caterers.
“Something sinful,” she whispered, smiling.
He bent and brushed his mouth lazily over hers, a teasing, undemanding caress that was pleasant and nothing more. “After the gig’s over, let’s discuss sinful things together.”
“We’ll see,” she murmured demurely.
“Devil woman,” he whispered. He winked and turned away toward the large living room, which had been cleared for dancing.
“An old lover?” Cameron asked from behind her, his eyes glittering as he stared after Dick. He was wearing dark evening clothes, and he smelled of a delicious manly fragrance. Her earlier criticism of his cologne had been pure fabrication.
“An old friend,” she countered, clutching her box.
His eyes narrowed on it. “He bought you a dress?” he growled. “For God’s sake…!”
The assumption made her furious. “So what if he bought me a dress?” she challenged. “What business is it of yours?”
He glowered down at her. “You’re an employee here.”
“Not a slave, Mr. Rochester—would you keep that in mind?” she shot back. “If you want me to leave, say so.”
He looked as if he was about to, when Delle came marching in just ahead of her mother. They were elegantly dressed, Delle in a peach-colored silk dress that reached to the floor and hugged her ample bosom. Mrs. Radner looked stern and formal, as usual, in a lacy black gown with a high Victorian neckline.
“Not coming to the dance, Miss Forrest?” Mrs. Radner asked coolly, staring at Merlyn’s jeans and shirt.
“As a matter of fact, I am,” Merlyn replied sweetly, clutching her box. “My dress just arrived. If you’ll excuse me?”
“Cameron, you’ve hardly said two words to me since we got here,” Delle was complaining as Merlyn scurried upstairs. “Can’t you spare just five minutes?”
Merlyn almost felt sorry for the girl. She was so infatuated, and Cameron, damn him, was treating her like a piece of candy he wasn’t sure he wanted. Men, she thought angrily, were all alike.
She passed Lila on the way to her room. The older woman was wearing white, a beautiful gown that, in its simplicity, outshone the Radners’ outfits.
“Gorgeous,” Merlyn told her. “Halston, isn’t it?”
Lila looked shocked. “Why, yes.”
“I thought so. Such fluid lines. Well, I’ll get my gown on and see you later.” She smiled and walked into her room. Oops, she thought as she closed the door. She’d almost given herself away again. A penniless scholar wouldn’t have known a Halston gown on sight. But Merlyn, who’d been fortunate enough to have her trousseau done by Halston, knew the designs well. Her eyes clouded. She’d had such high hopes for Adam and herself. It had been a devastating blow, to find that he hadn’t wanted her—physically or any other way.
She dressed angrily, hating Adam, hating herself for being so blind. And now she was beginning to daydream about that horrible Cameron. Well, she’d just have to stop it. This was a job that would soon be over. Nothing more.
She tugged on her gown and its matching shoes and fixed her hair in a high, elegant coiffure. She used more makeup than usual, emphasizing her thick, long lashes, her full mouth and her high cheekbones. She fastened her mother’s pearls around her throat, put on the matching earrings and stared at herself in the mirror. Well, Miss Radner, she thought wickedly, top that.
“Wow,” came a soft little voice from the doorway.
She turned to Amanda, smiling at the awe on the young girl’s face. Merlyn knew she looked good in the designer gown. It was a long sheath of dark green velvet with a strapless bodice composed of pleated satin only a shade lighter than the velvet. It was an altogether bewitching dress, and the pearls set it off beautifully.
“Are you really Merlyn?” Amanda asked. “You sure do look different.”
Merlyn went forward to kiss the girl warmly. “You make me feel like a fairy princess. I just hope my pumpkin doesn’t
“Something sinful,” she whispered, smiling.
He bent and brushed his mouth lazily over hers, a teasing, undemanding caress that was pleasant and nothing more. “After the gig’s over, let’s discuss sinful things together.”
“We’ll see,” she murmured demurely.
“Devil woman,” he whispered. He winked and turned away toward the large living room, which had been cleared for dancing.
“An old lover?” Cameron asked from behind her, his eyes glittering as he stared after Dick. He was wearing dark evening clothes, and he smelled of a delicious manly fragrance. Her earlier criticism of his cologne had been pure fabrication.
“An old friend,” she countered, clutching her box.
His eyes narrowed on it. “He bought you a dress?” he growled. “For God’s sake…!”
The assumption made her furious. “So what if he bought me a dress?” she challenged. “What business is it of yours?”
He glowered down at her. “You’re an employee here.”
“Not a slave, Mr. Rochester—would you keep that in mind?” she shot back. “If you want me to leave, say so.”
He looked as if he was about to, when Delle came marching in just ahead of her mother. They were elegantly dressed, Delle in a peach-colored silk dress that reached to the floor and hugged her ample bosom. Mrs. Radner looked stern and formal, as usual, in a lacy black gown with a high Victorian neckline.
“Not coming to the dance, Miss Forrest?” Mrs. Radner asked coolly, staring at Merlyn’s jeans and shirt.
“As a matter of fact, I am,” Merlyn replied sweetly, clutching her box. “My dress just arrived. If you’ll excuse me?”
“Cameron, you’ve hardly said two words to me since we got here,” Delle was complaining as Merlyn scurried upstairs. “Can’t you spare just five minutes?”
Merlyn almost felt sorry for the girl. She was so infatuated, and Cameron, damn him, was treating her like a piece of candy he wasn’t sure he wanted. Men, she thought angrily, were all alike.
She passed Lila on the way to her room. The older woman was wearing white, a beautiful gown that, in its simplicity, outshone the Radners’ outfits.
“Gorgeous,” Merlyn told her. “Halston, isn’t it?”
Lila looked shocked. “Why, yes.”
“I thought so. Such fluid lines. Well, I’ll get my gown on and see you later.” She smiled and walked into her room. Oops, she thought as she closed the door. She’d almost given herself away again. A penniless scholar wouldn’t have known a Halston gown on sight. But Merlyn, who’d been fortunate enough to have her trousseau done by Halston, knew the designs well. Her eyes clouded. She’d had such high hopes for Adam and herself. It had been a devastating blow, to find that he hadn’t wanted her—physically or any other way.
She dressed angrily, hating Adam, hating herself for being so blind. And now she was beginning to daydream about that horrible Cameron. Well, she’d just have to stop it. This was a job that would soon be over. Nothing more.
She tugged on her gown and its matching shoes and fixed her hair in a high, elegant coiffure. She used more makeup than usual, emphasizing her thick, long lashes, her full mouth and her high cheekbones. She fastened her mother’s pearls around her throat, put on the matching earrings and stared at herself in the mirror. Well, Miss Radner, she thought wickedly, top that.
“Wow,” came a soft little voice from the doorway.
She turned to Amanda, smiling at the awe on the young girl’s face. Merlyn knew she looked good in the designer gown. It was a long sheath of dark green velvet with a strapless bodice composed of pleated satin only a shade lighter than the velvet. It was an altogether bewitching dress, and the pearls set it off beautifully.
“Are you really Merlyn?” Amanda asked. “You sure do look different.”
Merlyn went forward to kiss the girl warmly. “You make me feel like a fairy princess. I just hope my pumpkin doesn’t
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