Read Online Honeymoon for One by Chris Keniston - Free Book Online Page B

would knock, set the information he wanted on his desk, and leave quietly. On the other hand, if she simply tossed it across the room from the door, she wouldn’t have to deal with the assault on her senses when she got near him.
    Still convincing herself that entering Kir...Lloyd’s office was no different than if Mr. Harrison were still at the helm, she knocked, entered, and found herself standing beside the sexiest man alive. Strands of jet-black hair stood at odd angles. He must be one of those men who raked his fingers through his hair when he thought, but she wouldn’t know that from the ship.
    Having fun in the sun, she was the only one to run her fingers through his thick hair. Something inside her pulled and pushed, and her hand reached midway between him and her before she snapped it back to her side.
    Lloyd McEntire dropped his pen on the desk and reached for the papers Michelle held. “This computer is virtually worthless. The techs will be done by Monday. Then Pam can take a breather.”
    A low-wattage version of his broad smile appeared for a mere second, but the sight made her breath catch.
    “What?” He smiled again. A short chortle. If she’d blinked, she would have missed it. “You don’t think I know I’m working your friend to death?” He shook his head and pushed away from the desk. “I don’t usually impose my work hours on the people around me, but I’ve had no choice. After tomorrow things will be easier. For everyone.”
    His gaze dropped to her wrist. Focusing on her dangling charm, his normally stone-faced expression softened. “I’m glad you’re wearing it.”
    Her heart did a two-step. For a split second she spotted a twinkle in his eye. A glimmer of the man she thought she knew. Wasn’t that a joke? She’d known Kirk. This was Lloyd.
    Uncomfortable with the underlying sentimentality, Michelle turned to leave. She needed to get out of here. Away from him. Whatever they’d had, it had been a fantasy. This was reality. She understood that. But there was one thing she didn’t understand. Why had he lied to her?
     
     

CHAPTER TEN
     
     
    Beth sat at the kitchen table dicing potatoes. She’d already cut up enough Idaho spuds to feed half the block but concentrating on the task at hand gave her something to think of besides how she’d betrayed her best friend. “She won’t take my calls.”
    “What did you expect?” Steven yanked at the knot in his tie. “Sorry.”
    Focusing on the slicing motion of every stroke, she fought the urge to cry. “She probably hates me.”
    Steven didn’t say a word. What could he say? There was no excuse for what they’d done. She knew it, Steven knew it, and Michelle knew it.
    A tear slipped down her cheek. “Do you think she’ll ever forgive me?”
    “Us. You mean us.” His fingers rolled around her shoulders, kneading out the tension.
    “No. This is my fault. I let this happen. I should have stopped agreeing to help long ago. Every time I stepped in for Michelle at some gala or other, or when she would leave a party early to be home for Corrie and ask me to stay and keep you company, my heart would beat double time. I knew I was falling in love with you, and I didn’t stop. I didn’t want to stop. I convinced myself there was no harm in stealing a little extra time alone with you. If I had been a good friend, the friend Michelle deserved, I would have let go, made up any excuse to say no. If I’d been stronger, you’d be married to her instead of me, and everyone would be happy.”
    “Not everyone. You would have been miserable hiding your true feelings. Michelle and I might have been able to continue deceiving ourselves for a while, but the day would have come when we’d have realized getting married was a mistake. I love Michelle, I always will, but I’m not in love with her.”
    He crouched in front of his wife, set the knife aside, and took both her hands in his. “I’m sorry. I know this is hard. But you and I agreed