Free Another Woman's Man by Shelly Ellis

remembered—maybe even better. He confidently strode across the room toward her. She was sucked in by his striking features and the pale gray eyes that were framed by long lashes. Dawn usually found men like Xavier way too pretty, but there was something about him that she couldn’t put a finger on, that she couldn’t resist.
    â€œSame here,” she finally said breathlessly. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here either. I didn’t know corporate counsel made house calls.”
    â€œWe don’t, generally, but I make an exception for the Allen family.” He turned to the man standing a few feet behind him. “Carl, don’t worry about escorting Miss Gibbons to the dining room. I’ll show her there myself.”
    Carl nodded and silently walked away with Xavier’s coat in hand.
    â€œSo you’re on a first-name basis with the help,” Dawn remarked as Xavier led her out of the foyer and down a dimly lit hallway, “ and you know where the dining room is? You must come around here often.”
    â€œYou’ve got me there. I’m probably here more than I am at my own home. Luckily, Herb hasn’t kicked me out yet or changed the locks on the doors.”
    â€œYou guys really are close, aren’t you?”
    â€œSince I was seventeen,” he remarked before turning a corner and leading her down another corridor.
    They had been close since he was seventeen years old? That was a long damn time. She eyed Xavier more discerningly. Was something romantic going on between him and her father? Were they secret lovers?
    Nah, she thought, inwardly shaking her head at that one.
    Though it wasn’t unheard of for powerful old men to get young boy toys and put them on the payroll, she didn’t think that was the case with her father and Xavier. Her father seemed crazy in love with his wife, and Xavier seemed totally straight. But she still found their relationship confusing. What could Xavier and her father possibly have in common to warrant such a strong connection between the two?
    â€œSo you got an invite to the family’s annual pre-Christmas dinner?” Xavier asked casually.
    â€œLooks like it. Makes sense since I’m family now. Guess Herb wanted to officially welcome me to the Allen clan.”
    Xavier suddenly paused. He turned to her. “You know, Herb is a very special guy. He’s very compassionate . . . very kind.”
    â€œI know. He seems very kind.”
    â€œSome people see that kindness as a weakness, as something they can take advantage of.” His face suddenly became stern. “But they’re wrong. Herb’s no pushover. He can see through people. He’ll know whether they have good intentions.”
    Good intentions? What the hell is this about?
    â€œIs there a reason for this speech?”
    â€œNo reason. I just wanted to let you know what type of man Herb is. That if he’s reaching out to you, take it as a gift . . . and appreciate it.”
    â€œI do. Why else would I be here tonight? Why else would I have agreed to have dinner with them?”
    Xavier tilted his head. “I don’t know. Some people can have different motivations for what they do. I don’t claim to be a mind reader.”
    â€œHere goes those ‘some people’ again.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Look, why don’t you just come out and say whatever the hell you want to say.”
    â€œFine.” He took another step toward her so that they were merely inches apart.
    She glared up at him, meeting his gaze.
    â€œI’m very protective of Herb and his family,” he began, “and when I get wind that someone isn’t what they claim to be, that that person may take advantage of them, I’m no pushover either. I’ll see that it doesn’t happen again. So just make sure your intentions are good here.”
    â€œDuly noted,” she said tightly. “But you can save