Keep (Command #2) Read Free

she just wanted this over and him gone. Fine, he could do that; he could wait another day to seduce her. He was great at being patient when the reward was worth it.
    “Can I at least walk you out?” he asked, sliding his coat back on.
    Her face softened, relieved he was backing off. “Sure.”
    The relief was short-lived. Kara’s eyes went wide with momentary alarm when a man appeared in her office doorway.
    “I came as soon as I could,” the man said, “Are you okay?”
    And just like that, Kara’s perfect, confident front snapped back into place. “I’m fine.”
    The man’s eyes drifted over to assess Shawn. “Have we met?”
    “No.” Shawn didn’t elaborate and got satisfaction at the hint of frustration this caused the short man hovering just outside the room. Whoever he was, he made Kara nervous, and Shawn didn’t like that. He wanted to be the only one to ruffle Kara’s feathers.
    The man extended a hand out. “I’m Paul Werner, CFO.”
    Paul seemed much too proud of his title. This was going to be good. Shawn shook the hand, hoping to appear casual.
    “Shawn Dunn, CEO. Osterhägen Beverage.”
    Paul froze mid-handshake. “What?”
    Shawn followed Paul’s gaze to Kara. She didn’t offer any explanation even though it was so very obvious Paul wanted one. For her to explain how the head of the second-largest beer company in the world came to be in her office. Instead, she pulled the laptop bag on her shoulder and walked towards Shawn, stopping when she was only a breath away.
    “Where are we going for lunch?” She set a hand on Shawn’s arm. Comfortable. Intimate.
    So . . . this must be the ex-husband. She’d mentioned they worked together. Shawn scrutinized the man now. He was confident enough in himself to acknowledge that Paul was attractive. Obviously successful. But Paul was a soft eight, whereas Shawn was a hard ten. Actually, an eleven. If she wanted to use him to screw with her ex-husband’s head, he was more than willing to play along.
    He threaded a hand around her back. “Same place as last time?”
    Paul probably would have made a similar face if Shawn had sucker-punched him, but this was a hell of a lot more fun.
    “It was nice meeting you, Peter.” And he wasn’t going to give Paul a chance to correct him. He took her hand and led her out of the office, down the corridor. As soon as they were alone in the elevator, she attempted to release his hand, but he just gripped it tighter.
    “Let go of me.”
    “Or?”
    She glared at him. “Are you five?”
    “Wait a minute, which one of us was making someone jealous a minute ago?”
    She pressed her lips together, displeased. “Both of us were.” She stood there, watching the numbers go by as if counting down to the moment she’d be free from him.
    “Thank you,” she said quietly when he relented. “And for your help.” Like it was painful.
    “Anytime.”
    The doors to the elevator peeled back, and she hurried to the revolving door, only to stop short. It wasn’t raining outside; it was a torrential downpour, and she had no umbrella. He could hear the thought going through her head: She’d never get a cab in this weather. She glanced at his umbrella, but before he could offer, she pushed her way through the door and out into the slashing rain.
    Shawn grinned to himself as he followed her to the cab stand. As soon as he was next to Kara, her now also beneath his umbrella, she gave him a sideways look. Annoyed. Relieved. Begrudgingly grateful.
    Kara’s gaze moved to the street to survey the sporadic yellow cars that passed by. Every one with the light on top unlit.
    “Come on, I have a car waiting,” he said over the loud rain beating down on them. He gestured to the black limousine and then added, “But full disclosure, it comes with strings attached.”
    Her blue eyes locked on his and he saw her suck in a breath. Maybe she’d think he meant lunch. Or that she’d have to agree to have dinner with him next time