The Seduction Of Claudia Read Free

was, um, thinking," Claudia said, feeling heat bloom under her skin, from both embarrassment and his close proximity.
    "Were you thinking about me?" he asked in a low voice that made Claudia feel another wave of heat wash over her. "I've watched you all evening and could never find a way to get to you. And here you are..."
    "I saw you in there, you know, sweet-talking all of those old ladies," she said accusingly, "Don't try that stuff on me!"
    He laughed, actually had the gall to laugh at her! She yanked her hands from his, thinking that he had presumed too much already and there was no way she'd stand here and listen to any more. She moved around him and was several feet away when he spoke.
    "Hey, Legs, those were my mother's friends I was talking to."
    She stopped in her tracks, feeling irritated that he'd gotten her riled up when she never got riled up. His mother's friends? And did he really just call her 'Legs'? She turned around slowly to face him. She would maintain her cool, apologize and leave.
    "My name is Claudia," she said pointedly, "and I apologize for the misunderstanding. Good night."
    "You don't owe me any apologies. And you know that I always loved your spectacular legs, Claudia," he stressed her name, calling her on her formality with him. "Have a drink with me?" he asked, moving closer to her.
    "I've got to be going, but thank you, just the same," she said coolly.
    "Hmmm, you've gone so cold; I like it better when you're angry," he said, moving closer and reclaiming one of her hands. "Stay for one little drink with me?"
    "Jesus, are you kidding me?" she said irritably and opened her mouth to continue her set down of him when Fifi burst out of the door to the ballroom.
    "Claudia! There you are -- and you've got Andrew! Oh, my two most favorite people in the world, together at last! Is life good or what?" she gushed, linking arms with them both and leading them inside and to the bar. "He'll have a Chivas, neat," she told the bartender, "and we'll both have Cosmos."
    "Fifi," Claudia said, hating the pleading note in her voice, " I really need to go."
    "Nope, you said you would dance and you barely danced at all!" Fifi retorted, "So, drink your drink and dance and have a good time!"
    "Yeah," Andrew agreed, "Drink your drink and dance."
    As luck would have it, a slow song began to play and Andrew took Claudia's martini from her hand and set it on the bar. Taking her hand, he led her to the dance floor. Claudia glared back at Fifi as he led her through the crowd onto the dance floor. Fifi just sipped her drink and wiggled her fingers in a little salute.
    Andrew drew her into his arms and began to sway to the music. Claudia tried to keep a formal dance hold, one hand resting on his shoulder and one hand in his, space between their bodies, but he drew her closer, placing her arms around his neck. Claudia sighed and looked around the ballroom, feigning disinterest in their dance.
    "You're beautiful when you sulk," Andrew said, his mouth close to her ear.
    "I'm not sulking. Where do you get off with these crazy lines, anyway?" Claudia asked, shaking her head with disbelief.
    "I'm just a man who knows what he wants," he replied, "and I want you."
    "Andrew, don't!"
    "I do want you," he said implacably, "I've thought of nothing but you for the past two months."
    "You're just saying that because you're used to getting what you want. Since you can't have me, you're determined to prove to yourself that you can! Well, I'm not going to play the game, Andrew! I'm immune to you," she lied, "so say whatever you want, because it won't work!"
    "We'll see," he said confidently, ending their conversation by drawing her closer to his tall, lean body. His ploy worked well, because Claudia was struck dumb by how delicate she felt in his arms with his large hands on her, one at the small of her back and one caressing up and down her back. He was taller than she by several inches, even though she was five feet ten inches in her skinny