Mine for Now - The Billionaire's Obsession #2 Read Free Page A

full bar and she wasn’t really an expert on drinks.
    Simon grinned wickedly. “Rum, gin, tequila, vodka, triple sec…and a splash of cola and sour mix.”
    Oh, crap. She’d be doing a happy dance on the table. A glass of wine made her tipsy. Holding her alcohol well wasn’t a talent she had ever perfected, probably because she seldom imbibed. “Promise you won’t let me dance naked on the table when I’m done.” She cocked a brow at Simon, waiting for his agreement.
    She glared at him as he burst into a full belly laugh, gasping for breath as he answered. “Seriously? From a drink or two?”
    “It’s not funny. I don’t drink much,” she told him defensively, suddenly feeling pretty damn unworldly and out of place sitting across from a billionaire who had been around the block a time or two. Or three.
    Simon grinned at her. “I know. Try it. If you don’t like it I’ll get you something else.” His expression sobered, his eyes alight with heat and something else that she couldn’t quite define. “And I definitely promise that you will not dance naked on the table, unless it’s at home in a private performance.” His voice was gruff, his expression heated, as though he were imagining exactly that scenario and was looking forward to it.
    She refused to meet his eyes, the lump in her throat feeling as big as a baseball. Hell, why not? She could use a drink after the morning she had just been through. Sipping cautiously, she let the liquid flow over her tongue and down her throat, swallowing hard to get by the knot that had formed from Simon’s sexy comment. “Not bad.” She licked her lips. “It doesn’t really taste all that strong.”
    He shot her a wicked smile. “It’s deceiving. They’re pretty potent.”
    They enjoyed their drinks and dinner with companionable conversation. Simon talked about his family and told her about some of his projects. Kara shared funny stories from her career as a waitress, and a few from her years in nursing school.
    Simon destroyed his entire plate of chicken parmesan and finished hers when she couldn’t eat another bite. He ordered them each a tiramisu and a second drink. The dessert was delicious, but she couldn’t finish it. Of course, he was willing to polish that off for her, too. The man could put away a lot of food. Maybe he needed it to fuel that big, sinewy, sculpted body that never failed to leave her panting like a dog after a tempting treat.
    “How do you maintain such an incredible body when you eat like that?” she asked him, wanting to kick herself for wording it quite that way, knowing that it was the alcohol that was twisting her words.
    Note to self: Do not drink more than a watered down glass of wine from now on.  
    His eyes shot to her face, his expression mischievous. “Incredible, huh?”
    She shrugged. What was the point in denying it? His body was incredible. “Well, it is.” Incredible. Rock-hard and sexy as hell. The hottest body on the planet.
    “I work out in the gym at home every day. If you think I look good, I guess it’s worth it,” his incredulous voice informed her.
    Oh, hell yeah. Way worth it.
    “It shows,” she choked out, trying not to be obvious about the fact that she wanted to jump his bones in about a hundred different ways. “It’s one of the reasons that women like Kate fall all over you. Not the only reason, but one of them.” Oh, shit. Had she really said that out loud?   Damn alcohol! She needed to bite her tongue.  
    “Women don’t admire my body, my personality or anything else about me except my money,” Simon told her in a matter-of-fact tone.
    Kara looked at him, flabbergasted. Did he really believe that? “Oh, so it doesn’t matter that you’re insanely handsome, a genius, funny and extremely kind? Women just want the cash?” God, he really was infuriating. Didn’t he know? Didn’t he realize that he had so much more to offer than just his money?
    “Yes.”
    Her heart ached, knowing