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Authors: Johanna Lindsey
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steered her back toward the restaurant. “I assure you, it is my pleasure to walk with you…Sammy.”
She grinned impishly. “Even when you are in pain?”
“I do not feel pain when I am with you,” he answered smoothly.
“How gallant! But you really should tell that to your ankle,” she teased.
They reached the restaurant, and his hand slipped from her arm to her waist as he escorted her to a table. As she felt those strong fingers clasping her side, something happened to Samantha. She grew warm all over, and was sure she was blushing seriously. Yet she was not embarrassed.
They ate a quiet meal. It was hard to pretend indifference toward Hank, as she had meant to do. He was just too attractive, and she enjoyed his company very much. She found herself glancing at him often during the meal, only to find him glancing at her. He was probably used to having an effect on women, and it thrilled her to have the same effect on such a handsome man.
They walked back to the hotel slowly, reluctant to part company just yet. But it was late, and the stage would be leaving early the next morning.
Hank took her to her room, and Samantha waited in breathless anticipation. Would he try to kiss her?
She didn’t expect him to be so forceful. When she turned to bid him good night, his right arm gripped her waist, drawing her to him. His left hand went to the back of her head and held it so firmly that she couldn’t turn away. She didn’t want to. He was going to kiss her, and she wanted him to kiss her. Just one kiss wouldn’t hurt. She would be sure it was only one.
The force of his lips on hers was shattering, and for a moment she thought she would faint. She felt his body pressing hard against hers, setting her afire. She was no longer herself but a puppet in his arms.
When he let her go, she was plunged into disappointment. She was suddenly cold. But then, as he said good night, the look in his eyes warmed her again.
She entered her room in a daze, leaving her clothes wherever they fell, and crawled into bed, his kiss still burning her lips, her body still trembling.
Chapter 8
T HE next morning, Adrien intruded into her thoughts, and she felt guilty. Once she had walked up those stairs with Hank, Adrien had ceased to exist. It was as if she had betrayed him, not by the kiss, but by forgetting about him so completely.
She wouldn’t let it happen again. She could wait until Adrien kissed her and made her feel that same excitement. Naturally, Adrien’s kiss would be even more wonderful, because she loved him. She did love him. She did. So why did she have to keep reminding herself?
Angry, Samantha left her hotel room. She wasn’t going to wait for Hank, even though it would give Adrien a chance to see them together. When she got to the lobby, however, Hank was there waiting.
“ Buenos días , Sammy.” Hank smiled.
Samantha couldn’t meet his eyes. He said her name so softly, as though it were an endearment. How could things have got so far out of hand so quickly? It was obvious that he was falling for her. It was too much, too soon. Would she have to abandon her plan? She certainly didn’t want to hurt this charming man.
“Hank…about last night,” she began.
“I have thought of nothing else,” he answered quickly, and she knew that she had to discourage him before his feelings grew.
“Hank, you…you really shouldn’t have kissed me.”
“But you enjoyed it.”
“Yes, only—”
“It was too soon,” he finished for her, before she couldexplain about Adrien. “You must forgive me, Sammy. I am not a patient man. For you, however, I will try to be patient.”
She started to protest, to tell him that he had jumped to the wrong conclusion, but he took her arm and led her out of the hotel. She would have to tell him that they could only be friends, that she loved Adrien. How could she find the words? Perhaps it would be better if she showed him. Yes, that was it!
They arrived at the stage office
She grinned impishly. “Even when you are in pain?”
“I do not feel pain when I am with you,” he answered smoothly.
“How gallant! But you really should tell that to your ankle,” she teased.
They reached the restaurant, and his hand slipped from her arm to her waist as he escorted her to a table. As she felt those strong fingers clasping her side, something happened to Samantha. She grew warm all over, and was sure she was blushing seriously. Yet she was not embarrassed.
They ate a quiet meal. It was hard to pretend indifference toward Hank, as she had meant to do. He was just too attractive, and she enjoyed his company very much. She found herself glancing at him often during the meal, only to find him glancing at her. He was probably used to having an effect on women, and it thrilled her to have the same effect on such a handsome man.
They walked back to the hotel slowly, reluctant to part company just yet. But it was late, and the stage would be leaving early the next morning.
Hank took her to her room, and Samantha waited in breathless anticipation. Would he try to kiss her?
She didn’t expect him to be so forceful. When she turned to bid him good night, his right arm gripped her waist, drawing her to him. His left hand went to the back of her head and held it so firmly that she couldn’t turn away. She didn’t want to. He was going to kiss her, and she wanted him to kiss her. Just one kiss wouldn’t hurt. She would be sure it was only one.
The force of his lips on hers was shattering, and for a moment she thought she would faint. She felt his body pressing hard against hers, setting her afire. She was no longer herself but a puppet in his arms.
When he let her go, she was plunged into disappointment. She was suddenly cold. But then, as he said good night, the look in his eyes warmed her again.
She entered her room in a daze, leaving her clothes wherever they fell, and crawled into bed, his kiss still burning her lips, her body still trembling.
Chapter 8
T HE next morning, Adrien intruded into her thoughts, and she felt guilty. Once she had walked up those stairs with Hank, Adrien had ceased to exist. It was as if she had betrayed him, not by the kiss, but by forgetting about him so completely.
She wouldn’t let it happen again. She could wait until Adrien kissed her and made her feel that same excitement. Naturally, Adrien’s kiss would be even more wonderful, because she loved him. She did love him. She did. So why did she have to keep reminding herself?
Angry, Samantha left her hotel room. She wasn’t going to wait for Hank, even though it would give Adrien a chance to see them together. When she got to the lobby, however, Hank was there waiting.
“ Buenos días , Sammy.” Hank smiled.
Samantha couldn’t meet his eyes. He said her name so softly, as though it were an endearment. How could things have got so far out of hand so quickly? It was obvious that he was falling for her. It was too much, too soon. Would she have to abandon her plan? She certainly didn’t want to hurt this charming man.
“Hank…about last night,” she began.
“I have thought of nothing else,” he answered quickly, and she knew that she had to discourage him before his feelings grew.
“Hank, you…you really shouldn’t have kissed me.”
“But you enjoyed it.”
“Yes, only—”
“It was too soon,” he finished for her, before she couldexplain about Adrien. “You must forgive me, Sammy. I am not a patient man. For you, however, I will try to be patient.”
She started to protest, to tell him that he had jumped to the wrong conclusion, but he took her arm and led her out of the hotel. She would have to tell him that they could only be friends, that she loved Adrien. How could she find the words? Perhaps it would be better if she showed him. Yes, that was it!
They arrived at the stage office
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