SeduceMe Read Free Page B

bottle of
Cristal from the mini-fridge. He popped the cork and nestled the bubbly in a
gold-rimmed crystal bucket filled with ice. Jane joined him, setting out three
champagne flutes on the sturdy wooden coffee table that sat before the
sectional and chaise lounge in front of the fireplace. A warm and cozy setting
in his private office.
    “Remember,” he cautioned as they left the room and traveled
down the marbled hallway to the elevator. “What transpires this evening is
strictly up to Shana.”
    Jane nodded. “Yes, I know.” She smiled in anticipation, a
playful glint in her eyes as she added, “But I truly think we’re fated to meet
her, Drake. And to help her, which should prove very… exciting .”

Chapter Two
     
    “Excuse me, Miss White?”
    An attractive man in a sharp, charcoal-gray suit extended
his hand to Shana, which she accepted.
    “Yes?”
    “I’m Michael Toliver, Mr. Halston’s head of security. He’d
like to invite you to take a backstage tour with him.”
    It wasn’t really an invitation. She could tell by the way
Toliver coaxed her forward as he gently gripped her hand.
    “Oh my,” her friend Yvette cooed from beside her. “That’s
setting precedence. Drake Halston doesn’t invite anyone backstage. In fact, he
rarely comes out of his office when the club is open.”
    Shana glanced over at her. “I thought you and Finn had
cocktails with him recently.”
    “We did, when the club was dark. He’s a fan of Finn’s work,
but I’ve never known him to take a personal interest in a guest.”
    From Shana’s extensive research on the owner of Body Scenes,
she knew Drake Halston was shrouded in mystery, which intrigued her greatly.
That he’d allowed her access to his club was shock enough, but a backstage
tour? The idea was certainly an appealing one, sending a shiver of excitement
down her spine.
    Conversely, the unexpected gesture prickled her nerves a
bit. It was an unfortunate double-edged sword. Shana wasn’t skilled at
in-person, one-on-one interactions, particularly with men. Something she’d
never regretted more than at this moment, with this extended invitation. If she
stayed true to form, she’d likely bumble her way through the entire
conversation—the reason she conducted the vast majority of her business within
a virtual environment.
    Despite her love of journalism, she’d never been comfortable
interviewing people in the flesh and she didn’t venture outside her spacious
Fifth Avenue apartment much. But the rare opportunity to meet Drake was
impossible to resist. So she tamped down her nervous anxiety.
    Turning back to Toliver, she said, “It’d be my pleasure to
accompany Mr. Halston on a tour.”
    He released her hand, as though now convinced he wouldn’t
have to drag her kicking and screaming. As if . Although there were no
photos of Drake on the Internet and his existence was documented only by
shadowy accounts of brief interactions with him—their legitimacy questionable—he
fascinated the hell out of her. So much so, she’d practically begged Yvette to
get her a coveted invitation into the club. Her friend, however, had informed
her Drake had already expressed interest in inviting Shana to Body Scenes. So
the stage had been set long before this evening.
    “This ought to be enlightening,” she said, excited by the
turn of events. “It’s like removing Batman’s mask and revealing his true
identity.”
    Beside her, Yvette snickered. She reached into her small
clutch and handed over two folded tissues. “You’ll need these, Vicki Vale.”
    Shana’s brow furrowed. She got the reference to the reporter
in the comics, but didn’t understand Yvette’s offering of the tissues. “My
allergies haven’t bothered me all week.”
    With a wink, her outrageous friend said, “They’re not for
your nose, sweetie.” Her gaze dropped pointedly to the apex of Shana’s legs.
    “Oh my God.” Shana gasped. Heat ignited in her cheeks as
embarrassment consumed her.