Read Online Mysterious by Fayrene Preston - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Fayrene Preston
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don’t be silly, she chided herself. Of course they hadn’t.
Jerome took a moment to weigh what Leo had just said. They were working faster than he had expected. He glanced at Jennifer, remembering his suspicions of the night before. These men were pros and he had underestimated them. It was so unlike him to let that happen. He couldn’t let it happen again. "I see. Do you know who they are?"
She shook her head and asked, "Are you in trouble?"
She had switched her gaze to Jennifer as she had asked him the question, giving the dark-haired woman a long, piercing look. Jennifer shifted position. This woman, Leo, made her distinctly nervous. She seemed to be able to see straight through her, and it wasn’t a comfortable feeling.
"It’s beginning to look like it," he answered grimly. "I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t give out any information. I’ve already spoken to my doorman and the relief men."
She nodded.
"Thanks, Leo." He handed the older woman some money. "We’ve got to go." He cut his eyes to Jennifer. "We’ve got some things to buy."
He slid the car into gear and pressed down the accelerator. And Jennifer didn’t have to look back to see that the newsstand owner’s eyes were still on her. She could feel them.
As soon as they were well down the highway, Jennifer began skimming the paper. First the headlines, then the local news, and finally and surreptitiously, the obituaries. There was nothing.
Jennifer had already decided not to protest Jerome’s buying her clothes. Since there would be other issues later, more important ones, that she might need to win, she tried to accept the gift of clothes graciously.
He took her to a tiny boutique that reeked of exclusivity, where two women swathed in smiles waited on them with every attention. Or rather, they waited on Jerome, Jennifer noticed with interest. Quite clearly she was of secondary consideration, only a body to be pushed, prodded, and fitted into the most incredible clothes she had ever seen.
There was a royal purple dress of the softest, most fluid jersey, that stroked her body as she moved, and a pure white sweater dress that followed the lines of her body so faithfully that Jennifer was sure she wouldn’t be able to wear any underwear under it without it showing. In addition, there was a platinum two-piece lounging outfit, and a dress of the finest silk in a color of violet ice. Accessories and undergarments followed, plus a hooded cape of taupe cashmere to wear over everything.
Jerome chose each item without the slightest sign of discomfort and with every evidence that he had done this many times before. She tried to protest, realizing that the clothes he was choosing were not very practical, plus they were so beautiful that they would easily be noticed and remembered. But she had no say in anything; not even the colors of her stockings were left up to her. In the end she was allowed to choose a few more practical, but nevertheless expensive items, such as some sweaters, skirts, and slacks.
Jennifer’s mood was bleak as she watched the saleswomen pack the garments into boxes. Would she ever have the chance to wear any of these gorgeous things? She knew all too well that she might have to leave Jerome and the clothes at a moment’s notice.
Jerome stowed the packages in the trunk of his car and then slid onto the seat beside Jennifer. Resting his arm along the back, he drawled lazily, "You’re going to look beautiful in that black gown."
He was talking about the last item he had chosen—a bodice-fitting black satin nightgown with inserts of lace running in diagonal strips around the bodice, and tiny straps that dropped to the waist in the back. The robe was of matching black lace.
"I don’t know what you were thinking of. Why did you pick that gown in particular?"
He smiled, moving closer to her, and Jennifer’s pulse quickened. "Because that gown was meant for one thing. Seduction. And you do it so well."
"I don’t!" His
Jerome took a moment to weigh what Leo had just said. They were working faster than he had expected. He glanced at Jennifer, remembering his suspicions of the night before. These men were pros and he had underestimated them. It was so unlike him to let that happen. He couldn’t let it happen again. "I see. Do you know who they are?"
She shook her head and asked, "Are you in trouble?"
She had switched her gaze to Jennifer as she had asked him the question, giving the dark-haired woman a long, piercing look. Jennifer shifted position. This woman, Leo, made her distinctly nervous. She seemed to be able to see straight through her, and it wasn’t a comfortable feeling.
"It’s beginning to look like it," he answered grimly. "I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t give out any information. I’ve already spoken to my doorman and the relief men."
She nodded.
"Thanks, Leo." He handed the older woman some money. "We’ve got to go." He cut his eyes to Jennifer. "We’ve got some things to buy."
He slid the car into gear and pressed down the accelerator. And Jennifer didn’t have to look back to see that the newsstand owner’s eyes were still on her. She could feel them.
As soon as they were well down the highway, Jennifer began skimming the paper. First the headlines, then the local news, and finally and surreptitiously, the obituaries. There was nothing.
Jennifer had already decided not to protest Jerome’s buying her clothes. Since there would be other issues later, more important ones, that she might need to win, she tried to accept the gift of clothes graciously.
He took her to a tiny boutique that reeked of exclusivity, where two women swathed in smiles waited on them with every attention. Or rather, they waited on Jerome, Jennifer noticed with interest. Quite clearly she was of secondary consideration, only a body to be pushed, prodded, and fitted into the most incredible clothes she had ever seen.
There was a royal purple dress of the softest, most fluid jersey, that stroked her body as she moved, and a pure white sweater dress that followed the lines of her body so faithfully that Jennifer was sure she wouldn’t be able to wear any underwear under it without it showing. In addition, there was a platinum two-piece lounging outfit, and a dress of the finest silk in a color of violet ice. Accessories and undergarments followed, plus a hooded cape of taupe cashmere to wear over everything.
Jerome chose each item without the slightest sign of discomfort and with every evidence that he had done this many times before. She tried to protest, realizing that the clothes he was choosing were not very practical, plus they were so beautiful that they would easily be noticed and remembered. But she had no say in anything; not even the colors of her stockings were left up to her. In the end she was allowed to choose a few more practical, but nevertheless expensive items, such as some sweaters, skirts, and slacks.
Jennifer’s mood was bleak as she watched the saleswomen pack the garments into boxes. Would she ever have the chance to wear any of these gorgeous things? She knew all too well that she might have to leave Jerome and the clothes at a moment’s notice.
Jerome stowed the packages in the trunk of his car and then slid onto the seat beside Jennifer. Resting his arm along the back, he drawled lazily, "You’re going to look beautiful in that black gown."
He was talking about the last item he had chosen—a bodice-fitting black satin nightgown with inserts of lace running in diagonal strips around the bodice, and tiny straps that dropped to the waist in the back. The robe was of matching black lace.
"I don’t know what you were thinking of. Why did you pick that gown in particular?"
He smiled, moving closer to her, and Jennifer’s pulse quickened. "Because that gown was meant for one thing. Seduction. And you do it so well."
"I don’t!" His
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