Free A Seductive Proposal by Caris Roane Page B

occurred to her as well. Grace would be thrilled to know that, according to the contract, the design budget had just been expanded about five times from the original size. Grace was very successful but her ongoing medical bills could always use an influx of much needed cash. Well, now she had two strong reasons for accepting Quint’s not-to-be-turned-down offer.
    Once back at the office, she picked up her phone and punched in Quint’s number. She didn’t need to be worried about his profound effect on her heart-rate since he wouldn’t be around all that much. His empire, which no doubt reached into global markets, would keep him tied to metro Phoenix. All their interactions could be handled on the phone, or by fax or through email. There would be no reason for him to be in Sedona very often, if at all, until the actual four days when the Napa clients would arrive at her winery.
    She could live with that.
    She could survive that.
    She nodded as the phone rang. Since he wouldn’t be close to her in a physical sense, she wasn’t in any real danger of oh, say, falling out-of-her-mind in love with him.
    “Hunter Enterprises, Sheila speaking.”
    Carly introduced herself and requested Quint.
    “Of course, Ms. Grayson. He’s expecting your call.”
    Her heart began to thrum as she waited. A road stretched before her, untried, untested. She had seen several warning signs, falling rocks, icy when wet, watch for animals, mountain lions in particular.
    She could hang up now and let it all go, but somehow, as she looked back, she sensed she’d already come to the fork in this road several days ago, the same day she’d let Quint into her house.
    “In for a penny, in for a pound,” she murmured, releasing a deep breath.
    “What?” Quint asked.
    “You’re there.”
    “I’m here.”
    “I’m in,” she said, letting out another deep breath.
    “Good.”
    “Are you smiling?”
    “Uh-huh.”
    Carly could picture that smile, a little smug, way too self-satisfied.
    “Carly?”
    “Yeah?”
    “I’m very happy about this. You won’t be disappointed.”
    “My attorney says it’s an excellent deal. That I can’t lose.”
    “I’m looking forward to working with you. So,” he drawled, “what are you wearing?”
    She gasped. “You have got to be kidding.”
    He laughed. “You are so easy to tease. Of course, I’m kidding. I don’t know you well enough at this point to say something like that and actually expect to get an answer. Next week, maybe.”
    “You’re outrageous.”
    He deepened his voice. “Yep, but only with you.”
    Carly knew this to be a calculated attempt at seduction but shivers rippled over her ear and down her neck anyway.
    He continued, “I was hoping you could clear part of your afternoon tomorrow for me. I’ll be driving up to Sedona and I wanted to go over the interior of the winery house with you. We need to get the furnishings underway.”
    Her heart seized like he’d just pounded on her chest. She leaned forward. She put a hand to her forehead. “Tomorrow?” So soon ?
    “Yes, and something else. You should know that I’m moving to Sedona for the next few weeks.”
    A series of weird vibrations pulsed through her head like the barometric pressure had just bottomed out. She squeezed her eyes shut. “You’re moving here?”
    “Yes.”
    “That doesn’t make sense,” she said, a little too loud. “Surely you could send your minions to work out all these details.”
    “My minions ? You make me sound dangerous.”
    “You are. Don’t come.”
    A long silence followed.
    She could hear his thoughts. She ground her teeth together. Please don’t say it. Please don’t say it. Please don’t say it.
    His voice was very deep, bass deep, a thousand fathoms deep as he said, “You know why I’m coming.”
    Oh, God, he’d said it.
    What she really didn’t know was why Alexander Graham Bell had invented the damn telephone in the first place.
    She sighed. Her breasts ached. “So,