In His Cuffs Read Free

attention to detail.”
    “There’s an understatement.” During the first three weeks that he’d taken control of her family’s firm, he’d looked at every piece of paper, analysed spreadsheets, sat down with each employee in private, insisted on meeting all of their vendors and reviewed all current customer files. At this point, it seemed he knew as much about World Wide Now as she did.
    “For example, I know you’re flustered,” he continued.
    “So you’re a psychic in addition to having superior business acumen?” If sarcasm were arsenic, he’d be dead.
    “You’re thinking about lifting your skirt for me and lowering yourself over my lap. You’re wondering if I’ll hit you as hard as you need.”
    “That’s insane,” she insisted, but now that he’d mentioned it, she couldn’t help picturing that very thing.
    “You’re hoping I’ll let you keep your underwear on. And yes, you are wearing panties.”
    She blinked, stunned. How the hell could he know that?
    “If you were as calm as you’d like me to believe, you wouldn’t be stabbing the bottom of your glass with your straw.”
    She froze, not realising she had been betraying her inner turmoil.
    This David confounded her.
    In typical fashion, his dark hair was spiked and brushed severely back from his broad forehead. His eyebrows were drawn together in an arrogant, masculine slash.
    As she’d noticed earlier, he wore a pair of dark denim jeans, but she hadn’t seen the scuffed, black motorcycle boots.
    Except for his trademark arrogance, he didn’t resemble the man she knew from work.
    Normally he wore expensive power suits with crisp button-down shirts. The only concession to an occasional casual look was a loosened knot in his requisite red or blue tie.
    She’d spent so much time being irritated by him that she’d never really noticed him as a man.
    But now…
    His shoulders were broad and his waist trim. The black HM band emphasised the size of his arms. Clearly he had a gym membership, and he used it.
    David’s jeans showed off the size of his thighs in a way dress slacks never could. Heaven help her, she couldn’t help but stare at the thick black belt encircling his waist. Add in the cuffs that refracted the overhead light… He made breathing difficult.
    “How about it, Maggie?”
    She looked up at him. His use of Maggie rather than Margaret had been intentional, as if he knew exactly the effect it would have on her. She would never scene with a man who didn’t respect her wishes, and he was proving he would. “What happened to your no fraternising policy?”
    Several more people entered the room, and the noise level increased. He took hold of her shoulders and moved her backwards. She didn’t protest. How could she with the way oxygen deprivation was suddenly making it impossible to think?
    He released his grip, but he’d effectively trapped her in a corner, her back to the wall. The act seemed symbolic of their entire relationship. He was adept at manoeuvring her to suit his wishes.
    Six months ago, when he’d decided to acquire World Wide Now for far less money than Maggie believed it was worth, she’d put up a fiery verbal protest. Rather than deal with her directly, David had taken her mother aside.
    He’d told Gloria that Maggie’s retention was critical to the success of the firm.
    In a brilliant strategic move, he’d then called Maggie back into a private meeting and presented a deal that gave him everything he wanted.
    If they met his lofty goals, meaning Maggie worked her ass off and brought in sales, her mother would be rewarded with half a million dollars at the end of two years. He hadn’t promised Maggie a penny beyond her regular wages, but he’d somehow figured that taking care of her mother was the biggest incentive of all for Maggie.
    Her mother had told Maggie she didn’t have to accept his terms. Another deal, perhaps a better one, would come along. Together, they’d figure it out.
    But once David had