âI donât hold a black belt in mouth karate the way he does.â
âAll men are little boys and all little boys misbehave, my dear. Some more than others. Rather than losing your patience, itâs best to just search out the reason for their naughtiness and act on that.â
Adrian thought that a truly revealing statement and wondered what Janice would do if she learned outright why he was being so naughty. He forestalled further thoughts on the subject as slim fingers reached out and around him in search of a plate. Her light touch on his shirt back sent his pulses skittering again. When she straightened from him, the smell of her fruity perfume remained, mingling with the smell of roast beef.
Adrian felt his knees start to buckle and quelled the tremor by moving back to the table. Once there, he attacked his mashed potatoes with grim ferocity. Who was she? A sorceress out to rend him apart? First in his dreams, now in the flesh. He loathed her. For smelling good, for looking good, for touching him and not seeing the result of that touch.
He speared a broccoli stalk and stole a peek at Janice through lowered lashes as she rejoined the group at the table. Heâd make her pay! Pay for all the torturous wet dreams he had suffered through as a teen. He tossed the spear into his mouth, and then tasting its blandness, he reached for the saltshaker only to have his fingers collide with Janiceâs slender ones.
At the collision, their minds linked to an erotic image of wet-soaked thighs, rounded buttocks, and orgasmic rhythms. Caught off-guard by the unexpected mind meld, Adrian shut off the image, severing the shared link. He felt Janiceâs guard go up and knew she had been as disturbed by the vision as he had. Well, he didnât give a ratâs ass. Let her stew. And as for his thoughts ⦠so what if she had tapped into his mind at the link? He had tapped into hers as well. And he liked what he had discovered. She had come to Carrington House prepared to like him, but after his earlier rudeness, she had changed her mind. Now, she wished they had never met.
Delighted to be the cause of her discomfort, Adrian tossed down a slice of roast beef. If she thought she had seen him at his worst, she was mistaken. He could be much, much worse. And he would be. She didnât know it yet but her fortune cookie had just come up empty. His ribcage suddenly hitch-kicked and a staggering, sobering thought flashed through his brain. What if his fortune cookie had just come up empty, instead of hers?
Chapter 7
FRIDAY â 7:00 PM
Janice took a last swallow of cheesecake and forced the creamy wedge to slide down her throat. Now, if only she could make it stay there. Sometime during the last ten minutes, her stomach had turned sour and she wished she had remembered to pack a box of Di-Gel tablets in her purse. How quickly things could change, she mused. Only a few hours ago she had been looking forward to this trip. Now, she wished she had never agreed to come. Damn Lloyd for putting her in this uncomfortable situation. And damn Bibi for not putting her foot down more forcefully about coming.
Irritated, she laid her fork down and opted for a sip of ice water. She savored the refreshing wetness as it cooled her parched throat. Along with her churning stomach, she had managed to develop a mouth as dry as dust. Was it her bodyâs way of defending itself against the ego-bashing it was taking? Nothing had gone right since she entered the dining room. Now here she was, wishing more than anything she could cram a grocery bag over her head. Perhaps then Adrian Magus would leave her alone and find someone else to vent his acerbic wit on.
Janice listened for a moment as Murielâs melodic voice to her left regaled Lloyd with a new procedure in dream work discovered by a former college mate of theirs.
Listening to the cheerful give and take, Janice decided she was glad she had come to Carrington House
âAll men are little boys and all little boys misbehave, my dear. Some more than others. Rather than losing your patience, itâs best to just search out the reason for their naughtiness and act on that.â
Adrian thought that a truly revealing statement and wondered what Janice would do if she learned outright why he was being so naughty. He forestalled further thoughts on the subject as slim fingers reached out and around him in search of a plate. Her light touch on his shirt back sent his pulses skittering again. When she straightened from him, the smell of her fruity perfume remained, mingling with the smell of roast beef.
Adrian felt his knees start to buckle and quelled the tremor by moving back to the table. Once there, he attacked his mashed potatoes with grim ferocity. Who was she? A sorceress out to rend him apart? First in his dreams, now in the flesh. He loathed her. For smelling good, for looking good, for touching him and not seeing the result of that touch.
He speared a broccoli stalk and stole a peek at Janice through lowered lashes as she rejoined the group at the table. Heâd make her pay! Pay for all the torturous wet dreams he had suffered through as a teen. He tossed the spear into his mouth, and then tasting its blandness, he reached for the saltshaker only to have his fingers collide with Janiceâs slender ones.
At the collision, their minds linked to an erotic image of wet-soaked thighs, rounded buttocks, and orgasmic rhythms. Caught off-guard by the unexpected mind meld, Adrian shut off the image, severing the shared link. He felt Janiceâs guard go up and knew she had been as disturbed by the vision as he had. Well, he didnât give a ratâs ass. Let her stew. And as for his thoughts ⦠so what if she had tapped into his mind at the link? He had tapped into hers as well. And he liked what he had discovered. She had come to Carrington House prepared to like him, but after his earlier rudeness, she had changed her mind. Now, she wished they had never met.
Delighted to be the cause of her discomfort, Adrian tossed down a slice of roast beef. If she thought she had seen him at his worst, she was mistaken. He could be much, much worse. And he would be. She didnât know it yet but her fortune cookie had just come up empty. His ribcage suddenly hitch-kicked and a staggering, sobering thought flashed through his brain. What if his fortune cookie had just come up empty, instead of hers?
Chapter 7
FRIDAY â 7:00 PM
Janice took a last swallow of cheesecake and forced the creamy wedge to slide down her throat. Now, if only she could make it stay there. Sometime during the last ten minutes, her stomach had turned sour and she wished she had remembered to pack a box of Di-Gel tablets in her purse. How quickly things could change, she mused. Only a few hours ago she had been looking forward to this trip. Now, she wished she had never agreed to come. Damn Lloyd for putting her in this uncomfortable situation. And damn Bibi for not putting her foot down more forcefully about coming.
Irritated, she laid her fork down and opted for a sip of ice water. She savored the refreshing wetness as it cooled her parched throat. Along with her churning stomach, she had managed to develop a mouth as dry as dust. Was it her bodyâs way of defending itself against the ego-bashing it was taking? Nothing had gone right since she entered the dining room. Now here she was, wishing more than anything she could cram a grocery bag over her head. Perhaps then Adrian Magus would leave her alone and find someone else to vent his acerbic wit on.
Janice listened for a moment as Murielâs melodic voice to her left regaled Lloyd with a new procedure in dream work discovered by a former college mate of theirs.
Listening to the cheerful give and take, Janice decided she was glad she had come to Carrington House
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