A Risky Affair Read Online Free Page B

Her gaze lingered on his left hand, searching his dark skin for traces of a wedding band, inexplicably relieved when she found none.
    â€œNo middle name?”
    His deep voice jerked her to attention. Her eyes snapped to his face and found him looking at her. Her face heated with embarrassment at the realization that he’d caught her checking him out. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”
    His mouth twitched. “I asked if you have a middle name.”
    She shook her head. “No. Just Solange.” She waited for him to comment on how unusual her name was, or to ask her if she knew she shared her name with a popular singer’s sister, but he merely nodded and continued his perusal of her paperwork. After another moment, he gave a satisfied nod and set aside the clipboard.
    Leaning back in his chair, he regarded her with lazy indulgence. “So you’re going to be working for Crandall Thorne, huh?”
    â€œIt appears so.”
    Dane shook his head slowly at her. “Brave woman.”
    She let out a startled laugh. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    Dane chuckled softly. “You’re new in town. I’ll let you find out on your own.”
    Solange gave him a wry smile. “How well do you know Crandall Thorne?”
    â€œWell enough. His son is married to my cousin Daniela, so we’re practically related. Not to mention the fact that Crandall’s one of our biggest clients. We do all of the employee background checks for his company.”
    Solange arched a teasing brow. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll go back and tell him you were badmouthing him?”
    â€œNah,” Dane drawled lazily. “You don’t strike me as the type to stab a man in the back like that.”
    Solange grinned. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
    â€œOh, it was.” His hot, possessive gaze roamed across her face, making her pulse quicken. “One of many compliments I could pay you, Miss Washington.”
    Her belly quivered, and she felt a thrill of pleasure at his words. Clearing her throat, she said, “I have a lot of errands to run this morning. Was there anything else you needed from me?”
    â€œActually, there is.” Dane paused for a moment, watching her carefully. “Mr. Thorne asked me to invite you to take a polygraph test.”
    Solange stared at him in dumbfounded silence. She couldn’t have heard right. “A polygraph test? He wants me to take a lie-detector test?”
    â€œOnly if you’re willing to,” Dane said mildly.
    Solange shook her head in disbelief. She’d fully expected Roarke Investigations to conduct a thorough background check on her, but this was going overboard. “I’m sure you and Mr. Thorne are aware of the Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988, a federal law that prohibits employers from requiring employees to take lie-detector tests.”
    Dane inclined his head. “I’m aware of it, as is Mr. Thorne.”
    Solange said coolly, “That means employers are prohibited from even suggesting that an employee or applicant take a lie-detector test, nor can they decline to hire an applicant who refuses to take one.”
    A soft, enigmatic smile quirked the corners of Dane’s mouth. “You’re very familiar with the terms of the law. I’m impressed, Miss Washington. Rest assured that Mr. Thorne has no intention of withdrawing the job offer should you decide not to take the test.”
    â€œBut he still wants me to do it, even though it’s illegal. Is that what you’re telling me?”
    Dane’s expression remained deadpan. “It’s entirely up to you, Miss Washington.”
    Her eyes narrowed on his face. It was some kind of test. It had to be. She didn’t believe for one second that a prominent, successful attorney like Crandall Thorne would expose himself to an unnecessary lawsuit by forcing a prospective employee to submit