Read Online Between the Lines by Jayne Ann Krentz - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jayne Ann Krentz
Tags: Contemporary Romance
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saddle.
Amber grinned at him as he lounged comfortably on a rock and began to investigate the contents of the pouch. "Any lack of respect you detect is merely my poor sense of humor at work. What have you got in the pouch?"
"Some watercress-and-pate sandwiches, a couple of packages of potato chips, some carrots and olives and two apples." He spread the small repast out on a napkin that had also been in the pouch. "And last, but not least, a split of a good, sturdy, California red."
"Not bad. The resort kitchen is very accommodating." Amber reached for one of the sandwiches.
"More accommodating than Roger and Ozzie. I thought I'd never get rid of one or the other of them this morning," Gray said as he leaned back against a sun-warmed boulder and devoured half a sandwich in one bite. Gray's appetite was in proportion to the rest of him.
"They were certainly determined to escort us on this little jaunt, weren't they?" Amber agreed thoughtfully. Gray had put his large foot down very forcefully this morning when the two young men had offered to act as guides. It had been more than a polite offer; Roger and Ozzie had been quite insistent. But Gray, in his own quiet way, could be quite stubborn. The two young men had been left behind at the resort.
"They're getting worse. Seems like I can't go anywhere on the resort without one of them following me around. It's getting to be impossible to have any discreet conversations with groundskeepers, wine stewards or housekeepers." Gray swallowed the rest of the sandwich and opened the half bottle of red wine. "I think they're beginning to realize I'm not turning into a one-man cheerleading squad for the resort."
Amber frowned. "You haven't told them you're getting suspicious of the books, have you?"
Gray raised one heavy brow, his glance sardonic. "Do I look stupid?"
"None."
He nodded, gratified. "Thank you. No, I haven't said anything. But I've had to ask some questions, and I'm sure the people I've talked to have reported back to Delaney. He's probably getting nervous. From what I can tell, he can't afford not to have this deal go through. He's in money trouble up to his white patent leather belt buckle."
"What's our schedule?" Amber opened a packet of olives and carrots.
"I think we'll leave the day after tomorrow, a little earlier than I'd originally planned. I'll have more than enough information by then to make a full report to Symington."
"You're going to recommend against the purchase?" Gray bit into another sandwich. "Yeah. Not much else I can do. Symington would be an idiot to get involved in this mess."
Amber stifled a small sigh as she accepted the fact that her odd honeymoon was coming to an end. No loss, she told herself. It hadn't been much of a honeymoon, anyway. Just a working vacation of sorts. It was more depressing than she wanted to admit. She munched a carrot stick and gazed unseeingly at the horses who were nibbling sparse grass. She wondered if that was all Gray had wanted the trip to be or if he'd occasionally wanted more from his honeymoon. She couldn't get that last kiss out of her mind, but she also couldn't ignore the fact that there had been no repeat.
There was something very soothing and peaceful about the canyon. A handful of tiny birds went about their business in the bushes. The creek burbled cheerfully, and the warm sun beat down with a pleasant intensity.
"Amber?"
Surprised by the serious tone of his voice, she turned to glance at Gray. He was still leaning back against the rock, his hazel eyes studying her. A trickle of awareness went through her. Whatever he was thinking at this moment, it had nothing to do with the Symington deal. "Yes, Gray?"
"Maybe you were right the other night. Maybe we should talk."
Amber's mouth went dry. She ought to have been elated, but instinct warned her that the conversation was taking a dangerous turn. "What do you want to talk about, Gray?"
"California."
For a heartbeat or two Amber couldn't find her
Amber grinned at him as he lounged comfortably on a rock and began to investigate the contents of the pouch. "Any lack of respect you detect is merely my poor sense of humor at work. What have you got in the pouch?"
"Some watercress-and-pate sandwiches, a couple of packages of potato chips, some carrots and olives and two apples." He spread the small repast out on a napkin that had also been in the pouch. "And last, but not least, a split of a good, sturdy, California red."
"Not bad. The resort kitchen is very accommodating." Amber reached for one of the sandwiches.
"More accommodating than Roger and Ozzie. I thought I'd never get rid of one or the other of them this morning," Gray said as he leaned back against a sun-warmed boulder and devoured half a sandwich in one bite. Gray's appetite was in proportion to the rest of him.
"They were certainly determined to escort us on this little jaunt, weren't they?" Amber agreed thoughtfully. Gray had put his large foot down very forcefully this morning when the two young men had offered to act as guides. It had been more than a polite offer; Roger and Ozzie had been quite insistent. But Gray, in his own quiet way, could be quite stubborn. The two young men had been left behind at the resort.
"They're getting worse. Seems like I can't go anywhere on the resort without one of them following me around. It's getting to be impossible to have any discreet conversations with groundskeepers, wine stewards or housekeepers." Gray swallowed the rest of the sandwich and opened the half bottle of red wine. "I think they're beginning to realize I'm not turning into a one-man cheerleading squad for the resort."
Amber frowned. "You haven't told them you're getting suspicious of the books, have you?"
Gray raised one heavy brow, his glance sardonic. "Do I look stupid?"
"None."
He nodded, gratified. "Thank you. No, I haven't said anything. But I've had to ask some questions, and I'm sure the people I've talked to have reported back to Delaney. He's probably getting nervous. From what I can tell, he can't afford not to have this deal go through. He's in money trouble up to his white patent leather belt buckle."
"What's our schedule?" Amber opened a packet of olives and carrots.
"I think we'll leave the day after tomorrow, a little earlier than I'd originally planned. I'll have more than enough information by then to make a full report to Symington."
"You're going to recommend against the purchase?" Gray bit into another sandwich. "Yeah. Not much else I can do. Symington would be an idiot to get involved in this mess."
Amber stifled a small sigh as she accepted the fact that her odd honeymoon was coming to an end. No loss, she told herself. It hadn't been much of a honeymoon, anyway. Just a working vacation of sorts. It was more depressing than she wanted to admit. She munched a carrot stick and gazed unseeingly at the horses who were nibbling sparse grass. She wondered if that was all Gray had wanted the trip to be or if he'd occasionally wanted more from his honeymoon. She couldn't get that last kiss out of her mind, but she also couldn't ignore the fact that there had been no repeat.
There was something very soothing and peaceful about the canyon. A handful of tiny birds went about their business in the bushes. The creek burbled cheerfully, and the warm sun beat down with a pleasant intensity.
"Amber?"
Surprised by the serious tone of his voice, she turned to glance at Gray. He was still leaning back against the rock, his hazel eyes studying her. A trickle of awareness went through her. Whatever he was thinking at this moment, it had nothing to do with the Symington deal. "Yes, Gray?"
"Maybe you were right the other night. Maybe we should talk."
Amber's mouth went dry. She ought to have been elated, but instinct warned her that the conversation was taking a dangerous turn. "What do you want to talk about, Gray?"
"California."
For a heartbeat or two Amber couldn't find her
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