Overnight Cinderella Read Free Page B

something.”
    â€œWhat’s that, Cami?” he asked, deliberately using her first name to goad her.
    â€œI’m the event coordinator. That means I’m in charge of the event—the entire event.”
    He waited a beat to make sure she was focused on him. “Not anymore.”
    Â 
    Cami stared at the modern warrior sitting in her guest chair and felt her temper rise. Or at least she tried to tell herself that the tingling in her veins came from anger—and not any attraction she might be feeling.
    The situation was delicate. She’d have to bring him around to her way of thinking. He obviously didn’t know a thing about event planning because he thought five months out they could break their contract and find a decent space elsewhere.
    She knew her looks and the way she acted invited people to walk over her, especially after the meeting earlier this week when she’d done everything but come right out and say, “I’m incompetent.” But when she was in her element, as she was in this job, people usually discovered she had enough backbone to stand her ground.
    She needed all the courage she could scrape together to work with Duke Merchon. He was a very overwhelming man. He exuded confidence and self-assurance the way her older sister did. Cami realized she was tired of playing second fiddle.
    She’d started this meeting off all wrong. She wished she’d just lived with the stupid run up the middle of her leg instead of deciding to change her hose. Once a man saw a woman’s legs, he looked at her differently.
    â€œIf this is because I was changing my hose when you arrived—”
    â€œIt has nothing to do with your legs,” he cut her off. “I’m used to being in charge. I can handle any problem that arises. It makes sense to have one leader. Security touches all aspects of the event.”
    â€œEver heard of a little thing called the Equal Rights Amendment?”
    He leaned forward, using all two hundred pounds and six foot two inches to intimidate her. “Ever hear ‘might makes right’?”
    Cami smiled. It was so obvious this man was used to winning and being in control. But she couldn’t afford to give up her position as event coordinator. This was her chance to prove herself within Pryce Enterprises, and a promotion hinged on her success. Not just a promotion but a change of life. She wouldn’t be a research librarian anymore but Pryce’s special events coordinator if she pulled this off. Besides, she realized suddenly, she wanted Duke to acknowledge he was wrong.
    â€œI’m afraid I have heard the phrase, but it doesn’t apply in this case.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œI’m not afraid of you.”
    â€œYou should be.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œHoney, a woman like you doesn’t stand a chance against a man like me.”
    God, she hated it when men pointed out how plain she was. Why did they start sentences with “a woman like you”? Didn’t they understand shewas more than they saw? Maybe you aren’t, a tiny voice inside her answered.
    â€œDuke, we’ll get along a lot better if you stop pointing out how unattractive I am.”
    â€œAnyone with those legs isn’t unattractive.”
    She lifted both eyebrows in response to his remark. A spark of desire shot through her veins, pooling in the center of her body. She shifted in her chair and tried to remind herself they were having a meeting.
    â€œYou might not be drop-dead gorgeous but with a little effort you could be passing-pretty.”
    That’s it, she thought. I’m going to pick up the crystal paperweight and do him in. But something in his eyes stilled her hand.
    He wasn’t getting the same enjoyment out of insulting her men in the past had. There seemed a deeper pain in his eyes that made her want to go to him and comfort him. That made her wish she was drop-dead gorgeous.
    â€œAre you