Blackmailed Into Bed by Heidi Betts Page A

mouth down at the sides.
    Zero. Zero charges. His balance was the same as it had been before, and the last purchase was one he’ d made himself.
    Now he was even more confused than before. She’ d been gone all day, on his dime, presumably shopping, yet hadn’ t spent more than thirty dollars.
    He didn’ t know any woman who could shop all day and only spend thirty bucks.
    So if she hadn’ t been shopping, where had she been and what had she been up to?
    Before he could devise a list of possibilities, the bedroom door opened and she stepped out, looking like every man’ s fantasy come to life. Her hair was swept up into an artful twist. Her long black gown glittered with silver in the lamplight. A slit ran from her ankles to very high on her thigh, and the front was cut low, fastening around her neck with a single strap, leaving the front of her neck, shoulders and back bare.
    She wore minimal jewelry— a couple of rings, a pair of silver string earrings and a small charm on a thin silver necklace that matched the bracelet on her wrist— and three-inch spike heels that caused his blood to thicken and slog through his veins.
    “ Twenty minutes, as promised,” she said, making a small pirouette where she stood.
    The gown showed off her womanly shape as though she were naked, and he suddenly wanted to keep her inside the room with him rather than take her out, so no one else could see her.
    “ What do you think?”
    He thought way too many things, none of them suitable for delicate ears or pre-dinner conversation. After dinner, though… that was a whole different story.
    “ Good. Good. You look good.” His tongue felt like an old gym sock in his mouth, and even though he knew he wasn’ t making much sense, he was content to be able to form words at all. The synapse in his brain was barely firing, cells washing away to join all the others in his body south of the equator.
    To buy a few much-needed moments to recover his senses, he cleared his throat and checked his watch. She was right; she’ d only taken a little over twenty minutes to get ready, from the time she’ d disappeared into the bedroom… twenty-five counting the time he’ d wasted standing there feeling speechless and steamrolled.
    “ Okay. Well, then… ” He tugged at his cuffs, straightened his tie and somehow managed to step forward, offering his arm. “ Are we ready to go?”
    She nodded, meeting him halfway. He noticed the shawl in her other hand and took it from her, draping the long-fringed lace around her shoulders.
    “ You look amazing,” he said, perhaps belatedly.
    “ Thank you.”
    He pulled open the door, holding it until she’ d passed into the hall, then hooked her arm around his elbow again and guided her to the elevator. Their reflection shimmered back at them in the polished golden doors, and he couldn’ t help noticing how good she looked standing beside him. Tall, glamorous, gorgeous.
    He’ d known she was beautiful when he’ d suggested this arrangement— a man would have to be blind not to, and even then, any man worth his salt would have a pretty good idea of her charms just from her voice and the way she handled herself.
    He’ d also known she would make a good impression on his associates. She was funny and charismatic and knew when to put in a few words or hold her tongue while business was being discussed. And there was no arguing she was easy on the eyes.
    What he hadn’ t counted on was the force of his attraction to her.
    Beautiful women were nothing new to Chase Ramsey. He was wealthy, a self-made multimillionaire, which happened to be an attribute that a lot of women apparently found irresistible.
    And he’ d enjoyed his fair share of them. Some might say he used them, asking them out only when he needed a date for one event or another, and then taking them to bed— a place they were always more than willing to go.
    But the way he saw it, any using was mutual. They wanted to be with him because he had