Read Online A Man Like Morgan Kane by Beverly Barton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Beverly Barton
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large room. Morgan dropped his suitcase on the hand-painted sisal rug. Taking in the casually elegant splendor of the area, he realized, once again, how much Bethany and his mother had in common, even their good taste and passion for antiques. But where his mother's house had the feel of a museum,Bethany's had the feel of a home.
"The bath's through there." Anne Marie pointed to the open door through which Morgan could see a black laquered vanity. "Now, I'll leave you alone. But when you and Mama finish talking business, let me know, and we can change into our suits and go for a swim before dinner. Mama loves the pool. Maybe a swim will help her relax."
Before he had a chance to reply,Bethany's whirlwind child flew out of the room and down the stairs. He walked over to the double windows and gazed at the backyard, which was enclosed within the boundaries of a tall, wooden fence. A large deck led to a stone patio, that spread out and circled an olympic-size pool. To the left was a flower garden, a condensed replica of his mother's.
What the hell was he doing here? InBirmingham? InBethany's home? He had allowed too many old feelings to resurface and affect his decision making. He'd been reared from infancy to be unemotional, and he'd trained himself over the past sixteen years to become unfeeling. So why hadn't he been able to Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
walk away and not look back when his mother had pleaded with him to becomeBethany's bodyguard?
Don't you see? This could be a second chance for Bethany and you.His mother's words echoed inside his head. Hell, he didn't want a second chance withBethany. Or did he? He hadn't exactly been eating his heart out for her all these years. There had been other women. Quite a few other women, though most of them were now nothing more than nameless, faceless blurs. But even if he wasn't interested in second chances for a happily ever after life withBethany, he couldn't deny that he wanted her. Even when she'd been a shy, plump little bookworm, he'd wanted her. Wanted her more than he'd ever wanted anyone else. And now that she had matured into a ripe, sensuous woman, he wanted her even more.
But he'd be a fool to mix business with pleasure. To become involved in an affair withBethanywhile he was working as her bodyguard. Besides, she hadn't given him any indication that she wanted him. Maybe she was involved with her business partner and neither wanted nor needed another lover.
He had agreed to his mother's pleas because he felt that he owedBethanysomething for deserting her sixteen years ago and practically throwing her into Amery's waiting arms.
And then there was the child. Not really a child, but a young woman. Why had he allowed Anne Marie's misplaced adoration to affect his decision to stay and take the job? Was it because he had looked at Amery's daughter and known in his heart that she should have been his?
* * *
Morgan and Bethany had little time to discuss the details of Jimmy Farraday's murder case, the mail bomb or instigating a personal investigation. And much to Anne Marie's disappointment, they'd had to cancel their plans to grill steaks by the pool. Lisa Songer's condition worsened andBethanyrushed to the hospital. Anne Marie had insisted on accompanying them, despiteBethany's efforts to persuade her to stay with Claudia.
When Lisa passed the crisis and the doctors assured her family that she would live, Morgan urged a reluctantBethanyto leave the hospital.
"I understand that you feel responsible," he said. "That bomb was meant for you, and if you hadn't asked her to open the package, she wouldn't have been injured."
"Mama, it wasn't your fault," Anne Marie said. "You had no way of knowing that there was a bomb in that package."
"Lisa is only twenty-six. Her whole life is ahead of her."Bethanyaccepted her daughter's comforting hug.
"She came so close to dying. And … she could still lose her hand."
"You
"The bath's through there." Anne Marie pointed to the open door through which Morgan could see a black laquered vanity. "Now, I'll leave you alone. But when you and Mama finish talking business, let me know, and we can change into our suits and go for a swim before dinner. Mama loves the pool. Maybe a swim will help her relax."
Before he had a chance to reply,Bethany's whirlwind child flew out of the room and down the stairs. He walked over to the double windows and gazed at the backyard, which was enclosed within the boundaries of a tall, wooden fence. A large deck led to a stone patio, that spread out and circled an olympic-size pool. To the left was a flower garden, a condensed replica of his mother's.
What the hell was he doing here? InBirmingham? InBethany's home? He had allowed too many old feelings to resurface and affect his decision making. He'd been reared from infancy to be unemotional, and he'd trained himself over the past sixteen years to become unfeeling. So why hadn't he been able to Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
walk away and not look back when his mother had pleaded with him to becomeBethany's bodyguard?
Don't you see? This could be a second chance for Bethany and you.His mother's words echoed inside his head. Hell, he didn't want a second chance withBethany. Or did he? He hadn't exactly been eating his heart out for her all these years. There had been other women. Quite a few other women, though most of them were now nothing more than nameless, faceless blurs. But even if he wasn't interested in second chances for a happily ever after life withBethany, he couldn't deny that he wanted her. Even when she'd been a shy, plump little bookworm, he'd wanted her. Wanted her more than he'd ever wanted anyone else. And now that she had matured into a ripe, sensuous woman, he wanted her even more.
But he'd be a fool to mix business with pleasure. To become involved in an affair withBethanywhile he was working as her bodyguard. Besides, she hadn't given him any indication that she wanted him. Maybe she was involved with her business partner and neither wanted nor needed another lover.
He had agreed to his mother's pleas because he felt that he owedBethanysomething for deserting her sixteen years ago and practically throwing her into Amery's waiting arms.
And then there was the child. Not really a child, but a young woman. Why had he allowed Anne Marie's misplaced adoration to affect his decision to stay and take the job? Was it because he had looked at Amery's daughter and known in his heart that she should have been his?
* * *
Morgan and Bethany had little time to discuss the details of Jimmy Farraday's murder case, the mail bomb or instigating a personal investigation. And much to Anne Marie's disappointment, they'd had to cancel their plans to grill steaks by the pool. Lisa Songer's condition worsened andBethanyrushed to the hospital. Anne Marie had insisted on accompanying them, despiteBethany's efforts to persuade her to stay with Claudia.
When Lisa passed the crisis and the doctors assured her family that she would live, Morgan urged a reluctantBethanyto leave the hospital.
"I understand that you feel responsible," he said. "That bomb was meant for you, and if you hadn't asked her to open the package, she wouldn't have been injured."
"Mama, it wasn't your fault," Anne Marie said. "You had no way of knowing that there was a bomb in that package."
"Lisa is only twenty-six. Her whole life is ahead of her."Bethanyaccepted her daughter's comforting hug.
"She came so close to dying. And … she could still lose her hand."
"You
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