Double Dealing Read Free Page B

businessman. Such males were natural competitors, natural
hunters. They survived precisely because they knew how to zero in on weaknesses
in their opponents. The one thing she must not do was appear weak. On the other
hand, she didn’t want to alienate him, either. His cooperation was all that
stood between success and failure for her. A delicate situation.
    The worst part of the whole thing, Samantha thought
irritably, was that he had succeeded in his obvious attempt to catch her
off-balance. “A robe,” she muttered, “my kingdom for a bathrobe. Miss Carson,
would you kindly fetch that robe you took from me earlier?”
    “We are far from finished for the day, madam!” Miss Carson
protested, redoubling her efforts.
    “I think I’m finished for the rest of my life! Miss Carson,
please do as I ask. I have a business appointment with this gentleman.”
Samantha tried to infuse her voice with authority. Damn hard to do from her
position on the massage table, she discovered. She was vividly conscious of
Gabriel Sinclair’s silent amusement.
    “Tell him to come back later. You are here at the spa for
physical reconstruction, not business!”
    “My God, I don’t believe this,” Samantha gritted. “I feel as
though I’ve been trapped in Dr. Frankenstein’s spare parts room.”
    “Would you like me to draw up a chair so that we can talk
here while you are being, er , reconstructed?” Gabriel
asked very politely.
    His smooth taunt was too much. Damned if he was going to
stand there and silently laugh at her predicament. Forcing a cool, challenging
smile, Samantha lifted her head just far enough to meet his assessing eyes. “I
really don’t think I can concentrate on business while this person is intent on
working me over as if I were a particularly tough cut of meat. Why don’t you be
an angel, Gabriel, and make Miss Carson go away? Show me you wield a little
clout here in California!”
    Samantha felt the sudden hesitation in him and felt a rush
of satisfaction. Excellent. She had succeeded in taking him back a bit with her
taunting request. It was time she regained the initiative Sinclair had stolen
by approaching her in the manner he had chosen.
    But Sinclair, to give him credit, recovered immediately. With
a polished gesture he peeled off the expensive, lightweight jacket he was
wearing and held it out with a flourish. “I s-s-shall be happy to do my best,
Miss Maitland.”
    Samantha’s tortoiseshell eyes widened at the solution he was
offering even as her attention was momentarily caught by the unexpected stutter
in Gabriel’s voice as he hit the “ sh ” sound.
Sidetracked by it she had to refocus on the offer of the jacket.
    “That’s the best you can do?”
    “I’m afraid so. It’s either this or walk out of here wearing
that little towel. Your Miss Carson doesn’t look as if she’s going to back
down.”
    Indeed, Miss Carson was viewing the entire proceedings with
a baleful eye. “Miss Maitland can’t leave yet! We have only begun to properly
cleanse the pores and rejuvenate the muscle tone.”
    Gabriel cocked a dark brow inquiringly at Samantha. “Take
your pick. Miss Carson or me.”
    “The devil or the deep blue sea,” Samantha complained. Miss
Carson unloosed a decidedly savage attack on the left hip, and Samantha made
her decision. Extending a hand, she snatched at the proffered jacket. Only to
have it held just out of reach. “Allow me to assist you, Miss Maitland,”
Gabriel insisted for too gently. His eyes gleamed, and Samantha noticed for the
first time that they were a deeply gold shade of hazel. The kind of eyes that
could reflect any emotion or an absolute lack of same. She couldn’t begin to
read anything beyond flickering male amusement in them now.
    But she knew when she had been backed into a corner.
Thoroughly annoyed and not a little embarrassed, Samantha recognized that the
only way out of the untenable situation in which she found herself was bold
action. She would