Read Online Tempting by Susan Mallery - Free Book Online Page B

dollars for nearly every kind of campaign.”
    â€œWe can still make a difference, either on a local and individual basis, or nationally and globally.”
    He was serious. She hadn’t expected that.
    â€œI’m getting worried,” she admitted. “I don’t want to have to like you.”
    â€œI’m totally charming.”
    â€œNot to me.”
    â€œIt’s a subtle charm.”
    â€œApparently.”
    Eddie appeared with the bottle of wine. After he opened it, she hesitated, as if not sure who would do the tasting. Alex gestured to Dani. “Please. It’s your party.”
    She nodded at Eddie, who poured her a sample. Dani swirled, inhaled, then tasted. “Excellent,” she said. “Thanks.”
    Eddie poured, then left.
    Alex sipped the wine. “Nice,” he said.
    â€œI like it.” She eyed him. She had a feeling she knew the reason for his visit. So did his friendliness mean she was Mark’s daughter or not?
    â€œYou’re being nice, in a twisted kind of way,” she said, deciding there was no reason to be subtle. “It’s been two days. You have the results. I’m trying to decide how your presence here and attempts to get to know me figure into things.”
    His humor faded. “It’s a match. You’re Mark Canfield’s daughter.”
    Dani set down her wineglass and braced herself for a flood of emotion. There wasn’t any. Not elation or happiness or even an internal “golly wow.” There was nothing.
    â€œOkay,” she said slowly, wondering if the feelings were going to be delayed. “Good to know.”
    â€œAre you going to the press?”
    The blunt, almost rude question didn’t surprise her. This was the Alex Canfield she remembered.
    â€œWhat do you think?” she asked. “You’ve had plenty of time to delve into my background, interview my friends and tap my phone. Am I going to the press?”
    She couldn’t read his dark eyes. His body language was relaxed as he took a sip of the wine. He could have been mulling over how his stock portfolio had performed that day, or developing a way to murder her and leave her body in the woods.
    How did this impact him? He was Mark Canfield’s oldest son…by adoption. She was Mark’s biological child. Did Alex have any feelings about that? Did he resent her or wasn’t she significant enough to generate emotion?
    â€œYou have money, or at least access to it,” Alex said at last. “So that’s not why you came looking for the senator. I don’t think it was for publicity, either.”
    â€œGrudging, but there it is,” she murmured as she took a slice of bread and spread on garlic butter. “Acceptance. I’m touched. Deeply. I might even tear up.”
    â€œI have reason to be suspicious,” he told her. “Your timing, for one thing.”
    â€œI contacted the senator within days of finding out he might be my father.”
    â€œSo you say.”
    She sighed. “I like you better when you’re not assuming the worst about me.”
    â€œDo you know what a scandal could do to the campaign?” he asked. “How you could destroy everything we’ve been working toward?”
    She tilted her head. “If I’m just in it for notoriety, don’t I have a built-in reason for wanting to keep the news to myself? Wouldn’t I have more fun with Daddy as president?”
    â€œInteresting logic.”
    â€œI’m an interesting person.”
    He shrugged. “So it seems.”
    Okay— that was unexpected. Was it possible that, despite everything, dragon-boy liked her? She found herself warming to the thought.
    She leaned toward him. “Admit it. You might have been wrong about me. I just might be an okay person.”
    â€œMaybe.”
    â€œProbably.”
    â€œI’ll accept that.”
    He shook his head and grinned. “You’re not