Free Naughty Little Secret by Shelley Bradley

just acted as if Lauren and the girls didn’t exist.
    The guard in Lauren’s gaze dropped, and suddenly he could see pain and…was he actually seeing longing?
    “Hey, you two whispering the secrets of the universe, or are you going to start this meeting?” Gus Martin, one of Noah’s partners, groused. “I’ve got other things to do this morning.”
    The jackass hadn’t even finished speaking before Lauren’s face closed up. She jerked away as if she was on fire and began straightening papers again. Noah resisted the urge to march across the room, grab Martin by the throat, and pound his head into a wall.
    She stared right at her nemesis, giving him a cool, take-no-prisoners stare. Noah was so proud of her moxie and smarts, he nearly burst with it.
    “I’m ready, Mr. Martin.”
    -66-
    Naughty Little Secret

Chapter Five
    “I think we did it!” Lauren shrieked the minute they entered Noah’s office and he closed the door behind them.
    “You did it,” he corrected. “And I think you’re right. The decision will come quick and be favorable because you did great and kept your cool.
    You had all the right information. You gave Martin logical arguments.
    You shut him down when he tried to run you over. Everyone was impressed.” He smiled.
    Lauren basked in the glow. His eyes were a wintery blue, but that grin of approval made his whole expression so toasty, she could have roasted marshmallows by it. “I couldn’t have done it without you. You’re the one who made me ruthlessly prepare.”
    He stepped closer and shrugged. “I just helped you make sure you’d thought of crap that would occur to Martin. I know how his mind works.”
    “Yes, you do.” She clapped. “How soon do you think we’ll hear?”
    “This afternoon,” he assured. “There are only four other voting members, since I already cast my vote. Dave Danson is behind the project. I shot hoops with him yesterday.”
    “Wow, you really do plan ahead and think of everything.”
    “Good planning always has rewards.” He shrugged. “Yours will come.
    I think you swayed Martin. After him, the other two should be a piece of cake. Honestly, I think they’ll green-light you to start the focus groups quickly.”
    -67-
    Shelley Bradley
    “That would be awesome. I still can’t believe how well it went. If the project gets green-lighted, that will really help me refine the whole scope.
    With the feedback from the focus groups, I can capture what patrons in the identified demographics will want. If the data bears out my thoughts and these locations actually open, these will be more family-oriented than our current locations, but will—”
    Noah grabbed her hands. “Sugar, you don’t have to sell me. You persuaded me a long time ago.”
    “Thanks for believing I could.” She bit her lip.
    “I never doubted it.”
    Lauren smiled and looked up at him. His eyes sparkled with affection and sincerity. She sucked in a breath. Staring at that expression at such point-blank range was like being star-struck. It hit her square in the chest. God, he was so beautiful, it hurt.
    Noah still held her hands in his. Warm. Slightly calloused. Large and longer-fingered. He was standing closer than ever. Dangerously close.
    And he was looking straight down at her. The room was suddenly thick with silence.
    She swallowed.
    The moment her stranger had slid deep in her body while she’d fantasized about Noah rushed back to her. Mr. Mysterious’s touch made her blood hot, but when she’d conjured up a vision of Noah, he’d cranked up her blood to a roiling boil. The thought of him wanting her, binding her under him, and compelling her to accept his passion had sent her over the edge, head first into pleasure as sharp as a machete and so hot, lava felt like ice cubes by comparison.
    Even remembering her fantasies made her blush.
    “What are you thinking?” he asked, wearing a sexy smile that challenged her to tell the truth.
    -68-
    Naughty Little Secret
    Oh, no.