Bared by the Billionaire by Kallista Dane Page A

hair, a Cuban accent, and a warm smile that disappeared when Sam reached for a spoon to dip into the black beans and rice simmering on the enormous commercial range. Carmen slapped his hand and Kyra was shocked to see the man’s stone face split by a huge grin.
    “Carmen’s going to dump that old geezer she’s been married to forever and run off with me one of these days,” he said. “She can’t resist my charm much longer. Isn’t that right, mi preciosa? ”
    She giggled like a schoolgirl. “I’ve told you before, hombre, just because there’s snow on his roof doesn’t mean there’s not a hot fire in the furnace down below.”
    She shooed them both out of the kitchen, promising to bring Kyra her dinner by five. Kyra couldn’t help wondering what Carmen thought of the wide array of slutty outfits in the closet. She assumed the woman had been the one who set out tonight’s selection. Kyra found it hanging on a hook on the wall in the dressing room when she left Harmon’s office, complete with underwear, shoes, and a picture of the hairstyle he wanted clipped to the hanger.
    She’d spent the rest of that afternoon unpacking and exploring her quarters. Behind the wall of mirrors on one side of her sitting room, she found a tiny kitchen, complete with the latest high-tech coffee machine, a microwave, and a mini-fridge stocked with fresh fruit and drinks. Her favorite brand of Cuban coffee was on a shelf above, along with a selection of the herbal teas she often drank at bedtime. This was getting downright creepy. Had he hired someone to break into her apartment and go through her cabinets?
    That thought galvanized her into action. She rummaged in her purse, grabbed her phone, and sent a text.
     
    I’m here. Miss you so much, baby.
     
    A few seconds later the phone pinged.
     
    Miss you too. Just keep thinking of all that money.
     
    Good. Her phone still worked and the link to Patterson was up and running. He was the one who suggested this method of staying in touch. If anyone read her texts, they’d figure she had a boyfriend they hadn’t known about, a boyfriend she was probably supporting. One who apparently was okay with the idea of whoring her out to another man, as long as it paid well.
    She took another look at the schedule she’d found on the foyer table when she got back to her room. Harmon had blocked out several hours each day when he wanted her to attend meetings with him or go over financial reports. Sam said there was an office waiting for her on the floor below, in the corporate headquarters. She’d be escorted there tomorrow morning.
    Kyra dragged her thoughts back to the present and looked at her watch again. 7:56. She threw back her shoulders, opened the door, and headed for the lab. The long hallway was empty, all the doors closed. As her heels echoed on the wood floor, she wondered briefly how many people she hadn’t yet seen were sitting silently behind those doors right now.
    Harmon’s lab was at the other end of the building. She hadn’t been inside but Sam had pointed out the door when he gave her the tour. She knocked softly. Harmon opened the door. Tonight he wore black jeans and another tight black t-shirt. She dropped her gaze to the floor and saw that his feet were bare.
    “Good evening, Kyra.”
    She froze. Did he expect her to reply? Or would that earn her more punishment?
    Harmon must have sensed her confusion because he let out a low chuckle. “You may respond.”
    “Yes, sir. Good evening… sir,” she added.
    “Come in. This is my lab—my real home. You could probably earn big bucks tomorrow just describing what you see tonight to some faceless entity online. But of course, you’ve signed that confidentiality agreement. And I’m sure you’re a woman of integrity, someone I can trust to keep her word.”
    She didn’t know what to say to that, so she kept silent. Did he know about her deal with Patterson? Was he testing her, taunting her?
    “We’ll be spending