The Seduction Game by Anastasia Maltezos Page A

for the folder. “Put her through,” Adam told Mary. The phone rang and he snatched it from the receiver.
    “Well, well,” Dana began. “What does a girl have to do to get thanks around here? You could have called me, you know.”
    “I don’t have time for this. What’s the urgent matter?”
    “How was your date with Kate?”
    Adam stiffened. “Fine.”
    “Good. I was thinking you should invite her to my gallery this weekend. And I want—”
    “You disturbed my meeting for this?”
    “—you to tell her the truth about yourself,” Dana continued as though he hadn’t said a word.
    “It’s too late for that. I won’t be seeing Kate Moore anymore.”
    “Don’t be silly,” Dana replied. “Of course you’ll be seeing her again.”
    “I have to get back to my meeting. Goodbye, Dana.”
    Adam put the phone down and looked at Edward. The older man was watching him with an astonished, yet pleased look on his face.
    “Did I hear you correctly, son? Did you say Kate Moore?”
    Adam clenched his jaw. “That’s right.”
    Edward’s salt and pepper brows rose to the rafters. “The same Kate Moore who’s a psychologist?”
    “Yes.” He didn’t like where this was leading.
    “Well, I’ll be darned! What are the chances of Ellie’s guardian angel being your Kate Moore?”
    “I’d say very high,” Adam remarked dryly. “And she’s not my Kate Moore. We’re not seeing each other anymore.”
    “Nonsense. She’s perfect for you. Feisty, intelligent, warm, and a looker, too.” Edward paused and narrowed his eyes. Adam didn’t trust that look. “Son, I want you to call Kate and tell her the three of us are having dinner tonight.”
    “I don’t think that’s possible, Ed.”
    “I won’t take no for an answer. I’ll meet you two at six-thirty at Gambini’s, plenty of time for you to patch things up.” He gave a sly wink, and glanced at his watch. “I have to go, son. Oh, and bring the contract. I’ll sign it at the restaurant.”
    By the time Adam walked Edward out and returned to his desk his frustration had reached a boiling point. What the hell was he going to do now? Edward expected Kate and the contract tonight. One, Adam was more than willing to present, the other, he wanted nothing more than to forget.
    He cursed the universe’s cosmic plan to kick the hell out of him and punched Kyle’s number.
    “Listen carefully. I don’t have time to explain,” he said as soon as Kyle answered the phone. “I have a job for you, and I’ll pay you double if you deliver before the end of the day. It’s Kate Moore. I need her home and work address, and a phone number.”
    “You got it,” Kyle replied, sounding puzzled.
    “And, Kyle?”
    “Yeah?”
    Adam tightened his grip on the telephone. “Get anything else you can on her, boyfriend, husband, anything.”
    “Give me until three o’ clock,” Kyle replied brusquely, and the line went dead.
    Adam spent the rest of his day in a blur as he stared at his phone in between meetings with his programmers. At ten minutes to three, Adam couldn’t stand it any longer and went to his window overlooking the city. He dug his hands deep into his pockets and stared at the traffic below.
    There was no way out of this. He had no choice but to meet Kate again. Tonight. He knew he could have decided to forget the Ryerson contract, but his staff had worked too hard on this account the past few months and he’d already promised everyone a bonus once the dotted line was signed.
    No, he couldn’t let them down, even if it meant seeing Kate again.
    He rested his head on the window.
    “Damn. Damn. Damn,” he muttered, knocking the window three times with his head.
    True to his word, Kyle rang at three o’clock.
    “Sorry, buddy. My internet’s down, so I’m sending you a fax right now,” he said. “And as far as I can tell, this woman’s not a schoolteacher, but I gather you already knew that.”Adam glanced at the fax machine. The documents were coming