Read Online Trust No One by Diana Layne - Free Book Online Page B

be best.”
    “Then I’ll have to read her a bedtime story.”
    He frowned. “Now look.”
    “We can talk more freely when she’s asleep.”
    “Are you sure that’s the only reason?”
    She narrowed her eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “I don’t know. Your keeping me here so long makes me think you want to sleep with me.” He couldn’t help goading her, curious how she’d react.
    “You wish.” Then a sly look entered her eyes. “Unless . . . ? If I do, will you leave me alone?”
    “You know the answer to that.” It was the only reason she made such a ridiculous offer—she knew she wouldn’t have to keep it. Too bad.
    “Well. . . if you can’t be persuaded. . .” She paused and let her gaze run over him. When her eyes came back to his, he held her stare, carefully hiding any urge to pant at the thought of her naked and writhing–
    “Then forget it,” she finished abruptly.
    “Guess that’s settled then.” He took his time when he cut off another bite of steak, put it in his mouth and chewed. He waited until he swallowed before he said, “Of course, you’ll never know what you’re missing.”
    She choked on her drink. “I’ll survive,” she said between coughs.
    “You sure?” He leaped to his feet to whack her back which only managed to thoroughly distress Angelina.
    “Momma, momma!”
    MJ knocked his hand away. “I’m all right, sweetie,” she cooed. “Change subjects,” she said with a pointed look to him.
    “I’m all out of things to talk about.”
    “Yes, I’m familiar with the one track mind of men. Makes it decidedly hard...um difficult to have an intelligent discussion.”
    “Wait just a–”
    “Never mind.” She cut him off. “Just eat.” Her next bite looked as if she were enjoying the food much less.
    All too soon, the silence stretched long, making Ben crave a drink with a surprising intensity. Surprising because it hadn’t been that long since he’d hit the bottle. It hadn’t been more than . . . he frowned. He couldn’t remember how long it had been. Not good. Jeff was right to drag him out of his bottle-intensified self-pity.
    He deliberately pulled his mind into focus before it became lost in a daydream of remembered fuzziness. “Glad to see you’re still staying in shape.”
    One eyebrow raised high. “What brought that out of nowhere?”
    “You’re either still working out or someone picked a fight with you.”
    She frowned, then the light dawned. “Oh, my eye.”
    “It’s more noticeable here.”
    “Thanks so much. Every woman loves having her flaws pointed out to her.” She took a bite. “I used make up at work so I wouldn’t scare off the customers.”
    He thought her prickly attitude could scare the customers off easier than a black eye, but decided not to comment on his observation. Besides, it might only be him she was prickly with. Or maybe it went with the territory when your boyfriend tried to take you out. Ben searched for something more to say. “I like your hair longer, looks good on you.”
    Both eyebrows lifted this time. “You have some obsession with my looks or what?”
    Yeah, or what? Why was he focusing so damned much on her looks? He scrambled for some way to answer, decided on the truth. “I’m a man. Studying beautiful women is what men do.”
    “Oh, please. My b.s. meter is going off.”
    “I don’t know what you mean. I’m sincere. Your hair was shorter . . . um, in the picture I had.” Good recovery, he told himself, then added, “I like it this--”
    “Picture? Where did you–” With narrowed eyes, it only took her a moment to figure it out. “They gave you a dossier on me?”
    “You think they’d send me out here without any information?”
    “I don’t see why they sent you at all. I’m not going to help,” she snapped.
    Angelina squirmed and fussed at her tone.
    “Is this an unpleasant subject we should discuss later?” he reminded her.
    She glared at him. “It’s okay, Angel,