Read Online Under His Spell by Jade Lee, Kathy Lyons - Free Book Online Page B

restrained herself from stroking the fabric. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
    He laughed. The sound was sudden and startled her into opening her eyes. He stood right before her, his arms folded across his chest. His muscles bulged beneath his tee, and his eyes seemed to flicker as they reflected the wall sconce’s fake fire. “Wow, you have some bizarre ideas about hypnotism.”
    He grabbed an ottoman, set it directly in front of her, then plopped down on it. This close, she could see forearm muscles as they flexed. She’d always thought him kind of soft in high school, but that had obviously changed. In fact, a lot of things about him had changed, she thought as she mentally tabulated the cost of his toys. As a kid, his family had struggled financially. His dad was an electrician who drank beer, she recalled. A lot of beer. And his mom…well, she didn’t remember his mom doing much of anything. But obviously circumstances had changed.
    She’d looked him up on the Internet this morning and had been stunned by what she discovered. He was more than a good engineer. He was a brilliant engineer and a millionaire because of it. Add that to the changes in his physique and the fact that he could now talk about things other than Star Trek and calculus and…well, he was one appealing package.
    He interrupted her thoughts with a touch on her knee, one that brought her attention abruptly back to him. “First thing we have to do is get you to relax.”
    He’d touched her skin only for a split second, but it brought her flesh to burning alertness. “That’s so unlike me,” she abruptly confessed.
    He raised his eyebrows. “Composed, hyperaware of your surroundings, and a little skittish when nervous? You seem exactly like yourself to me,” he said softly.
    She frowned. “Is that how I seem to you? Is that how I was in high school?” He nodded.
    She shook her head. “I was on the top of the world in high school. Queen of my set, managed school and volleyball without a hitch.” She almost referred to her wrestling team boyfriend, but didn’t want to go there. She’d had lousy taste in guys in high school. After high school, too, for that matter. “Back then, I had everything under control. Or thought I did.”
    “And now?”
    “I am one careless mistake away from fired.”
    “That can’t be true.” His gaze scanned her corporate persona, from the tight bun all the way through her gray suit and black pumps. She undoubtedly looked as if she had it all together.
    “This is just a mirage,” she confessed. “Sure, I’m on the corporate fast track, but the better you perform, the more they expect of you. I’m the go-to girl for problems. I’m the go-to girl for—” she almost said layoffs, but stopped herself in time “—for restructuring. I’m the go-to girl for reports that make everything clear.”
    He blinked. “Wow. You’re the go-to schlub. Never expected that.”
    “What?”
    “You know, that person. That smart, overachieving schlub that everyone dumps whatever they can on. And the schlub gets it done. Which is why the schlub gets promoted, but also gets—”
    “The early heart attack—”
    “Or panic attacks.”
    “Touché. But not everyone can have a brilliant engineering idea, then sell it for zillions.” She leaned forward. “I looked you up. You made a fortune in just a few years.” He’d figured out some circuit board something that she didn’t even understand, but it was revolutionary. He’d built a company, then sold it eight months ago for an incredible amount of money. Now he did some consulting work and played amateur hypnotist on Thursday nights at his brother’s bar. “I always knew you were smart, but damn, Jimmy, you’ve done awesome.”
    “I’m no stranger to pressure, Nicky,” he said softly. “One year ago, I was on the verge of meltdown myself. It’s why I sold my company. I couldn’t hack it alone and was spending all my time on management—which I hated—rather