Read Online Moonlit Embrace by Lyn Brittan - Free Book Online

fingers and—”
    Kate threw her napkin on the table and straightened her pearl necklace. “That’s enough sharing for today.”
    “Kate—”
    “I said—”
    “Thank you for listening.”
    She wouldn’t quite call what Kate did a smile, but Lord it was beautiful to see. This was the type of relationship she’d longed to have with her sister. As equals. As friends.
    Kate pulled out a moist wipe and dabbed around her mouth. “Whatever. All right, you little hot box. Let’s get moving.”
    “I love you.”
    “I’m aware.”
    Kate didn’t swear half as much on the drive back and threw up her middle finger only once. She even used a non-screeching voice for most of the trip. Why hadn’t it always been this way between them?
    The truth of it hit her as they blew through a red light. Kate had treated her like a child, because she’d lived as a child. Kate protected what needed protecting. The problem wasn’t Kate. It was her! She turned to her sister and gave Kate’s arm a squeeze. “You don’t have to take care of me anymore.”
    “What? Because of Baron?”
    “Because of myself.”
    “Let go of my arm. And good answer.”
    They made it to the restaurant by mid-afternoon. The line of hopeful employees stood twelve people deep, baking in the sun with sweat darkening their collars. Baron caught her eye over an interviewee’s head and put her right to work. “I’ve got water bottles in the back. Can you pass them out?”
    “No problem.”
    “Thanks.” Then he turned to her sister. “Hey, Maleficent, I need you too.”
    “My name is Kate, you ungrateful—”
    Johanna aborted her mission to stop whatever fight was about to start, but she caught Baron handing her sister a sheet of paper. “Kate, I need you to call in the next applicant.”
    “I’m not your secretary. I’m only here because—”
    “I’m not asking you to be. I am, however, begging you to weed through these applicants. Something tells me you’re good at crushing dreams.” He dodged a swing and kept on talking. “I’m opening up sooner than planned. I’m not asking for your advice, just a little help. For this first round of hires, I need staff who already know how to handle people and work the point of sales system.”
    “Don’t look at me like I know what that is.”
    “Please? Do you want me to beg?”
    “It’ll help.”
    Johanna started to step in again, but before she could, Baron dropped to one knee and Kate snatched the sheet from his hand.
    Of course he wouldn’t let his pride get in the way of what needed to be done. Bless him.
    Kate barked out a name. One small, mousy man stepped from the line. The poor guy’s smile wilted under her sister’s scrutiny. It was almost too painful to watch and she turned away.
    As the sun began its descent hours later, they were all dragging on their feet. Work hadn’t stopped at hiring. The furniture company, eager to keep Kate happy, had half of the goods delivered by the end of the day with promises of the rest within the next three. Baron made good use of the new help, keeping two of the waiters behind to start early and assist with the setup. As a thank you and introduction, he cooked the group a feast so mouthwatering that he left no room for even Kate to complain.
    Not that she didn’t try.

Chapter Nine
    “M aybe if I don’t move, it won’t be Monday.”
    Johanna kept her eyes cinched shut and her hand resting on top of the furry chest she’d fallen asleep on last night. This vacation had been too short. Even though she’d spent the last few days of it working on her apartment or his restaurant, she loved it. She couldn’t help but worry that with the end of it, so too would end the magic she and Baron had created here. “I’ll miss this.”
    The chest beneath her rumbled with husky laughter. “You kicking me out? Use me up, then toss me away?”
    “Baron—”
    “Begging for crumbs of your attention.”
    She flicked his nipple. “I love how normal and