Read Online A Spanish Engagement by Kathryn Ross - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kathryn Ross
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swallow her. ‘Well, you know, Carmel, it wasn’t really like that,’ she murmured. ‘It was business and…’ She floundered, not knowing what else to say.
‘And it was destiny.’ Max rescued her with a smooth ease. ‘As soon as our eyes met we both knew there was something very special between us.’
Carrie glanced over at him, marvelling at the way he was able to sound so charmingly sincere. As her eyes met his dark intense gaze she felt her blood starting to race through her veins. And for a moment, a brief, silly moment, she wondered what it would be like if that were true. If this whole charade were for real. The warmth of that thought sent her senses spinning. Hurriedly she looked away from him again.
This was all an act, and Max was convincing because he was a charmer. A man who knew exactly how to make a woman feel special just with a mere smile—just like her ex-husband. She couldn’t afford the luxury of forgetting that; there were too many things at stake here, both personally and professionally.
Carrie cleared her throat. She had to get out of here, away from these lies. As Molly tried to make her way back to her chair beside Max, Carrie caught hold of her hand and stopped her. ‘We really have to be going now,’ she said firmly, looking from Carmel to Bob. ‘I have to get Molly back home for her siesta. And I’m sure you could do with some rest after your long flight, Bob.’
Bob nodded and everyone got to their feet.
‘Nice meeting you, Max. We’ll look forward to our next get-together,’ Carmel said happily. ‘And we’ll ring you later, Carrie, about coming over to see Molly.’
Carrie nodded. ‘Yes, whenever you like,’ she agreed.
The relief of stepping outside the hotel was immeasurable, even though the heat of the afternoon was stifling.
Carrie felt emotionally drained; all she wanted was her apartment and a cold drink. As the doorman stepped forward to offer to get them a cab Max put a detaining hand on her arm. ‘Come on, my car is around the corner,’ he said briskly. And before she could say anything he was leading her towards the entrance to an underground car park. Molly was hopping from foot to foot and pulling against Carrie’s hand and she stopped to pick her up, to keep her safe from any cars that might be pulling out.
‘Here, give her to me,’ Max said. ‘She’s too heavy for you to carry down these steps to the car.’
Molly went across to him without a murmur and grinned at Carrie from over his shoulder as if this was all great fun.
Max’s car was a black BMW. He unlocked it with a flick of a button and then secured Molly into the back seat with the seat belt. As Carrie relaxed into the passenger seat beside him he turned on the air-conditioning and opened the fans so that they were directed onto her. ‘That better?’ he asked.
She nodded.
His eyes raked over the pallor of her countenance with concern. ‘Was the heat getting to you?’
‘The heat of the situation was worse. I felt so awful lying to them, Max.’
‘If it’s any consolation, they looked a lot happier when we left,’ he said gently.
‘Yes, but somehow that just made me feel even moreguilty.’ Carrie leaned her head back against the car seat and closed her eyes for a second. ‘Wasn’t it just appalling?’ she said in a hushed undertone. ‘I should have told the truth.’
‘I think what you did was kinder in the long run,’ Max said seriously. ‘You’ve relieved them of a heavy weight of responsibility. They obviously love their grandchild, but Bob didn’t look well. And even Carmel was looking more and more relieved as she realised you had things in hand here.’
‘I still don’t feel good about it.’ Carrie opened her eyes and looked over at him. ‘But I have to say you deserve an Oscar for your part. Thank you.’
‘We made an agreement, Carrie,’ he said nonchalantly. ‘You just return the favour for me and we’ll call it even.’
The cool response
‘And it was destiny.’ Max rescued her with a smooth ease. ‘As soon as our eyes met we both knew there was something very special between us.’
Carrie glanced over at him, marvelling at the way he was able to sound so charmingly sincere. As her eyes met his dark intense gaze she felt her blood starting to race through her veins. And for a moment, a brief, silly moment, she wondered what it would be like if that were true. If this whole charade were for real. The warmth of that thought sent her senses spinning. Hurriedly she looked away from him again.
This was all an act, and Max was convincing because he was a charmer. A man who knew exactly how to make a woman feel special just with a mere smile—just like her ex-husband. She couldn’t afford the luxury of forgetting that; there were too many things at stake here, both personally and professionally.
Carrie cleared her throat. She had to get out of here, away from these lies. As Molly tried to make her way back to her chair beside Max, Carrie caught hold of her hand and stopped her. ‘We really have to be going now,’ she said firmly, looking from Carmel to Bob. ‘I have to get Molly back home for her siesta. And I’m sure you could do with some rest after your long flight, Bob.’
Bob nodded and everyone got to their feet.
‘Nice meeting you, Max. We’ll look forward to our next get-together,’ Carmel said happily. ‘And we’ll ring you later, Carrie, about coming over to see Molly.’
Carrie nodded. ‘Yes, whenever you like,’ she agreed.
The relief of stepping outside the hotel was immeasurable, even though the heat of the afternoon was stifling.
Carrie felt emotionally drained; all she wanted was her apartment and a cold drink. As the doorman stepped forward to offer to get them a cab Max put a detaining hand on her arm. ‘Come on, my car is around the corner,’ he said briskly. And before she could say anything he was leading her towards the entrance to an underground car park. Molly was hopping from foot to foot and pulling against Carrie’s hand and she stopped to pick her up, to keep her safe from any cars that might be pulling out.
‘Here, give her to me,’ Max said. ‘She’s too heavy for you to carry down these steps to the car.’
Molly went across to him without a murmur and grinned at Carrie from over his shoulder as if this was all great fun.
Max’s car was a black BMW. He unlocked it with a flick of a button and then secured Molly into the back seat with the seat belt. As Carrie relaxed into the passenger seat beside him he turned on the air-conditioning and opened the fans so that they were directed onto her. ‘That better?’ he asked.
She nodded.
His eyes raked over the pallor of her countenance with concern. ‘Was the heat getting to you?’
‘The heat of the situation was worse. I felt so awful lying to them, Max.’
‘If it’s any consolation, they looked a lot happier when we left,’ he said gently.
‘Yes, but somehow that just made me feel even moreguilty.’ Carrie leaned her head back against the car seat and closed her eyes for a second. ‘Wasn’t it just appalling?’ she said in a hushed undertone. ‘I should have told the truth.’
‘I think what you did was kinder in the long run,’ Max said seriously. ‘You’ve relieved them of a heavy weight of responsibility. They obviously love their grandchild, but Bob didn’t look well. And even Carmel was looking more and more relieved as she realised you had things in hand here.’
‘I still don’t feel good about it.’ Carrie opened her eyes and looked over at him. ‘But I have to say you deserve an Oscar for your part. Thank you.’
‘We made an agreement, Carrie,’ he said nonchalantly. ‘You just return the favour for me and we’ll call it even.’
The cool response
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