His Royal Pleasure Read Free Page A

realized.
    Remembering his injured head, she felt guilty. She motioned for him to sit and offered him some packaged bologna sandwiches and a soda. Maybe if she fed him, she wouldn’t feel so bad about sending him off.
    â€œHow’s your head?”
    â€œFine.”
    But he looked a little green. She set some aspirin in front of him.
    â€œThank you.”
    Katherine took a deep breath and sat in her uncle’s worn captain’s chair behind the old walnut desk. Her least favorite thing in the world was firing people. And although technically, she’d never hired Al, the process was still the same. Her palms were sweating.
    She thought of how her uncle would handle this situation, pretended she was six feet tall instead of five foot three, and tried to forget that she was much more comfortable teaching first graders than managing this camping resort.
    â€œAl, I appreciate how you’ve pitched in today. And I’ll be glad to pay you for your services,” she began, and twined her fingers together.
    â€œThat’s unnecessary. I wanted to thank you for your kindness last night.” Al glanced down at the sandwich. “This meat is unusual. It’s very good.”
    Katherine blinked. “It’s bologna.”
    He looked thoughtful. “I’ll have to remember that.”
    She narrowed her eyes. “You have an accent. Are you from England?”
    â€œI’ve spent some time there.”
    â€œDo you have a green card?” she asked, hoping for an easy out.
    He stiffened. “I don’t need a green card.”
    His manner was so cold and affronted, she had to resist the urge to apologize. Such pride, she thought. It was surpassed only by his confidence. She’d always resented tall, confident people.
    Katherine tried the direct approach. “The next ferry leaves at ten o’clock. We’re booked for the night, but there are some nice hotels on the mainland.”
    â€œYou have a room available in your cabin. Chad tells me you’re short-staffed and this is the busy season. I’d like to work for room and board until the end of the month.”
    Katherine mentally cursed her half brother and picked up a pencil. “Al, you arrived here last night, drunk and passed out. I don’t really see how I can hire you on that basis.”
    â€œI arrived here passed out because I happened into a bottle of whiskey aimed for your brother’s head. I was not drunk.”
    He stood and dropped the paper napkin into the trash. Then he looked directly at her. “Have you been unhappy with my performance today?”
    Katherine leaned back in her chair. “Well, no.”
    â€œAre you short-staffed?”
    She resisted the urge to squirm. “Yes.”
    He shrugged his broad shoulders. “Take me on a trial basis.”
    Her chest squeezed tight. What woman wouldn’t take him? He was the kind of man women made fools of themselves over. If she had erotic dreams, he would be the kind of lover she’d dream of. His hands would be slow and sure, his mouth both giving and ruthless, his voice low and urgent. She shivered.
    â€œTrial basis,” she repeated weakly.
    â€œYes.” He glanced away from her, suddenly appearing tired. “I’m rather…”
    â€œâ€¦down on your luck at the moment,” she supplied for him.
    His dark eyes held wry, weary amusement. “So, you’re not only beautiful, you’re also perceptive.” He bent over the desk and took her fidgeting hand. “What have you got to lose?”
    Katherine’s cheeks heated at the feeling of her hand enveloped within his larger one. Beautiful? Lord, he’s good, she thought. She pulled her hand away and cleared her throat.
    She couldn’t say what tipped the scales in his favor. Maybe it was the fact that he’d worked so hard this afternoon. It might have been that she wondered if she’d misjudged him. What if he wasn’t a