Conflict of Interest Read Free

evening,“ he observed a little too blandly.
    „Amanda Bryant is a friend of mine. She’s worked very hard to make this reception a success for her husband. His career is involved tonight. You have the power to turn this party into a front-page embarrassment for him. Do you really want to do that?“
    Lang frowned, leaning forward slightly to study her upturned face. „Gwen,“ he declared carefully, „is supposed to be helping me celebrate tonight. I shall merely go up the stairs, fetch her, and leave.
    If you keep people from coming out into the hall, there will be no one to see my grand exit,“ he added helpfully.
    „Don’t be ridiculous. Gwen’s not about to leave quietly and her ex-husband is very likely to assist your grand exit by throwing you down the stairs!“

    The bronze-green eyes glittered with promise. „Why don’t you wait right there and see who comes down these stairs and in what condition!“
    „It will be you first because Aaron hasn’t been drinking as much as you have,“ Kali said coolly. This was a bit risky but the goal was to shift his attention from Aaron and Gwen to herself. Prodding him might be a way to do that.
    Lang looked at her as if trying to decide how to deal with this unexpected and puzzling intrusion into his evening. „You’ve been counting my drinks?“
    „Scotch on the rocks with a twist. Several of them,“ Kali murmured pleasantly.
    „I’ll be damned,“ he whistled soundlessly. „You’ve been spying on me.“
    „I like to know something about people before I offer them great sums of money,“ she retorted smoothly. Her copper-colored nails moved with unconscious anticipation on the top of the newel. He was definitely changing the focus of his attention. All she had to do was keep playing him properly and he would be putty in her hands.
    „What else do you know about me?“ he demanded softly.
    „Come down those stairs and drive me home. I’ll tell you,“ she suggested coolly.
    It was his turn to arch a dark russet brow. „You’re offering to take Gwen’s place for the evening?“ he shot back easily.
    „Not quite,“ Kali smiled, unperturbed. „I want to talk business with you this evening. There will be plenty of other women who will be happy to help you, uh, celebrate. My only interest is in seeing that you celebrate the right deal.“
    „A deal with you. Who the hell are you?“
    „My name is Kali Havelock. I represent Interactive Automation, Inc.“ She stated the facts with calm assurance.
    „IAI picked you to seduce me?“ he muttered in evident disbelief.
    „Someone must have been crazy. A little research would have turned up the fact that I like blondes!“
    Kali refused to rise to the obvious bait. He was deliberately trying to provoke her and she knew it. The man might be a genius in robotics but she was the one who knew all about handling people.
    „I’m a vice-president at IAI, not a hired prostitute. I wish to discuss business with you, not seduce you.“ She smiled brilliantly in the glow of the chandelier. „You needn’t worry, Mr. Sterling, you’re no more my type than I am yours. But I think you’ll find what I have to say most interesting. When you’ve concluded your deal with IAI you’ll be able to attract any number of Gwens. Even a few, perhaps, who won’t be encumbered with ex-husbands.“
    „You are trying to seduce me!“ he accused. „With money!“
    „Business.“ Kali shrugged.
    He grinned wickedly. „IAI will still be willing to do business with me tomorrow morning. There’s no reason I can’t finish what I started tonight. Give me a call tomorrow, Kali Havelock. Any woman who knows what I drink will have my phone number.“ He moved as if to continue on up the stairs. „Just make sure you don’t phone too early in the morning,“ he added vengefully. „I intend to sleep late!“
    „What?“ she mocked quickly, momentarily worried she might have mismanaged him. „Sleeping in late with tonight’s