause of Haven High investigative journalism?” Harper asked.
    Miranda and Kaia snorted in sync.
    “I’m on the paper,” Miranda commented. “There was no meeting scheduled for today.”
    “Some one-on-one thing with her and the new adviser,” Adam explained. “To discuss the ‘new direction’ or something.”
    “One-on-one with Jack Powel ? Lucky bitch,” Miranda sighed.”! guess there’s some benefit to being editor in chief after al .”
    “Hear that, Adam? Looks like you’ve got some competition,” Kane smirked. “And from what I hear, you and James Bond aren’t even playing in the same league.”
    “Whatever,” Adam growled. “Can we just get started?”
    Harper perched on an ottoman at the end of the room and pul ed out a checklist. She loved being in charge, al eyes on her. (And she was studiously ignoring the fact that two pairs of those eyes kept darting glances over to a certain raven-haired beauty at