Read Online Beautiful Stranger by Ruth Wind - Free Book Online Page B

follow him into the kitchen. “Excuse me for saying so, princess, but that doesn’t seem like your style.”
    â€œYou never know. I had an outrageously great morning.”
    â€œYeah?” Moving efficiently, he put ice in three glasses and poured a pale green liquid from a glass pitcher. He gave her a glass, and carried two others into the living room and put them down on the coffee table. “Oh, damn. Forgot the coasters. She’ll kill me.” He turned, whipped three out and put them on the table, winking. “I haven’t been that civilized before, you know.”
    Marissa smiled around the tiny knot he put in herchest. However she had imagined Red Dog living, this tidy hominess was about as far from the fantasy as it could get.
    â€œSo,” he said, settling in a chair across from her. “What did you find, besides the dresses?”
    A little burst of light filled her chest and she smiled as she reached into her bag to pull out the silk-wrapped prize. “Are you familiar with antiques?”
    â€œNot really.” But he whistled when she unwrapped the perfume stopper, his eyes going wide as he accepted it as gingerly as it deserved. “Very pretty. What is it?”
    â€œA perfume stopper from the turn of the century.”
    â€œIt’s great,” he said, and sounded sincere. He turned it slowly, admiring the shifting light, and Marissa found herself admiring his hands. They were beautiful, strong and lean and long fingered, but they were also scarred. Little white scars, most very old, tattoos, new marks from working. Letters marched across the middle joint of each finger, and she grinned. “What do your fingers say?”
    â€œYou don’t want to know,” He gave her the stopper.
    She raised amused eyes. Her last boyfriend had been a biker, after all. “Bet I already do.”
    â€œI seriously doubt it.”
    Marissa only smiled. She did know, but she’d let him keep his secret.
    Crystal came out, shyly. “Well, what do you think?”
    â€œOh, it’s beautiful! I was right.” Marissa stood up to admire her properly. The soft fabric draped lightly around the swell of belly, and swirled around her calves. “That color is perfect for you. It makes your skin look so warm.”
    â€œI like it.” She twirled around. “Feels good—likeGinger Rogers or something.” She looked at Robert. “You like it, Uncle?”
    He whistled, low and long. “Very pretty. Guess you womenfolk know stuff we guys don’t.”
    â€œDuh.” Crystal sobered as she looked at Marissa. “Thank you, Ms. Pierce. It was really nice of you.”
    â€œDon’t mention it.”
    Robert chuckled. “Yeah, Crystal, she got the pleasure of seeing me with my beautiful hair down.”
    A ripple of recognition moved on Crystal’s face. Uhoh, Marissa thought.
    â€œAll the women like his hair,” Crystal said. “They all like him. But he doesn’t like any of them back.”
    â€œAnd we all cry in our beer every night over it, too, I can tell you,” Marissa said lightly. “I understand that every Thursday night, there’s a special pagan dance in the woods where the single women throw herbs on a fire and sing special chants to capture his heart.” She tsked, spreading her hands. “So far, he’s proven immune to everyone but you.”
    Crystal knew she was being appeased, but she gave Marissa a rueful grin anyway. Rolling her eyes, she said, “Thanks again, all right? I’m gonna take a shower now. I have a date with Mr. Perfect, you know.”
    Marissa laughed. “All right. See you Monday.”
    â€œYou’re good,” Robert said when the door closed. “Didn’t miss a beat.”
    She turned. “I’ve been teaching for a while. You learn.”
    â€œMaybe.” He shook his head. “Not everybody does.”
    â€œWell, thanks.” She