Power Play: A Black & White Collection Story Read Free Page B

category, but she wasn’t that easy to push around. “Give them to me or I’ll make you very sorry.”
    “No.”
    He turned quickly as she struck, her knee finding only his firm, muscular thigh.
    “Tsk, tsk, tsk. I wouldn’t be so quick to maim me, sweetheart. What about round two?”
    Now it was her turn to shake her head. “There won’t be a round two. I got what I wanted. Game over.”
    She expected her self-assured tone to do the trick, call him off. God knew it worked on at least ninety-nine percent of the people she’d ever met. All she had to do was look the person in the eye, give them the tone, and they’d back off. No matter what the argument. This man didn’t move.
    “Not yet, it’s not.”
    “Excuse me. I told you what I wanted and I got it. Now step away and give me my panties.”
    “I’m keeping the panties.”
    “Listen, you son of a b—”
    He cut off her words with a firm hand on her chin, interrupting her. “I’ll pay you for them.”
    She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. He was standing too close, holding her too sweetly. No one caressed her, coddled her, but that’s what this felt like. “Pay me? I’m rich. I don’t need your money.”
    He laughed. “I wasn’t talking about money. I was talking about this.”
    He bent down, leaned in for a kiss. She panicked. “No.” She turned her head at the last moment, his lips grazing her cheek as she twisted. “No kisses.”
    “Why not?” He was still standing too close and his question tickled her ear. She could tell by his tone he was undeterred.
    “Because I don’t want you to kiss me. That’s not what this was about.”
    He leaned back and she breathed a bit easier. “Just sex with a stranger.”
    She nodded.
    “I want to see you again.”
    She barked out a laugh. “No. No way. In case you haven’t been paying attention, we’ve already stretched our compatibility limits to the hilt. A few more words from either of us and the cable’s gonna break and slice us both in half.”
    He seemed to enjoy her assessment and she could see by the look in his eyes, he agreed. “Maybe you’re right.”
    “I’m always right.” She hadn’t meant her words as a joke, but his laughter seemed to insinuate that he’d taken them that way.
    “You are a very interesting woman, Francesca.”
    She shrugged, but a small part of her liked his flattering remark. Knew that coming from this man it was high praise indeed.
    “Keep the panties,” she said at last, pushing against his chest. He took two steps back and she knew it wasn’t because of her force, but because he was ready to free her.
    “I’d planned on it.”
    She snorted out a brief laugh. Oh yeah, they’d never be able to coexist in the same room for more than three minutes. Neither of them willing to give an inch.
    “You have a very pretty smile.”
    She sucked in a breath at the compliment. Men didn’t shower her with flowery words. She wondered if they thought she was so self-confident she didn’t need them.
    “Thank you.” Though she’d spoken them in response to his comment, she realized she was thanking him for much more than that. “I have to go. Early day tomorrow.”
    He nodded. “Me too. Good night, Francesca.”
    She gave him another smile. “Good night, stranger.”
    As she walked back into the bar, her thoughts whirled over the evening and her actions. In her professional life, she was used to taking what she wanted, fighting to achieve every goal she’d ever set for herself. Tonight was the first time she’d done the same for her personal life.
    “Hey, Joe.” She waved to get the bartender’s attention.
    “Leaving?”
    She nodded as he bent down to retrieve her briefcase, handing it to her.
    “Happy Birthday, Francesca.”

Chapter Two
    “What the hell are you doing?” Reed wanted to wince at his opening line. He’d rehearsed his speech to his uncle all evening. After watching Francesca leave, he’d gone back into the bar and had another beer,