Read Online Aspen Gold by Janet Dailey - Free Book Online Page A

delivered his line without consulting the script.
    "You presume too much, McCord." She turned her back on him in dismissal.
    "Drop the grieving-widow act, Eden. It doesn't suit you."
    She went rigid, then visibly relaxed her body and slowly turned again to face him.
    "Oh? And what does suit me? You, perhaps?"
    She practically purred the words, suddenly all sultry and sexy, her eyes, her voice, her body smoldering with it and sending the temperature in the room soaring. "Is that why you came to my room tonight? To finish what we started on the mountain?"
    Moving closer to him, she tilted her head back, exposing the slender curve of her throat, her lips parting in invitation, growing fuller, heavier.
    "Aren't you going to kiss me, McCord?" she taunted as she slid her hands up the front of his shirt, spreading them over his chest. "Make love to me?"
    He caught her wrists and pushed her hands from him. "What are you?" Her transformation to Eden was so complete, the words, the anger, the bewilderment came naturally to him.
    Eden laughed, rather beautifully, and drew back from him. "Haven't you heard? I'm a murderess."
    "Are you?"
    Something flickered in her expression. Pain?
    Bitterness? Fear? It was gone too quickly for him to determine.
    "That's what they're paying you to find out," she murmured.
    "I want you to tell me."
    "No, you want me to make your job easy for you and confess," she replied, then gave a challenging little toss of her head. "All right, I did it. I killed my husband. I married him for his money and killed him so I could have it all to myself." Her voice was flat but her eyes were angry. "Satisfied?"
    "No."
    "Too bad. That's all you're going to get."

    "It isn't good enough."
    "Go to hell," she flashed.
    He smiled. "Ladies first."
    Her hand arced toward his face. He caught her wrist, stopping her fingers short of their target.
    He stared into her face. Her expression was angry, her eyes vulnerable. The climax of the scene called for him to haul her into his arms and kiss her.
    "Good." Chip's voice intruded before John could put the script words into action. A pity, he thought, and released her wrist, all the impulses still rushing through him.
    Kit threw back her head and released a long breath, feeling the tension and the character of Eden drain out of her, missing the look John Travis and Nolan Walker exchanged and the barely perceptible nod John gave in response to Nolan's unspoken question. Turning, she gave the pages from the script back to Chip, every instinct telling her she'd done well. Very well.
    "Thanks. It's a great part." She flashed Chip a smile. "It really is."
    Chip nodded his head and stared, saying nothing.
    Nolan Walker came out from behind his desk. "You did a good job, Ms. Masters."
    "Thank you."
    "Will you be available for a callback?"
    "Of course." Inside, she was still soaring, still high from the adrenaline rush. She needed to get out, to feel the sun on her face and wallow in this feeling of near-victory. "I'll look forward to hearing from you," she said to all four.
    Not even certain her feet were touching the floor, Kit walked out of the office, beamed a smile at Nolan Walker's secretary, and sailed down the flight of stairs to the first floor of the bungalow-style building. Before the reading, she hadn't let herself think about how much she wanted the role, how much she needed it, how much it could mean.
    Now, it just might be hers. Her lips were dry and her heart was pounding. It was all she could do to keep from hugging herself with glee. She didn't hear John Travis come up behind her as she approached the front door.
    "I want to talk to you." He opened it.
    "Sure." She walked into the sunlight, the air fragrant with the scent of bougainvillea spilling over a wall. She tossed her hair back, releasing another sigh, more of relief this time. "Lord, but I'm glad that's over. My mouth is so dry I could start my own cotton factory."
    "Let's grab a cup of coffee." He motioned in the