Read Online 24 1/2 Kisses (A Bashir Family Romance) by Kennedy Claire - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kennedy Claire
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gourmet edibles. I suddenly wished for a heaping bowl of basmati rice and curried chicken, or spicy samosas packed with lentils, ground lamb and coriander—but there was no indication of anything remotely Indian on that table.
I nibbled on a shrimp; it tasted of dill and lemon. It was… nice but didn’t have the heat I was craving. I spied the caviar and thought I would try a little.
As I scooped a pile onto a blini, a voice from behind stopped me dead in my tracks.
“Scarlett, so nice to see you again. You’re all grown up now.”
The tiny fish eggs spilled onto the white linen table cloth. I knew that voice. That terrible, horrible, vile voice.
I made myself face him. Rhett looked slightly older, a crease or two around his blue eyes, and a tan that was more for vanity’s sake rather than sport. The last time I saw him, he was being hauled away in a police car, arrested for attempted rape.
My attempted rape.
I said nothing to him. It took all my energy to control my breathing.
“Don’t tell me you came all the way out here to see me?” He smiled sadistically like a cat cornering a frightened mouse.
I finally found my voice.
“I’m here to see Dev. I didn’t know you would be here.”
A band was setting up to play behind him. I avoided Rhett’s eyes and instead stared at a musician who was testing out the microphone.
“Well it must be serendipity then that I just flew in from Greece. The family forgot to send me an invite to their summer party, so I thought I would just pop in.”
There was a reckless energy about him—like a man who had lost everything and therefore had nothing left to lose.
The band started to play a slow seductive number, and the dance-floor filled up. I remained frozen.
Rhett grabbed my plate and champagne glass and set them down on the table; the liquor on his breath was pungent.
Then he grabbed my hand.
“Shall we dance?” he asked, a devious glint in his eye.
I wanted to run. I wanted to scream. But I couldn’t move.
And then Dev was there.
Before I knew what happened, Rhett was ushered away from me with a stern stare and Dev’s sure hand on his arm. They both walked hurriedly away from the yard and into the house. No words passed between them. It was if Dev had caught a remorseful party crasher on his property and not the entitled son of Gerald Franklin.
A few minutes later, Dev returned alone. He looked embarrassed and apologetic.
“Scarlett, I’m so sorry for that. I didn’t know he would be here.”
I felt raw, violated and angry. I was done with the games.
“Why did you ask me to come here, Dev? I just want the truth.”
Without taking his eyes from mine, he grabbed my hand and led me to the dance floor. The sun was slowly sinking behind the mansion and painting the yard in shadows. The garden was lit with hundreds of lights and a large summer moon hung low over the ocean.
It was…magical.
But I wasn’t going to give into his weird game. I jerked my arm away from him making my feelings clear. A few people at the party looked our way, curious about the drama involving their rich, banking prince.
Dev leaned down and whispered in my ear. “I just wanted to dance with you. Please.”
I wanted to smack him and scream that it isn’t this easy—that you can’t just go through what we went through and then pick up where we left off.
But I didn’t. Embarrassed by the attention we were drawing from the crowd, I quietly nodded my consent and offered myself to him.
Feeling myself melt into his strong embrace—his scent and everything I loved about him so close to me—I made the decision to enjoy this one dance.
It would surely be our last.
For five lovely minutes it was if we were outside of time, our happy ending intact. I breathed him in and relished his warm skin on mine. But I wouldn’t look into his eyes as we danced, and kept my face turned away, but I could feel them on me.
I could always feel them on me.
When the song was over,
I nibbled on a shrimp; it tasted of dill and lemon. It was… nice but didn’t have the heat I was craving. I spied the caviar and thought I would try a little.
As I scooped a pile onto a blini, a voice from behind stopped me dead in my tracks.
“Scarlett, so nice to see you again. You’re all grown up now.”
The tiny fish eggs spilled onto the white linen table cloth. I knew that voice. That terrible, horrible, vile voice.
I made myself face him. Rhett looked slightly older, a crease or two around his blue eyes, and a tan that was more for vanity’s sake rather than sport. The last time I saw him, he was being hauled away in a police car, arrested for attempted rape.
My attempted rape.
I said nothing to him. It took all my energy to control my breathing.
“Don’t tell me you came all the way out here to see me?” He smiled sadistically like a cat cornering a frightened mouse.
I finally found my voice.
“I’m here to see Dev. I didn’t know you would be here.”
A band was setting up to play behind him. I avoided Rhett’s eyes and instead stared at a musician who was testing out the microphone.
“Well it must be serendipity then that I just flew in from Greece. The family forgot to send me an invite to their summer party, so I thought I would just pop in.”
There was a reckless energy about him—like a man who had lost everything and therefore had nothing left to lose.
The band started to play a slow seductive number, and the dance-floor filled up. I remained frozen.
Rhett grabbed my plate and champagne glass and set them down on the table; the liquor on his breath was pungent.
Then he grabbed my hand.
“Shall we dance?” he asked, a devious glint in his eye.
I wanted to run. I wanted to scream. But I couldn’t move.
And then Dev was there.
Before I knew what happened, Rhett was ushered away from me with a stern stare and Dev’s sure hand on his arm. They both walked hurriedly away from the yard and into the house. No words passed between them. It was if Dev had caught a remorseful party crasher on his property and not the entitled son of Gerald Franklin.
A few minutes later, Dev returned alone. He looked embarrassed and apologetic.
“Scarlett, I’m so sorry for that. I didn’t know he would be here.”
I felt raw, violated and angry. I was done with the games.
“Why did you ask me to come here, Dev? I just want the truth.”
Without taking his eyes from mine, he grabbed my hand and led me to the dance floor. The sun was slowly sinking behind the mansion and painting the yard in shadows. The garden was lit with hundreds of lights and a large summer moon hung low over the ocean.
It was…magical.
But I wasn’t going to give into his weird game. I jerked my arm away from him making my feelings clear. A few people at the party looked our way, curious about the drama involving their rich, banking prince.
Dev leaned down and whispered in my ear. “I just wanted to dance with you. Please.”
I wanted to smack him and scream that it isn’t this easy—that you can’t just go through what we went through and then pick up where we left off.
But I didn’t. Embarrassed by the attention we were drawing from the crowd, I quietly nodded my consent and offered myself to him.
Feeling myself melt into his strong embrace—his scent and everything I loved about him so close to me—I made the decision to enjoy this one dance.
It would surely be our last.
For five lovely minutes it was if we were outside of time, our happy ending intact. I breathed him in and relished his warm skin on mine. But I wouldn’t look into his eyes as we danced, and kept my face turned away, but I could feel them on me.
I could always feel them on me.
When the song was over,
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