Free Under Pressure by Kira Sinclair Page B

want him in the shots.”
    Kennedy suppressed a smile. That’s what she’d been counting on. “I think that can be arranged.”
    This was the part of business she loved. The maneuvering and positioning. The back and forth, crossed swords and mental chess games that were always involved. It made her blood whoosh faster, the high of victory as addictive as any drug.
    “But no more delays.”
    “Of course not.”
    Giving the man a beautiful smile, Kennedy leaned forward and patted him on the arm, as if they were best friends and had been for years.
    She turned to leave, only to stop short. Asher stood several feet away, arms crossed over his chest and eyes drilling straight into her.
    * * *
    H E REGISTERED THE moment Kennedy realized he was there and listening to her conversation with Daniel.
    Her steps faltered, but that was the only indication that his presence affected her. The rest of her expression never wavered, which meant he was gifted with the brilliance of a megawatt smile.
    The thing was, he knew it wasn’t real, even if it was radiantly blinding.
    She was good. Her willingness to be manipulative when it suited her should have left him irritated and troubled. Instead, he was just awed at her audacity and confidence.
    Rare enough qualities to find in anyone, but especially in a woman her age. It was easy to forget that she was only twenty-four.
    Her minute falter didn’t last long before her monstrous self-confidence was back in place and had her closing the gap between them. He expected her to stop in front of him, so she was almost beside him before he realized she intended to sail right past.
    Reaching out, Asher wrapped a hand around her upper arm, pulling her to a stop. Her shoulder brushed against him, and lightning crackled across his skin.
    Twisting her head, she glanced up from beneath her lashes. Was that the faint stain of a blush on her cheeks? Nope, couldn’t be. Not his Kennedy.
    “Where do you think you’re going, cupcake?”
    Her eyes flashed. Her earlier threat to smash one in his face ran through Asher’s head, and he couldn’t suppress the grin of challenge that touched his lips.
    Laying her hand over his, Kennedy twisted her body in his direction, crowding into his personal space again.
    It was a move she used often, and one that probably worked well for her. He could see how her bold self-assurance would set most men firmly outside their comfort zone.
    The problem was, that was exactly where he wanted her, even if he shouldn’t...as close as he could get her.
    She ripped her arm from his grasp. “I was just coming to find you.” Pushing up on her toes, she gripped his shirt in her hands and tugged until he bent, bringing her mouth to his ear and whispering, “I’ve bought us a day. We need you ready to go by tomorrow.”
    Wrapping his hand around the nape of her neck, Asher tried to ignore the silky feel of her hair as it threaded through his fingers. He tilted her head and brought his own mouth to the delicate shell of her ear.
    He wanted to lick it, to tug the round curve of her lobe between his teeth and watch the way she’d squirm as he sucked.
    “Cupcake, I’m always ready.”
    Asher relished the way Kennedy’s skin flushed and her pupils dilated. Her mouth parted, those luscious lips glistening temptingly.
    There was a masochistic part of him that delighted in knowing she reacted to him, even if he couldn’t let himself do anything about it.
    Taking a step backward, he tried to clear the scent of her from his lungs.
    “So I hear we’re going down with the dive team.”
    “ You are.”
    “Oh, no, princess. If I’m going down there today, so are you.”
    Almost before the words were out of his mouth she was shaking her head. “I’m not a diver.”
    “Bullshit. If Jackson wouldn’t let you go without shooting lessons, I know good and well that he took you diving.”
    “Yes, I’ve been, but that doesn’t make me a diver. There’ll be enough people down there, I