Free Gentle Persuasion by Cerella Sechrist

blue eyes. No wonder he had captivated the corporate world so completely. In addition to his immense intelligence and skill, he was handsome enough to compete with the very best Hollywood itself had to offer.
    She felt a rapidly growing consciousness of his proximity and the heat that radiated as much from him as from the fire several feet away.
    “I confess that I can’t quite figure you out, Ophelia Reid.”
    She blinked. “Oh? Well, perhaps recruiters are more complex than you give us credit for.”
    A corner of his lip twitched, but he shook his head in denial at this statement. “No, I don’t think so. It’s just that you’re...more subtle than the rest of them.”
    This caused her to laugh. “I never thought of subtle as one of my strong suits.” She shrugged. “I’m not as aggressive as some, but I try not to be manipulative, either.” Looking away, she tried to explain herself without putting him off. “I like what I do because I believe I’m helping people in some way. I enjoy placing others in their dream roles and careers so that they can achieve some sort of fulfillment in their everyday lives.”
    “And that, in turn, fulfills you. Is that what you’re saying?”
    She watched as the others in the group pulled out a ball and began tossing it around. “Sure. Of course. It’s a noble endeavor, wouldn’t you agree?”
    He scoffed lightly, and her eyes snapped back to him. He, too, had turned his attention to the game the others were playing so that his eyes mercifully rested elsewhere. “Helping others fulfill their dreams seems like an easy way to keep from living your own.”
    She felt a flare of indignation at this remark but bit her cheek to prevent herself from responding in kind. His words were an attempt to goad her into an outburst, she was sure of it. She would not let him have the satisfaction. After all, a lifetime spent beneath Lillian Reid’s caustic remarks had taught her the value of silence in the face of criticism.
    “You’re offended,” he stated.
    She clamped down harder on her cheek until she could formulate a proper response. “Not at all. I understand your prejudices may prevent you from seeing a clear picture of my life.”
    Or in other words, she thought, You don’t know me. Stop acting like you do.
    His genuine laughter caused her to relax a bit. “Maybe you’re right,” he admitted. “But how do you justify what you’re doing here, with me?”
    She frowned. “What do you mean?”
    “What if I don’t want you to place me in my ‘dream role,’ as you put it. What if I’m perfectly happy and fulfilled right here, in my current everyday life?”
    She looked away again, unable to form an immediate response to this question. She spotted Leilani in the midst of her friends. Sam’s arm rested protectively around her shoulders, and Ophelia felt a strange twinge of jealousy. Not for Sam, who was handsome enough but far too young for Ophelia’s interest, but rather for the ease the two young lovers clearly felt around each other.
    “Did I touch a nerve?”
    Dane’s voice drew her attention back.
    “Of course not,” she replied. “It’s only that your situation is unique. Your high profile has made you a target—a trophy of sorts. Everyone wants to be the person who brings you back because then, perhaps some of your greatness will rub off on them.”
    He grunted with what sounded like annoyance. “You really do enjoy flattering me, don’t you, Miss Reid?”
    Something inside her shifted at these words. She rolled her eyes. “Hardly. Thus far, Mr. Montgomery, you have proven to be rather unworthy of flattery. You have been rude to the point of caustic, and your behavior seems to be based solely on your prejudice for my profession. You don’t even know me, so I hardly think you have the right to judge me.”
    Dane’s eyebrows had shot up during this little speech, and from her peripheral vision, she noted a few stares turning their way.
    “Furthermore,