Free Lake Magic by Kimberly Fisk Page A

hundred percent honesty.
    “I hate to rain on your parade, but I’m not that accommodating. If you want to keep plucking away at this futile dream of yours, then by all means, have at it. But you’re not taking me down with you in the process. Buy me out.”
    “You know I can’t do that right now.”
    “Then we’ll do what I suggested yesterday. Sell.”
    “Over my dead body.”
    His gaze was hot enough to start a forest fire. “Don’t tempt me.”
    “Oh . . . you . . . you . . .” Where was the killer comeback when you needed one?
    “Listen,” his tone went all reasonable and placating, and for some reason, that upset her even more. Probably because he was beginning to sound like her family. “We sell, and each of us gets what we want. You don’t want to run a business. I know it was Steven’s idea, not yours.”
    “Don’t presume to know what I want.”
    He continued, ignoring her. “I get my money, and you’d end up with enough cash to keep you in high heels and those fancy wheels you drive.”
    He could go to—“I’m not selling.”
    “We’ll see about that.”
    “Intimidation isn’t going to work with me, Mr. Worth. I have four months in which to repay you. And even if—even when I have the money long before the due date, I have no intention of handing it over until I absolutely have to.” Without saying another word, she turned and began to walk away. She could feel herself quaking and knew that if she didn’t get out of there soon, she was doomed. She’d put on a brave front, but that’s all it was: a front. Because even though she’d told him intimidation wouldn’t work, it had been a lie. He did more than intimidate her; he unnerved her. And that scared her most of all.

    Jared watched her stomp away. Was she for real? Did she really think she was going to get away with this? He’d seen the state of the business. If he walked away and came back in four months, there’d be nothing left. She might not give a damn that she was sinking her own financial future, but he sure as hell gave a damn about his. Thanks to the military, that money was all he had left, and there was no way he was going to let her flush his dream down the drain with hers.
    I am going to turn Blue Sky Air into the Pacific Northwest’s premiere seaplane service.
    He almost laughed again then realized there was nothing to laugh about. She had as much business sense as a bird.
    As he watched her continue to make her way down the uneven shore, she stumbled, then immediately righted herself, but not before one of her shoes fell out of her hands and onto the sand. Leave it to her to come to the beach in high heels.
    As she bent down to pick up her shoe, he couldn’t help but admire how her skirt stretched across her butt. It wasn’t hard to imagine a big fluffy white bunny tail on that tight little ass.
    He’d seen a lot of gorgeous women in his time, but he had to give Jenny Beckinsale points for perfection. Cotton Tail might not have a head for business, but she sure as hell had a body for sin.
    He had no doubt that most men fell at her feet, eager to grant her every wish—but not him. Maybe once, a long time ago. But he’d learned his lesson the hard way, and since then, he’d done his damnedest to avoid pitfalls like her: gorgeous women who made him forget his past and believe he was a guy who could fit, could be the type of steadfast man they wanted. There was only one thing that mattered to him right now, and it had Mexico written all over it.
    Jenny was nearing the opening to the path. With each ass-swinging, sand-flying step she took, he could feel his money disappearing. He told himself to let her go. To let her walk away. Getting tangled up with her would be the worst thing he could do.
    But what choice did he have?
    “Son of a bitch.”
    He caught up with her before she’d taken another step. He blocked her path, forcing her to stop. Her eyes widened to the size of saucers. “Tomorrow, oh seven