Read Online Skin Walkers: Gauge by Susan A. Bliler - Free Book Online

She’d spent the better part of her night thinking about the way he had kissed her.  She’d realized too late that it was a ploy to get close to her, but it didn’t change the fact that it’d been one hell of a kiss.  Her wild imagination had gone further than that until she was squirming in bed trying to get herself to stop thinking about what it would be like to have him braced over her and driving into her hard and deep as he’d threatened.  She was an ingénue when it came to passion, but that fact hadn’t stopped her from having some highly inappropriate dreams about the sexy Walker in the other room.
    Standing, she took a fortifying breath and headed for his office.  Once inside, she intentionally left the door open.  Head down, and concentrating too hard on the pen and pad in her hands she attempted to sound aloof.  “What do you need, sir?”
    “Something’s come up.  We’ve got a business meeting we are both required to attend this evening.”
    The revelation had her head snapping up, “Oh!  But I can’t,” she was shaking her head as she pointed over her shoulder with her pen, “I’ve got to pick up Alysa from daycare.”
    Gauge’s eyes drank in the sight of her before it was his turn to drop his head and feign aloofness.  He began sorting a stack of papers on his desk.  “You’ll have to pick her up early and bring her with us.”
    “But, Mr. Alexander, I…”
    He didn’t let her finish, “Mr. StoneCrow is expecting both of us.”  He lifted his head to pin her with a grim expression.  “And both of us is what he’ll get.  Make your calls.  We’ll go up straight from the office at five.  You can leave at four-thirty to retrieve Alysa.  It should be plenty of time.”
    “Sir,” Ella’s tone was forceful, “she’ll need to eat first and…”
    “It’s a dinner meeting.  She’ll eat with us.”
    Ella stood staring at Gauge’s bent head as she attempted to formulate another argument.   She found none. “Anything else, sir?”
    “No,” he didn’t look up and she exited his office to call the daycare center and inform them that she’d be picking Alysa up early.

Chapter 10
    Alysa clamped onto Gauge’s hand while he gripped Ella’s elbow.  “Shall we?”
    Leaving their office, Ella couldn’t help but wonder if this is what it’d be like if she and Gauge were an item.  Every day, she’d retrieve Ella from day care and the trio would go for dinner before retiring to his suite.  She straightened her spine and tensed, not wanting to feel so comfortable in his presence.  When she tried to pull her elbow free, he permitted it, but only long enough to snatch Alysa up into one arm and securing the other around Ella’s waist.  She tried to inch away, but his strong fingers only curled over her hip and pulled her harder into him.  She would have voiced a protest if Alysa hadn’t been so close.
    Gauge led them to the elevator and Alysa clapped excitedly when he let her push the button that took them up to the penthouse .
    The top floor housed the Estates’ pub dubbed the Crow’s Nest, an enormous ball room, and a separate fine dining establishment that rivaled any in the state.  Gauge led them to the Crow’s Nest and Ella was relieved.  She didn’t want to chance having a rambunctious child in any elegant dining facility.
    Inside the pub, Gauge led them to one of the booths that lined the wall.  The pretty female behind the bar approached and laid out napkins.  “Welcome to the Crow’s Nest.  I’m Cindy.  Can I get you something to drink?”
    Gauge didn’t hesitate, “The pretty girl will have milk, I’ll take a glass of white merlot, and the lovely lady will have,” he turned to eye Ella expectantly.
    “Wine too, please,” she supplied, a little miffed that he’d order for Alysa without consulting her first.
    When Cindy left, Gauge smiled at Alysa, “Do you like milk?”
    Alysa nodded and reached for the salt and pepper shakers. 
    Ella’s