Read Online The Sweetest Deal by Mary Campisi - Free Book Online

her jacket closer, took a step back until she touched the wall.
    “Prove you’re not afraid to be feminine, that you can defrost yourself enough to step out of that ice cube you live in.” He scanned her suits and landed on the tiny pin-striped black one. “Here. Put this on.”
    C.C. scowled at him and grabbed the suit. She started toward the bathroom and paused. “Would you grab me the black shell that goes underneath this? It’s on the far right.”
    “Nope. That’s how you’re going to wear it.”
    “But I can’t.”
    “Can’t or won’t?” She clamped her mouth shut and shot him a venomous look. “Good. We’ll stop at the mall and grab a belt to cinch in the waist. Hurry now, like a good girl, we’re running behind. And if you want to show real fearlessness, wear your hair long.”
    Two hours later, Max wished he’d kept his big mouth shut and let C.C. stick with her boring suit, pinned-up hair, and chilly demeanor. From the second they’d set foot on the marble parquet at the Ritz, a huge segment of the male attendees had descended upon her like swarming bees, vying for attention and introductions.
    C.C. handled it well, he’d give her that. The hand shaking and laughing hadn’t stopped since the first introduction. She didn’t need Max to navigate her through these waters; she could do it without a map or a paddle.
    And if that half-drunk, liver-eyed president of Rostel Development tried to peek down C.C.’s jacket one more time, Max swore he’d take the guy out.
    “Isn’t she stunning?”
    Max turned toward the tall, distinguished gentleman beside him. “Yes. Stunning.” And he was the one who encouraged the little butterfly to shed her cocoon.
    “I’ve known Catherine since she was a young girl,” the man said. “Bad bit of business two years ago. Glad to see she’s past it.”
    “Yes, she’s past it.” What business?
    “Grayson was very concerned, as any father would be. Poor child, losing her mother and then the other.” He sighed and sipped his drink. “Now she can get on with her life. Would you be the one to thank for that, young man?”
    Max hedged. “She’s a strong woman. I can’t take credit for that.”
    “Ah, no, of course not, though I’ve seen the way you’ve been watching her. You seem the honest type. Catherine won’t trust the wrong man twice.”
    With that, the man nodded and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Max to ponder C.C.’s past and what or who was behind the bad bit of bad business the man referred to. It was well past midnight when C.C. finally said goodbye to her bevy of new admirers, Max cutting off two persistent middle-aged men who insisted C.C. accompany them for a nightcap. Not very likely. She might have agreed if Max hadn’t clasped her hand and hurried her outside, into his rental car. Did she really think they gave a damn about her interest in eco-friendly building materials?
    “Thank you, Max,” she said, as he pulled out of the parking lot. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She kicked off her heels and sighed.
    Max glanced at the woman beside him. This was the C.C. he’d met on the plane, the one who’d been hiding from him since she walked into her father’s office a few weeks ago. Confident. Sensual. Entrancing. Maybe three gin and tonics helped, but this was who she really was, who she wanted to be—he sensed it. Why was she so damned afraid of just being herself? And who the hell had hurt her so bad?
    “Max?”
    “What?”
    “Are you mad at me?” She reached over and fluffed his hair. “Don’t be mad, Max. Mad Max.” She giggled. “You don’t look like Mel Gibson, but I could so see you in one of those armor suits swinging a battle ax.” Giggle, giggle. “Mad Max Jerrnigan and the Thunderdome,” she said in a deep voice. “Sexy.” She shimmied against the leather seat and closed her eyes. “Sexy Max. Sexy, sexy Max. Hmmm.” She sighed. “Sex. Max. Sex. Hmmm.”
    Max gripped the steering wheel and