My Daring Seduction. Isabel Sharpe

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СКАЧАТЬ Denver’s arms loaded with dirty plates, her own carrying a tray of fresh drinks Justin had conjured in record time.

      “Surviving?” He looked at her the way he always did, like he was trying to see past the surface, dark eyes calm and thoughtful in spite of his hurried pace.

      “You bet.” She steadied the tray, unable to look away from him. “You?”

      “Fine. Seems like a good time all around.” He smiled and moved away. She let herself look after him for a few stolen seconds before she went to rejoin the party—and encountered her three smirking half sisters.

      “What?” She stopped cold, suddenly vulnerable and uncomfortable.

      “My, my. I haven’t seen that many sparks since the Fourth of July.” Joey took a sip of her drink and moved to Lindsay’s right.

      “Looked awfully warm in that part of the bar.” Katie moved to her left.

      “I’m sorry, what’s that puddle at your feet?” Brooke took the center position. “Could you by any chance be melting?”

      Busted. The blush came on full force and busted her even worse. “He’s my employee. Nothing more.”

      “Uh-huh.”

      “Right.”

      “Oh, sure.”

      “A damn good employee.” She stood her ground, pretty sure the battle was lost already. “One I don’t want to lose by doing any of the things you three are thinking.”

      “Oh, I don’t think quitting would be on his mind. It certainly wasn’t just now.” Joey nudged Brooke, who nudged Katie who nodded as if she’d received some important signal.

      Lindsay’s alarm bells started chiming. Her half sisters were lovely, well-bred women, all capable of deep mischief. Lindsay didn’t mind dishing it out, but like any control freak she didn’t like taking it. “Okay. What’s going on?”

      “Isn’t it nearly time for tonight’s Martini Dares?” Katie spoke way too casually.

      “Why I believe it is.” Joey took the tray from Lindsay. “I’ll deliver these. You’re needed front and center.”

      “You certainly are.” Brooke took Lindsay’s arm and led her over to the wooden box. “Do your stuff.”

      Lindsay took her place in front of the table facing the glittering, flashing-tiara-wearing revelers. Something wasn’t going to go according to plan tonight. Whatever the disruption, she hoped it was over soon and with minimal embarrassment.

      “Okay, ladies.” She waited for the alcohol-fueled chatter to respond to various “Shhs” circulating the room.

      “Happy Valentine’s Day and whatever else you’re celebrating in a loving or lusty way this month. We’ve reached that part of the evening where members of our group chosen by the nominating committee pick out a scroll from the sacred Dare Box. As always, we recite the rules first.” She pretended to unroll a parchment and held the invisible rules in front of her. “The members chosen for Martini Dares must be approved by a majority of the membership present. As you swore when you joined Martinis and Bikinis once you agree to pick a dare, there is no backing out. Period. Even quitting the group does not exempt you from your most serious obligation.”

      “Okay. Now.” She raised her arm high above her head. “Show of hands that you have heard and understood?”

      Hands shot in the air, including Tanya’s and Natalie’s, she was glad to see.

      “Then by the completely nonimportant authority vested in me by the Martinis and Bikinis organization, I announce that this month’s dares will be taken by Natalie….”

      She paused, to let the crowd react, and to wink at Natalie who had her hands clapped to her cheeks, laughing along with everyone else.

      Lindsay smiled. These women were such a bright spot in her life. “And second to pick her dare tonight is—”

      “Lindsay.” Three voices shouted her name as soon as she opened her mouth to call out Tanya’s.

      “What?” She whipped around to stare at Brooke, Joey and Katie.

      “Your turn tonight.” Brooke gestured to the box. “It’s time. Right ladies?”

      “I—” Lindsay’s response was drowned out by approximately thirty roars of Yes! “No, it’s not my turn.”

      “We say it is.” This from Katie accompanied by firm nods from Brooke and Joey.

      Lindsay forced herself to stay calm. “I’ve already pick—”

      “Overruled. Unanimously approved by the membership.” Lawyer Joey pointed sternly to the box. “Choose your fate.”

      Lindsay glanced frantically around the room. People might suspect, but no one knew for sure that the dares were planted. Tonight’s dares were all geared for shy girls like Natalie and especially Tanya dreaming of her new lab team member. If Lindsay chose a dare now she’d have to think up another one next month mild enough for Tanya but challenging enough to whoever else was nominated to pick since shy girls were admittedly in short supply in the group. Coffee and dinner were barely the stuff of Martinis and Bikinis legend.

      She opened her mouth to protest.

      “No buts,” Katie said.

      “Pick,” Joey ordered.

      “Go for it,” someone called out and the phrase echoed around the room.

      Lindsay sighed. Okay, fine. She had no trouble recognizing a lost cause when it was surrounding her, full of stubborn goodwill as this one was. So she’d pick the scroll, have a cuppa with Denver after work or add a sandwich and call it dinner, take a nighttime stroll or whatever else she’d put in the box and end it. Damn, she’d really wanted to help push Tanya toward some happiness.

      “Fine. I give in. Do I have to go first?”

      The crowd answered in no uncertain terms.

      Lindsay smiled and closed her eyes as Brooke led her to the box and guided her hand in among the ribbon-tied scrolls Lindsay had assembled in the wee hours of the morning. She groped briefly, aiming for the right corner, where the coffee date scrolls should be. “Got one.”

      Cheering, the crowd craned forward eagerly. Lindsay held the scroll teasingly aloft. “Anyone want to know what it says?”

      The resulting roar made her laugh. She unrolled the paper, prepared for the familiar words.

      They weren’t there.

      She read, read again, read a third time, her laughter choking into dread. Oh no.

      Her arms dropped. She looked up at her half sisters, each wearing a knowing grin, though Brooke’s was slightly anxious.

      They were onto her. They knew she planted the scrolls. Somehow they’d gotten to the box and had changed them to much bawdier СКАЧАТЬ