Desire Part Two (The Desire Series Book 2) Read Free Page B

and apparently nor was Whit. He was sending Dana there to straighten things out. But she could hardly believe Whit wanted her to manage the Edelston project. Working on this project in Aruba was a dream of a lifetime.
    “Why me?” she asked.
    “Why not you? I need the best on this assignment and that would be you. Are you ready for it? Or is it more than you can handle?” he asked.
    He was challenging her and Maddie never turned down a challenge.
    “Of course I want to do it. After seeing my enthusiasm for the project, how could you doubt it?” she asked.
    “I need to be sure. There can be no hiccups or mistakes. Edelston is too important,” Whit warned.
    “There will be no mistakes. I will make sure of it,” Maddie said confidently.
    “Good,” he said. He sniffed the air. “What’s that I smell? Is it burning?”
    “Oh my God!” Maddie said as she ran into the kitchen.
    She snatched a pot holder from a wall hook and quickly moved the soup to an idle burner. She turned off the burner where the soup had set and picked up a wooden spoon to stir the soup.
    “I caught it just in time. Thanks for your keen nose,” she said as she smiled at him.
    Whit was struck by the transformation her smile caused. He had known that she was beautiful but her smile gave her an angelic stunning loveliness. Did she realize the power she held in her smile? She could have any man she wanted and he would walk on scorching coals if that’s what it took to please her. He normally would assess that kind of man to be weak and ridiculous.  But as he grew to know her better, he wasn’t sure if he wasn’t one of those men.
    “I was about to eat dinner when you arrive. Would you like to join me? I have plenty,” she invited.
    The astounded look on his face was comical and Maddie wanted to laugh heartily. But to be honest she was just as surprised at her invitation. Why had she invited him to join her in a meal? Yes, she was grateful for the opportunity he was affording her. But did it warrant an intimate dinner invitation? Oh well, she offered and she couldn’t withdraw it now. If he accepted she would just have to make the best of it. 
    “Thank you. I am a bit hungry,” he said admitted.
    Maddie turned from him and smiled. He had regrouped nicely. Maddie busied herself setting the kitchen table.
    “Can I help?” he asked.
    “I have a bottle of white wine chilling in the fridge. Would you get it for me? The wineglasses are in the cupboard,” she instructed. 
    “Of course,” he answered.
    He opened the fridge and noticed that it was fully stocked. Obviously Maddie liked to cook. He had not thought of her as an avid cook; just the opposite in fact. He had assumed that her career was the most important focus in her life and she would have little time for domesticity. He saw the bottle of wine and removed it from the fridge. He placed it on the island and saw that Maddie had placed a cooler on the counter. He placed the bottle of wine in the cooler then opened the freezer drawer to scoop ice into the cooler.
    “Thank you,” Maddie said softly. She moved the cooler onto the table then returned to the island. “Do you like turkey, pastrami or roast beef?”
    “Pastrami,” he replied.
    Maddie removed the necessary ingredients from the fridge to make his sandwich. He watched her as her deft hands made the sandwich in record time. He wondered how her fingers would feel as they glided across his naked body. He felt his penis react to his thoughts and gripped the back of the island stool tightly. He needed to keep his imagination in check. It was way too early in the game to let her see how much she affected him. Maddie finished the sandwich and moved it to the table. She then dipped up the soup.
    “It’s ready. Let’s eat,” she invited.
    They moved to the table and he pulled out her chair for her. His behavior unnerved her a bit. He was a gentleman which was a surprise for her. Her opinion of him had been less than