Read Online No Red Roses: A Loveswept Classic Romance (Santa Flores) by Iris Johansen - Free Book Online Page B

to go with him now. Yes, she’d let him think he’d bulldozed the poor little small-town girl into going with him. It would fortify her position and she guessed she might need that strength with a man as forceful as Brody.
    There was a smile of infinite satisfaction on her lips as she opened the door of the greenhouse.

    Some time later Tamara looked up absently from the pot of bay leaf she was transplanting into larger pots as the door was thrown open. Rex Brody stood in the open doorway with a frown of angry impatience on his face. When he caught sight of Tamara on her knees, contentedly working with her plants, the impatience turned to positive fury.
    He kicked the door shut with his foot before striding forward to tower above her intimidatingly. “Do you realize I’ve been ringing your bell and banging on your door for the past ten minutes?” he grated between clenched teeth. “Since there was a car parked in the driveway I was afraid something had happened to you, so I let myself in. I search all over this Victorian monster of a house, and I finally find you playing in the dirt like a seven-year-old!”
    She stared up at him belligerently, striving not to notice how the black jeans hugged with loving detail the solid line of his thighs. His blue shirt was open at the throat, revealing the start of the springy dark hair on his muscular chest. “I didn’t hear you ring,” she said defensively.
    “I’m aware of that. How could you hear me when you were out here making mud pies?” he said caustically. “Why in hell weren’t you inside waiting for me?”
    Tamara slowly picked up a towel and wiped her muddy hands on it, wishing it were his immaculate chambray shirt. “I’m not in the habit of sitting in the front parlor waiting meekly for visitors like a Victorian miss,” she said coldly. “And I’m not making mud pies. I happen to be working. I didn’t notice the time, or I wouldn’t have been so discourteous as to keep you waiting.”
    He looked impatiently at the gold watch on his wrist. “I’ll give you just thirty minutes to get cleaned up and finish packing,” he growled. “As it is, we won’t get into New York until late afternoon.”
    “Are you crazy?” she asked indignantly. “I have no intention of going anywhere today. I have arrangements to make, and I can’t waltz off with you without discussing things with my aunt. I may have agreed to your terms but you can’t expect me to simply pick up and leave.You’ll just have to give me your itinerary and I’ll join you when it’s convenient.”
    He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. She could feel the waves of anger that were radiating through his motionless body, and when his eyes flicked open, they were blazing with dark fire. “I’d advise you not to goad me today, Tamara,” he said, enunciating very precisely. “I was mad as hell at you before I even arrived here, and this little game of hide-and-seek hasn’t improved my temper. In addition to my less than indulgent mood, I’m in a hurry, damn it!”
    “It’s hardly my fault you got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning,” she said, glowering at him. “And I’d appreciate it if you’d refrain from blaming me for your own bad temper.”
    “The hell it wasn’t your fault,” he said roughly. “After I left you last night, I went back to the party and had a little chat with Todd Jamison.”
    Her eyes widened in surprise. “I’m amazed that he was capable of discussion,” she said. “He could barely stand up when I last saw him.”
    “He was not only capable, he was positively verbose,” he said darkly. “Once he got started, Icouldn’t shut him up. He wasn’t just lyrical about your ‘talents,’ he was quite explicit.”
    Tamara could feel the warm color dye her cheeks scarlet and she dropped her gaze, her long lashes dark shadows on the curve of her cheeks. “That must have given you a kinky little thrill,” she said scornfully, lifting her eyes