Free Hot for Pepper by Emily Ryan-Davis Page A

you about something.”
    She fell silent, overrun by the masculine voice on the other end of the connection.
    Mitch fingered the fragile strap of her top, peach silk as soft as her skin. He could easily snap the flimsy string and bare her breast to his touch. To distract himself from Robert, he lowered his head to nibble a particularly appealing freckle. Pepper’s breath caught.
    She cleared her throat. “Robert, please listen. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to attend this evening. I’m going to stop seeing you. I’m…because I don’t want you. I want someone else.”
    Robert dominated the exchange for another minute before Pepper interrupted. “For a long time. I’m sorry. I have to go. No, we really don’t have anything to talk about. Robert—”
    Taking the phone from her, Mitch caught the tail end of Robert’s angry rant.
    “You wasted my time and now you’re the only one who gets a say? You spoiled bitch.”
    “Has she slept with you?” Mitch asked. “Has she made you any promises?”
    “Who are you?” Robert demanded.
    “I’m who you’ll talk to the next time you call this number. Think hard about the answers to those questions.” He ended the call and tossed her phone aside. “If he bothers you, I’ll deal with it.”
    “He’s not really the harassing type,” Pepper said.
    “Maybe not, but he doesn’t have you anymore. I figure a loss like that could change a man’s personality.” Her freckle drew his mouth again.
    She shivered. “I don’t want to talk about him. But I didn’t do either of those things. Sleep with him or make promises.”
    “I know.” His lips traveled to her ear and the alarm beside her bed sent up a shrill call.
    “Damn,” Pepper muttered. Follow by, even lower, “Fuck.”
    Mitch smirked and raised an eyebrow. “Problem?”
    “I wanted to, um…”
    “Um?” he prompted when she trailed off.
    She met his eyes over her shoulder, cheeks bright red. “Put you in my mouth. I woke up wanting to do that. But now there’s no time.”
    “Fuck that. Come on.” Hauling her from the bed, he pushed her ahead of him into the bathroom. “Two showers at the same time. Efficient use of water, efficient use of time and we both get exactly what we want.”
     
     
     
    That evening, Pepper sagged against the mahogany door of Carlton’s study. Shock numbed the space behind her eyes. Tinkling feminine laughter, refined masculine conversation and the low strains of a chamber group traveled from the ballroom below as Carlton’s friends, business associates, and financial peers gathered in celebration. She’d been celebrating too, right up until Carlton pulled her away for private audience. She dragged a deep breath down her tight throat and released it on a sob.
    Pepper, I know Hallsford is your home, but…
    “What are you doing up here alone?”
    Mitch’s low, smoky voice raised goose bumps on her arms. Not someone she would have turned to for comfort as little as three days earlier. Pepper covered her face and felt the wet trails of tears beneath her fingers. She hadn’t known she was crying.
    “Pepper?” Strong fingers encircled her wrists and pulled her hands from her face.
    Mitch stood too close, the loosened knot of his tie exactly at eye level. She stared at the naked hollow of his throat, at the faint shadow of beard on his skin.
    “I’m…some bad news,” she managed after a hard sniff. She tugged on his grip. “I need to leave the party. Will you let Andy know and ask him to make my excuses? He knows everybody—he’ll know who needs to be spoken with so they’re not insulted.”
    “No.” He pulled her away from the door, into the library across the hall. Someone had left a reading lamp set low in the far corner of the room. Mitch pushed her into a chair, crushing the bustle of her evening gown. Bronze tulle flared to either side of his legs as he crouched in front of her. “You left with Carlton. He returned alone and immediately sent a