Read Online PAGAN ADVERSARY by Sara Craven, Chieko Hara - Free Book Online
Authors: Sara Craven, Chieko Hara
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be. I
never wanted to see you again—and as for lying in wait, hoping for
an opportunity to—to seduce you—My God, that's the last thing I
wanted!' She paused for breath. 'And as for the shower,' she added
savagely, 'strange as it may seem to a— a conceited, arrogant—ape
like you, I've never had one before. I didn't know how it worked—and
I didn't want to be frozen or scalded.
'Then try it now,' he said between his teeth, his face dark with temper.
'You should find it exactly right.'
He picked her up, kicking and struggling, and dumped her, nightdress
and all, directly under the full jet of water. Drenched and gasping, she
slipped on the wet tiles and sat down heavily, trapped in the clinging
yards of material, hearing dimly above the noise of the water the slam
of the bathroom door as he left.
Somehow she managed to reduce the flow, and then switch it off
completely. Shivering with rage, she stripped off the soaking
nightdress and hurled it, a dripping bundle, into the corner, before
snatching one of the voluminous bath sheets provided by the hotel
and wrapping herself in it. She stormed back into her room and
kicked the door shut behind her. She was a sorry sight, innumerable
little rivulets from her wet hair running down her back and shoulders.
Ruefully she dabbed her face dry, and wrung as much water from the
ends of her hair as she could, before rubbing it vigorously with an end
of the towel.
She was still shaking inside, and she felt close to tears. She tried to
tell herself that Alex's cynical misinterpretation of her motives and
behaviour was all to the good. For those few moments, just his
lightest touch on her skin had had her dizzy with wanting him. Right
now, she might have been in bed with him, and that would have been
disastrous, because the last thing she wanted was to be just another in
a long line of women. And what she did want from Alex was
something she didn't even dare to contemplate.
She wanted to fetch the hair-dryer she had noticed earlier, but she
didn't dare. Alex might hear her moving about, opening cupboards,
and she couldn't face another confrontation.
In fact, if it hadn't been for Nicky waking the next morning and
perhaps calling out for her, she would have dressed and gone home,
even if she had to walk all the way.
She draped the bath sheet over the long radiator under the central
window and crept into bed. It was a warm night, but it was a long time
before she stopped shivering, and an hour after that before-her
chaotically whirling thoughts began to blur at the edges, and she
slipped gradually into a restless sleep haunted by strange and
disturbing images.
She dreamed she was alone, and that she was crying because she was
alone, and there was no comfort anywhere. And then suddenly there
were arms around her which were warm and strong, and held her
closely, and she dreamed she turned to that strength, like a flower to
the sun, whispering, 'Alex,' and smiling in her sleep.
CHAPTER FOUR
THE dream seemed so real that it was almost a shock when she
opened reluctant eyes the next morning and found she was alone. She
sat up slowly, pushing her hair back from her face, and wondering
what had woken her, and then she heard the soft knock on the door
and Yannina's voice, 'Thespinis Masters—the little one has woken
and is asking for you.'
'I'll be there right away,' Harriet called, pushing back the bedclothes.
She put on the clean undies she had brought with her and washed
swiftly, a wary eye on the door which led to Alex's room, but there
was no sound at all.
As soon as she was dressed, she went straight to Nicky's rom. A small
table and chair had been installed, and he was sitting there in his
pyjamas, watery-eyed but silent, dividing looks of acute suspicion
between Yannina and the bowl of his favourite milky cereal before
him.
'Good morning, scamp.' Harriet ruffled his hair teasing. 'Is breakfast
no longer being eaten in
never wanted to see you again—and as for lying in wait, hoping for
an opportunity to—to seduce you—My God, that's the last thing I
wanted!' She paused for breath. 'And as for the shower,' she added
savagely, 'strange as it may seem to a— a conceited, arrogant—ape
like you, I've never had one before. I didn't know how it worked—and
I didn't want to be frozen or scalded.
'Then try it now,' he said between his teeth, his face dark with temper.
'You should find it exactly right.'
He picked her up, kicking and struggling, and dumped her, nightdress
and all, directly under the full jet of water. Drenched and gasping, she
slipped on the wet tiles and sat down heavily, trapped in the clinging
yards of material, hearing dimly above the noise of the water the slam
of the bathroom door as he left.
Somehow she managed to reduce the flow, and then switch it off
completely. Shivering with rage, she stripped off the soaking
nightdress and hurled it, a dripping bundle, into the corner, before
snatching one of the voluminous bath sheets provided by the hotel
and wrapping herself in it. She stormed back into her room and
kicked the door shut behind her. She was a sorry sight, innumerable
little rivulets from her wet hair running down her back and shoulders.
Ruefully she dabbed her face dry, and wrung as much water from the
ends of her hair as she could, before rubbing it vigorously with an end
of the towel.
She was still shaking inside, and she felt close to tears. She tried to
tell herself that Alex's cynical misinterpretation of her motives and
behaviour was all to the good. For those few moments, just his
lightest touch on her skin had had her dizzy with wanting him. Right
now, she might have been in bed with him, and that would have been
disastrous, because the last thing she wanted was to be just another in
a long line of women. And what she did want from Alex was
something she didn't even dare to contemplate.
She wanted to fetch the hair-dryer she had noticed earlier, but she
didn't dare. Alex might hear her moving about, opening cupboards,
and she couldn't face another confrontation.
In fact, if it hadn't been for Nicky waking the next morning and
perhaps calling out for her, she would have dressed and gone home,
even if she had to walk all the way.
She draped the bath sheet over the long radiator under the central
window and crept into bed. It was a warm night, but it was a long time
before she stopped shivering, and an hour after that before-her
chaotically whirling thoughts began to blur at the edges, and she
slipped gradually into a restless sleep haunted by strange and
disturbing images.
She dreamed she was alone, and that she was crying because she was
alone, and there was no comfort anywhere. And then suddenly there
were arms around her which were warm and strong, and held her
closely, and she dreamed she turned to that strength, like a flower to
the sun, whispering, 'Alex,' and smiling in her sleep.
CHAPTER FOUR
THE dream seemed so real that it was almost a shock when she
opened reluctant eyes the next morning and found she was alone. She
sat up slowly, pushing her hair back from her face, and wondering
what had woken her, and then she heard the soft knock on the door
and Yannina's voice, 'Thespinis Masters—the little one has woken
and is asking for you.'
'I'll be there right away,' Harriet called, pushing back the bedclothes.
She put on the clean undies she had brought with her and washed
swiftly, a wary eye on the door which led to Alex's room, but there
was no sound at all.
As soon as she was dressed, she went straight to Nicky's rom. A small
table and chair had been installed, and he was sitting there in his
pyjamas, watery-eyed but silent, dividing looks of acute suspicion
between Yannina and the bowl of his favourite milky cereal before
him.
'Good morning, scamp.' Harriet ruffled his hair teasing. 'Is breakfast
no longer being eaten in
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