Read Online Heather Graham by Dante's Daughter - Free Book Online

looked at her again. In the dim light she could see only the flash of his eyes and the square line of his jaw.
    He was silent for several seconds, then he asked pleasantly, “You do understand why I carried you out of there?”
    “Of course. I was just so—so stunned that I responded stupidly. I am sorry. Please forgive me.” She had lowered her voice to a silky tone. She knew she was attractive in the hugging knit dress—even if she was enshrouded by a certain amount of darkness. Katie only hoped her cologne was still infusing the air with a light and provocative scent and that she was convincing Kent Hart that she really was sweet, vulnerable, and properly chastised. If he would just respond like the average male, she could even hope that he would forget what she had called him.
    “Really?” he queried softly.
    “Really,” she whispered in return.
    “I’m forgiven?”
    “Of course.” Katie tensed and waited. She thought she saw a white flash of perfect teeth against a crooked grin, then he looked ahead again. His left hand was on the wheel, his right was twisting the keys in the ignition.
    Katie had seen the automatic locks. She reached for hers and flipped the button. In a flash she opened the door. But his hand was already reaching her, snaking out instantly.
    “Kathleen.” His voice lashed out at her. His epithets—vehement enough to rival hers—continued in a muttered fury.
    He had known. He’d known exactly what she was doing!
    “Oh, God!” Katie gasped out. In that moment she was truly convinced that she had crossed a very dangerous man. She eluded his fingers by less than a hair’s breadth and leaped from the car, slamming the door behind her. The wind was very cold now and slashed around and through her. Her coat, shoes and purse had been left at the party. She didn’t dare take the time to worry about them. She started running blindly for the highway.
    Oh, thank God! She could see headlights coming!
    Katie ran into the road, tripping over her hem and gasping for breath. She waved madly at the approaching vehicle, hope causing her heart to thunder hard. She was almost free … she had almost escaped him. The lights were coming closer and closer …
    And then, with horror, she realized that they were coming too close, too quickly. She was in a blue that blended with the night, and the driver couldn’t possibly see her. Any second now she would be run over. And she couldn’t move! She felt blinded, blinded and held in a deadly freeze by the flaring headlights that were almost upon her!
    “No,” she heard herself whisper in horror. But then, from the corner of her eye, she sensed movement, a streak in the night. And then the breath was knocked from her as she lifted in a whirl of motion and thrown to the ground. The thud of the impact riddled her, but she felt it, and it was easy … she hadn’t been hit by the car. She had been lifted and hurled to the ground … with Kent Hart.
    They had landed on an embankment, a slope that was softened by wet, springy grass, and were now rolling in that grass, over and over, together. Then they reached the narrow valley where impetus halted, and they both lay, breathless, panting, inhaling desperately …
    The moon came out. It poured over them. Katie realized that she had almost killed herself, but he had saved her. And in that moment, she came to a rationale that her earlier temper would have never allowed her. Kent had been right. He knew the team; he knew the party. And men who were basically nice guys could, with a little too much champagne and in the spirit of fun, get carried away.
    He really had meant to protect her from the overzealous partyers.
    She closed her eyes and smelled the fresh grass around her. She had to apologize and mean it and hope that he would believe her this time. “Kent—” The whisper didn’t quite come out. Unfortunately, it was enough to spur him into action.
    Suddenly, when she had just regained her breath, she lost it