The Seduction of Kinley Foster (What Happens in Vegas) Read Free Page B

strand between his fingers. “What if one bite isn’t enough? What if I want a five-course meal of bites?”
    She smacked his hand away. “You always were greedy.” Was he flirting with her?
    His eyes flashed with promise. And then it was gone. Gone so quickly she wondered if she’d imagined the male version of a come hither look. He raised his hand and trailed a finger down the side of her face. “In all seriousness, I’d like to talk with you.”
    “Why?” she asked, pushing his hand away again. Her brother had mentioned a couple of times since the blow-up that Ian wanted to speak with her. She’d always refused.
    In the beginning, she’d been too hurt and too angry to want to listen. Then, as the years passed, it had been more about not wanting to face her own humiliation. To not relive that awful moment when he’d taken her hopes and dreams—her heart—and shattered her.
    Was her anger and bitterness toward him a decade later perhaps a wee bit over the top? Would a normal woman handle this situation with decidedly more panache, a bit more of a water-under-the-bridge attitude? Probably. But then she’d always considered panache to be overrated. And Ian always had a way of unnerving her. Time, it seemed, did nothing to lessen the effect. Gag , indeed, to the nth degree.
    The laughter in his eyes disappeared. “Because there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a long time. And this gives me a chance.”
    She narrowed her eyes. Ignored her gut telling her she didn’t want to hear what he had to say. Pulled up her big girl panties. “I’ m listening. ”
    Ten years was a long time to wait for an explanation.

Chapter Three
    Ian Thompson sat in the backseat of a taxi with Kinley Foster, his tongue tied in knots. He’d been flustered since her brother had called and asked for a favor.
    Ian wasn ’t accustomed to being flustered. He preferred compartmentalizing his emotions and only calling upon the ones that suited his needs. “I’m sorry,” he blurted, like an inexperienced teenage boy who’ d just been shot down for copping a feel.
    Kinley jerked like he’d decked her with an uppercut, and he swallowed the rest of his apology.
    “Sorrrrrry?” The word came out of her sounding like a snake’s hiss.
    Like he was her fallen hero. Which he was. Not that he’d ever wanted her to see him as a hero. He’d teased her like crazy when she was growing up, trying to kill the puppy-love adoration.
    When he’d finally managed to get the job done, he’d really done it. She’d gone from hero-worship to hate with the blink of an eye. And it stuck.
    Still.
    He would never be forgiven by her. Even though what he’ d done —
    “My brother may be the forgiving type, but I’m not.” Her tone was fierce, full of loyalty toward her brother and loathing toward him.
    He sighed. “You used to think I could do no wrong.” It’d been so long, he’d thought, surely after all this time…
    She closed her eyes for a few uncomfortable heartbeats.
    Which scene was she replaying in her brain?
    The one where he turned down what she was offering him? Or the one where her brother’s fiancée came strutting into his living room wearing nothing but a tan?
    She opened her eyes. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Her voice held no signs of distress. No signs of hidden emotions. But her eyes held a winter-storm warning.
    “Liar.” It wasn’t a word he used lightly. But damn it, she knew exactly what he was talking about.
    She glanced out the car window. “Aside from some inane request of my brother’s—which you can bet I’m going to verify—why are you in Vegas?”
    He picked up her pillow and glanced at it. Scowled. Were these her new heroes? The ones she thought could do no wrong? “You really don’t know?” Her brother told him she didn’t. Told him he’d started to tell her once, but she cut him off. Said she could care less what ‘the ass’ did for a living. But he’d figured