Read Online Strictly Business by Lisa Eugene - Free Book Online Page A

desire cloud his usually astute judgment.
    “Okay…” Wade lean ed in close and swore he could feel her breath blow over him like a warm breeze. “My case involves a sexy ER physician who allowed her patient to suffer from a serious case of blue balls.”
    “I think I know a treatment for that.”
    Nina watched his lips curl into a tantalizing grin, but since his phone call she’d sensed a contemplative edginess beneath his teasing demeanor, a barely noticeable distraction. As they made plans for later that evening, she couldn’t help feeling that his subtle change in mood was somehow related to her.
     
     
     
     

 
    CHAPTER  FOUR
     
     
    The old meeting place was a small eclectic restaurant located near the NYU college campus in the heart of the village. College students crowded the room in small groups smoking and drinking beer and complaining about one class or another, while several young couples lounged on billowy couches with their bodies entwined.
    Old and young from local business es made up the happy hour crowd and the social atmosphere was at a gregarious peak as customers gathered thick around the bar. Even though Wade towered over the crowd, he had to angle his way through to get to the restaurant area. He spotted Ben sitting at a small table in the corner under two large gothic candles. Wade had always liked this place because the loud rumble of voices drowned out conversation and a stranger could walk in to the restaurant without raising an eyebrow. Ben looked up and waved him over, a wide grin on his face as he looked at Wade’s arm in the sling.
    “So, which broad busted you up?”
    Wade sank into the wrought-iron chair that barely fit his large body and returned his friend’s wide grin.
    “I fell off a ladder.”
    “Oh, come on you can do better than that…I thought maybe that model you were dating roughed you up or something. Didn’t she like it that way?” Ben flicked the ashes of his cigarette into an ashtray and laughed noisily.
    “ Not my cup of tea. Sorry to disappoint you bud.” Wade thought about his last relationship. It had ended months ago. He’d dated a popular fashion model for a few months and found it funny that his friends seemed to get more of a kick out of the relationship than he did. He remembered dull conversations with a woman whose beauty went only as deep as the layers of cosmetics she’d spackled onto her skin. He almost laughed out loud at the thought of her roughing him up. She definitely liked being on the opposite end of that spectrum. He couldn’t help comparing her to Nina whose thoughtful eyes and sharp wit kept him revved with interest.
    A gum-chewing waitress appeared to collect Ben’s empty beer bottle and to take their drink order.
    “Read this.” Ben pushed an old newspaper clipping across the top of the metal table.
    Wade eyed Ben , but took the clipping and read. He’d only finished the first paragraph when he looked up with raised eyebrows. The piece was about a wealthy entrepreneur named Rob Lewis who’d donated a large sum of money to Washington Memorial hospital a year ago.
    “I don’t see the connection.” Wade shrugged.
    Ben puffed on his cigar ette and blew out a slow breath as Wade watched a cloud of smoke engulf his face. The weathered grooves of his rough countenance were evidence of his many years served in the military.
    “ You will. I came across some more of the fake MRI films,” Ben said.
    “How did you manage that?”
    “I was doing surveillance at Barton’s office when a delivery truck pulled up. I was curious because it didn’t go to the regular delivery entrance. It went to the entrance in the back. I followed the guy and for a few C notes he let me look at what he was delivering.”
    “MRIs.” Wade nodded knowingly. “How do you know though that they were altered ones?”
    “R.L.”
    “What?”
    “Remember Mr. Johnson’s MRI report had R.L imprinted on the back.”Wade nodded thoughtfully. They’d never