Read Online Getting Lucky by Susan Andersen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Susan Andersen
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sergeant who had compounded the insult by demeaning him —Miguel Escavez—in front of the entire village. And of the two transgressions, that was the one he couldn’t forgive.
Taylor must pay.
Miguel smiled to himself, for having seen the marine’s eyes go hot when the blond woman had jiggled her breasts and swung her hips crossing the courtyard, he knew what to do. He hadn’t been close enough to hear the conversation inside the car, but clearly the puta was the commander’s woman.
The church preached an eye for an eye, so retribution seemed simple enough to Miguel. He had lost his woman. Emilita may as well be dead for the dishonor she’d shown him, and he held Master Sergeant Taylor directly responsible. He would therefore see to it that the marine lost his woman in exchange.
It was only just.
Lily eyed Zach’s grim profile. They’d been traveling for over two hours, and he hadn’t said a word to her. Not one. Not wanting to be the first to cave, she turned to stare out at the almond groves whizzing past the window. But a few minutes later she found herself turningback to him again. “Are you going to sulk all the way to Washington?”
The glance he spared her before returning his attention to the long, straight stretch of freeway should have singed the eyebrows right off her face. “You blackmailed me into letting you come along. I don’t feel a burning need to entertain you as well.”
“Oh, yeah,” she scoffed. “You being such an entertaining guy and all.” If personalities equaled looks, Zach Taylor would be a dung beetle. It seemed the height of unfairness that instead he could probably get work as an underwear model, darn him.
Being a sociable woman, though, she didn’t think she could bear thirteen hundred miles of the silent treatment. So she wracked her brain for a subject he might respond to. Beauty makeovers were probably out. Politics and religion were risky at the best of times, and the weather had been consistently fair for the past several days—not a lot to discuss there. Food was always a good topic, of course, but Zach struck her as more the let’s-eat type than the you-have-got-to-tell-me-how-you-prepared-this kind of guy. That left just one subject—the relationship between Glynnis and David. And the only thing discussing that was likely to get her was a huge headache.
Heck, silence wasn’t so bad.
Another thirty miles farther on, though, she couldn’t stand it any longer. As they blew past a long row of evenly spaced eucalyptus trees, she shifted in her seat to face him once again. “David Beaumont isn’t the cad you’re making him out to be, you know.”
Zach grunted.
Lily had never realized such a brief sound could convey so much skepticism. “He’s not,” she insisted. “Not unless he’s the best darn actor in the world—and, frankly, I don’t think anyone could sustain an act that good twenty-four hours a day for several days running. Which is what he’d have to do since he and Glynnis planned to take their time and see some of the sights along the way. Don’tcha think in that case Glynnis would figure out for herself he’s not the man for her?” This time she didn’t even get a grunt in response, and she swallowed her sigh. “I doubt it will come to that, though. I know it was a pretty fast decision since they’ve only been dating for a couple of months, but David struck me as simply a decent guy who fell head over heels in love with your sister and thought he was the luckiest man on earth when she returned his feelings.”
“I guess I can just turn right around and go home, then.”
His tone, of course, suggested otherwise, and blowing out a disgusted breath, she gave up. In the silence that followed, she shifted in her seat, trying to restore circulation to her travel-deadened bottom and legs. Gradually she became aware of another discomfort. She looked over at him. “I need to use a restroom.”
He emitted another of those charming
Taylor must pay.
Miguel smiled to himself, for having seen the marine’s eyes go hot when the blond woman had jiggled her breasts and swung her hips crossing the courtyard, he knew what to do. He hadn’t been close enough to hear the conversation inside the car, but clearly the puta was the commander’s woman.
The church preached an eye for an eye, so retribution seemed simple enough to Miguel. He had lost his woman. Emilita may as well be dead for the dishonor she’d shown him, and he held Master Sergeant Taylor directly responsible. He would therefore see to it that the marine lost his woman in exchange.
It was only just.
Lily eyed Zach’s grim profile. They’d been traveling for over two hours, and he hadn’t said a word to her. Not one. Not wanting to be the first to cave, she turned to stare out at the almond groves whizzing past the window. But a few minutes later she found herself turningback to him again. “Are you going to sulk all the way to Washington?”
The glance he spared her before returning his attention to the long, straight stretch of freeway should have singed the eyebrows right off her face. “You blackmailed me into letting you come along. I don’t feel a burning need to entertain you as well.”
“Oh, yeah,” she scoffed. “You being such an entertaining guy and all.” If personalities equaled looks, Zach Taylor would be a dung beetle. It seemed the height of unfairness that instead he could probably get work as an underwear model, darn him.
Being a sociable woman, though, she didn’t think she could bear thirteen hundred miles of the silent treatment. So she wracked her brain for a subject he might respond to. Beauty makeovers were probably out. Politics and religion were risky at the best of times, and the weather had been consistently fair for the past several days—not a lot to discuss there. Food was always a good topic, of course, but Zach struck her as more the let’s-eat type than the you-have-got-to-tell-me-how-you-prepared-this kind of guy. That left just one subject—the relationship between Glynnis and David. And the only thing discussing that was likely to get her was a huge headache.
Heck, silence wasn’t so bad.
Another thirty miles farther on, though, she couldn’t stand it any longer. As they blew past a long row of evenly spaced eucalyptus trees, she shifted in her seat to face him once again. “David Beaumont isn’t the cad you’re making him out to be, you know.”
Zach grunted.
Lily had never realized such a brief sound could convey so much skepticism. “He’s not,” she insisted. “Not unless he’s the best darn actor in the world—and, frankly, I don’t think anyone could sustain an act that good twenty-four hours a day for several days running. Which is what he’d have to do since he and Glynnis planned to take their time and see some of the sights along the way. Don’tcha think in that case Glynnis would figure out for herself he’s not the man for her?” This time she didn’t even get a grunt in response, and she swallowed her sigh. “I doubt it will come to that, though. I know it was a pretty fast decision since they’ve only been dating for a couple of months, but David struck me as simply a decent guy who fell head over heels in love with your sister and thought he was the luckiest man on earth when she returned his feelings.”
“I guess I can just turn right around and go home, then.”
His tone, of course, suggested otherwise, and blowing out a disgusted breath, she gave up. In the silence that followed, she shifted in her seat, trying to restore circulation to her travel-deadened bottom and legs. Gradually she became aware of another discomfort. She looked over at him. “I need to use a restroom.”
He emitted another of those charming
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