VITTORIO'S RUNAWAY BRIDE (The Vittorio Series) by Kimberley Reeves Page B

bedroom?”   Logan asked, knowing full well the sexual innuendo was intentional.
    “Yes, and I would love to show it to you sometime, but I think I heard Richard coming in.”  
    Instead of going around the sofa to retrieve her robe, Alicia leaned across it with exaggerated slowness to insure her bottom was presented to him in what could only be construed as an invitation.   Logan wasn’t the least bit tempted and suddenly felt doubly blessed that he had a wife who didn’t have eyes for anyone but him.   At the thought of Shelby, who had seduced him with nothing more than a shy smile, his expression softened.  
    It was his misfortune that Alicia stood up at that precise moment and interpreted the look on his face as one of acceptance to her less than subtle proposition that he sleep with her.

Chapter 6
    It hadn’t been a problem as long as her husband was around.   It was amazing to watch really, the transformation that took place the moment Richard entered the room.   Alicia instantly became the adoring wife, latching onto his arm like a limpet as if she was afraid there was some evil plot brewing to tear her away from him.   How an intelligent man like Richard could have been duped by this woman was beyond Logan’s comprehension, but it was obvious the man was crazy about her and thrived on the clinging vine routine.  
    Logan decided it wasn’t his place or his responsibility to point out Alicia’s short comings, and since he was confident he would never be tempted to sample whatever goodies she was offering, he didn’t upset Shelby by telling her what happened whenever he found himself alone with Alicia for any length of time.   He’d never given Shelby any cause to be jealous or feel insecure and thought she was confident in their love for each other and their marriage.  But that didn’t mean someone like Alicia couldn’t stir up the pot by giving him suggestive glances in front of Shelby and putting doubts in her head.   No, he thought it best at the time not to worry his wife, and because of that, he had nearly lost her.    
    Logan had escaped his first encounter with Alicia unscathed because Richard happen to get home before she could make any further advances, and once he saw how she acted around her husband, he thought maybe he he’d read her wrong or over reacted.   The second incident wasn’t dismissed so easily, and he realized now that he should have handled it differently.  
    Richard had agreed to a late meeting and was due to arrive at Logan’s office around five thirty, so it didn’t surprise him when there was a tap on the door just a few minutes before the appointed time.   He was, however, extremely agitated to see Alicia Delatorre slip through the doorway and lock it behind her before sauntering across the room.
    He didn’t need to ask what she was up to; that was pretty evident from the plunging neckline of her slinky scarlet dress down to the matching stiletto heels.   Her unnaturally blonde hair was swept back into a French twist, her make-up done to perfection, and she made quite a production of swinging her curvaceous hips provocatively as she made her way towards his desk.   Logan rose to his feet, thoroughly shaken by the alarming certainty that Alicia intended to plop her fanny down onto his lap if he remained sitting.
    “Where is Richard?”   he demanded in a voice that was as cold and rigid as the expression on his face.
    Alicia stopped short, poising her lips into a sultry pout.   “Aren’t you glad to see me?”
    “My meeting was with Richard, where is he?”
    “He got called out of town unexpectedly and asked me to convey his apologies.”
    Logan’s eyes narrowed.   “He asked you dress up like a call girl and come to my office in person to tell me he would not be able to make it?”
    Alicia visibly bristled.   “This is a designer original,” she said icily, “and I assure you no one would mistake me for a high priced call girl!”
    “I do