Ыоуве Been Warned   ::   Patterson James

It’s a large round table and yet there’s little doubt as to who’s sitting at thehead. Michael stands up from his chair, flashing his killer smile. As he walks over to me, wineglass in hand, he throws the maître d’ a quick wink as if to say, I’ll take it from here.

He certainly does.

“Kristin, come meet my friends from the Royal Queen Bank of Sweden.” Michael turns to the table and actually puts his arm around me. “Gentlemen!” he announces. “Jag vill att ni alla möter min sekreterare, Kristin.”

I blush slightly as the entire group – all men and each blonder than the next – proceeds to raise wineglasses and smile. They don’t look like bankers; they look like a rowing team.

An inebriated one at that.

I wait for the guys to resume their revelry before leaning toward Michael and whispering, “What did you say to them?”

“I told them you were my love slave.”

“Ouch. A little too close to the truth, don’t you think?”

“I’m kidding,” he says. “I introduced you as my secretary. It is what you told the maître d’, after all.”

“Sorry about that. Not too believable, huh? I said ‘assistant,’ by the way.”

“Better than claiming to be my niece, I suppose.”

“Funny, the thought did cross my mind.”

Michael shakes his head, amused. “Hey, kiddo, I’m forty-two, not sixty-two.”

“Thank God for that,” I say.

I watch him calmly take a sip of his red wine, his hand steady as a rock. Amazing. Not only doesn’t he flinch when I unexpectedly appear at his business dinner, he invites me back and introduces me to his clients, all nine of them.

That’s balls.

That’s Michael.

“So, to what do I owe this unexpected pleasure, Madame Secretary?” he asks.

“I needed to see you,” I say. I don’t elaborate, of course. I can’t get into it right here. I wouldn’t even know where to start.

“You know I was going to call you later, right?”

“Yes.” I half smile. “I guess I couldn’t wait.” I pant a little against his ear.

“Ooh, I like the sound of that. Check, please. ”

Before I can say anything more, Michael turns back to the table and shows off some more of his Swedish. Again, I have no idea what he’s saying.

But when he finishes, everyone reaches for a pen.



Chapter 16



“WHAT DID YOU SAY to them this time?” I ask.

I’m following Michael out of the dining room. He answers over his shoulder, “I’ll tell you in the limo.