The Opium Room Read Online Free

the way to give him room. Under his breath, he said to Karrigan, “Did you really have to go and say that? Now I look like a huge ass.”
    “Sorry.” Karrigan held out her hands to her side. “I warned you.”
    No wonder at twenty–two, Karrigan still sometimes acted like two. The only girl out of three kids, Roman spoiled her senseless… financially anyway.
    After Claude had set the plates down on the table, Fox leaned into the booth and said to Lea, “I know how that sounded, but please do not take it literally. Trust me, if you knew Roman Kemp, you’d understand.”
    “This wasn’t a good idea. I don’t think I’ll stick around to eat.” Lea scooted down the booth to get out, but Fox was blocking her.
    “Please,” Fox said, “don’t go. Just sit here with Karrigan, enjoy your meal, and let me go handle my father while you reconsider staying. Will you do that for me?”
    Lea let out a sigh. “I guess I’ll think about it. I can’t make any promises though.”
    “That’s great. Have Karrigan show you to the bar at eight o’clock. I’ll meet you there.”
    —Lea
    Karrigan scooted into the booth next to Lea. Without a word, she dug into Fox’s plate of spaghetti.
    Had Fox really come right out and said he was interested in Lea? She was still trying to convince herself that she wasn’t imagining things. A man like Fox couldn’t possibly see anything resembling sexy in her. She was boring, homely… and broke. After paying the hefty six–hundred–dollar fee for the conference and then another eight–hundred for the room, her checking balance had dwindled to fourteen–hundred twenty–two. And working freelance, incoming funds were never a guarantee. Lea was nothing like the swanky, rich women Fox was likely used to spending time with.
    Still, she couldn’t stop thinking about Fox’s provocatively titled, personal concept room. He said no other women had slept in his room, but Lea had her doubts. Fox was a handsome, successful businessman. He could have his choice of just about any woman on the planet. He was worldly and experienced and Lea was… inexperienced. She hadn’t been with anyone else but Brandon. She wouldn’t know how to please a man of his caliber.
    “Uh, excuse me,” Lea said. “What bar is he talking about meeting me at?”
    “Right here in the hotel. It’s called Dilemma. Just stick with me and you won’t get lost.” Karrigan crossed a foot over mid–thigh and jiggled a red Converse stiletto tennis shoe mere inches from Lea. She shoved in another huge bite of spaghetti, and sucked in the strand of noodle that hung out.
    Lea liked Karrigan. She was approachable and carefree, and anybody who rocked six–inch stilettos made of canvas had to be trendy.
    If Lea was going to even entertain the idea of getting back into the dating scene, she was going to need someone like Karrigan to bring her up with the times.
    After finishing her scrumptious plate of spaghetti alongside Karrigan, Lea sat back and rubbed her belly. “Good Lord, that was good.”
    Karrigan licked the sauce from one corner of her mouth, then the other. “I know. My brother Erickson is the bomb! He runs both restaurants here. We’re twins.”
    “Really? Is it just the three of you?”
    “Yep, just us three—and Father, but I rarely see him. He stays in his suite upstairs like a recluse. I think he’s got a public phobia.”
    “Your father must think Fox is a lady–killer. I mean… for him to say that comment.”
    “What? About tearing off Fox’s balls?” Karrigan said loudly, as she twiddled a long strand of hair around her index finger.
    Lea looked around the room, and luckily, no one stared… long. “Uh, yeah, about that.”
    Underneath the table, Karrigan’s leg was swaying back and forth, back and forth, rocking the entire bench. It was making Lea nauseous.
    “Eh, don’t worry about it,” Karrigan said. “Roman says that all the time. At the first sign of trouble, he’s threatening to