Read Online Provocative Peril by Annette Broadrick - Free Book Online
Authors: Annette Broadrick
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to talk to him while they danced, so she contented herself with resting her head on his chest.
It only took a couple of dances for Carolyn to recognize her error in wearing the dress. Ted's hands wouldn't stay still. He kept pressing her closer, while she kept trying to keep a distance from him. His hands roamed up and down her back, restlessly smoothing the material over her hips, then returning to her waist.
During the evening Carolyn learned even more about Ted: how long he'd been a dentist—six years; his golf score—low; his bowling score—high; his favorite color—blue; his favorite pastime—white water rafting. And he made it obvious that he found Carolyn to be his second favorite person.
What more could she ask?
"I've got some wine cooling in my room," he whispered in her ear. "Why don't we go and enjoy it while we make use of the hot tub?"
Suddenly the last few months flashed into Carolyn's mind—the hours of coaching by her friends, the numerous books and magazines she'd read and studied—the quizzes she'd given herself—all for this moment in time.
It was then that Carolyn discovered she wasn't quite ready for the next chapter of her book to begin.
"Not tonight, Ted," she murmured, desperately trying to remember the ways in which to say no gracefully. Her mind was blank.
Thankfully, he made no argument, although he insisted on walking her to her room. Relieved that he hadn't made more of a fuss when she declined the hot tub invitation, she agreed.
Carolyn didn't expect Clay to be in their suite. She knew to the minute when he had disappeared with the redhead earlier in the evening. It was obvious that his evening program did not include an early return. She was surprised at the surge of feeling the thought provoked.
Pausing before the door, Carolyn slipped her key from her small clutch purse. She turned to Ted. "I really enjoyed tonight—" was as far as she got when he pulled her roughly into his arms and kissed her with unrestrained passion. Carolyn's mind had been on Clay, so she wasn't prepared for his sudden lunge. She tried to pull away from him.
"Let me stay with you tonight, Carolyn, darling. Let me show you how wonderful we can be together." His mouth covered hers again, and she felt as though she were suffocating.
They heard the whistling at the same time. Ted's arms loosened enough that Carolyn managed to shove away from him a few inches, and they both watched Clay amble down the walkway toward them, his hands in his pockets.
He had changed clothes and wore the black turtle-neck sweater and black cords that reminded Carolyn of Zorro. With much the nonchalance of that popular hero, Clay walked up to them and stopped. "Good evening," he said, smiling at both of them as he retrieved his key from his pocket, inserted it in the lock, turned the key, opened the door and stepped inside.
Ted and Carolyn stood frozen as the door began to close. Then Clay stuck his head around the door and smiled once again. "I'll leave a light on for you, love." He gently closed the door.
Carolyn had often wondered what a pregnant silence would be like. Now she knew. An interesting phenomenon. She glanced up at Ted and clinically noted the emotions darting across his face—shock, bewilderment, disbelief, incredulity. A very interesting phenomenon.
"Carolyn?" His voice sounded strangled.
"Yes?"
"That man just went into your room."
"Actually, it's his room. He's just letting me share it."
"Share it!"
"Shh. I'm sure everybody around is asleep by now. It's almost two o'clock."
"Carolyn, are you telling me you've been sharing that man's room and you've never mentioned it?"
"Why should I have mentioned it?"
"Why should—?" He stared at her as though he'd never seen her before. "It is obvious I've totally misread you."
"In what way?"
"I thought we were developing a warm, trusting relationship where we were open and honest with each other."
"Yes, that's the way I'd describe it. It's been rather nice,
It only took a couple of dances for Carolyn to recognize her error in wearing the dress. Ted's hands wouldn't stay still. He kept pressing her closer, while she kept trying to keep a distance from him. His hands roamed up and down her back, restlessly smoothing the material over her hips, then returning to her waist.
During the evening Carolyn learned even more about Ted: how long he'd been a dentist—six years; his golf score—low; his bowling score—high; his favorite color—blue; his favorite pastime—white water rafting. And he made it obvious that he found Carolyn to be his second favorite person.
What more could she ask?
"I've got some wine cooling in my room," he whispered in her ear. "Why don't we go and enjoy it while we make use of the hot tub?"
Suddenly the last few months flashed into Carolyn's mind—the hours of coaching by her friends, the numerous books and magazines she'd read and studied—the quizzes she'd given herself—all for this moment in time.
It was then that Carolyn discovered she wasn't quite ready for the next chapter of her book to begin.
"Not tonight, Ted," she murmured, desperately trying to remember the ways in which to say no gracefully. Her mind was blank.
Thankfully, he made no argument, although he insisted on walking her to her room. Relieved that he hadn't made more of a fuss when she declined the hot tub invitation, she agreed.
Carolyn didn't expect Clay to be in their suite. She knew to the minute when he had disappeared with the redhead earlier in the evening. It was obvious that his evening program did not include an early return. She was surprised at the surge of feeling the thought provoked.
Pausing before the door, Carolyn slipped her key from her small clutch purse. She turned to Ted. "I really enjoyed tonight—" was as far as she got when he pulled her roughly into his arms and kissed her with unrestrained passion. Carolyn's mind had been on Clay, so she wasn't prepared for his sudden lunge. She tried to pull away from him.
"Let me stay with you tonight, Carolyn, darling. Let me show you how wonderful we can be together." His mouth covered hers again, and she felt as though she were suffocating.
They heard the whistling at the same time. Ted's arms loosened enough that Carolyn managed to shove away from him a few inches, and they both watched Clay amble down the walkway toward them, his hands in his pockets.
He had changed clothes and wore the black turtle-neck sweater and black cords that reminded Carolyn of Zorro. With much the nonchalance of that popular hero, Clay walked up to them and stopped. "Good evening," he said, smiling at both of them as he retrieved his key from his pocket, inserted it in the lock, turned the key, opened the door and stepped inside.
Ted and Carolyn stood frozen as the door began to close. Then Clay stuck his head around the door and smiled once again. "I'll leave a light on for you, love." He gently closed the door.
Carolyn had often wondered what a pregnant silence would be like. Now she knew. An interesting phenomenon. She glanced up at Ted and clinically noted the emotions darting across his face—shock, bewilderment, disbelief, incredulity. A very interesting phenomenon.
"Carolyn?" His voice sounded strangled.
"Yes?"
"That man just went into your room."
"Actually, it's his room. He's just letting me share it."
"Share it!"
"Shh. I'm sure everybody around is asleep by now. It's almost two o'clock."
"Carolyn, are you telling me you've been sharing that man's room and you've never mentioned it?"
"Why should I have mentioned it?"
"Why should—?" He stared at her as though he'd never seen her before. "It is obvious I've totally misread you."
"In what way?"
"I thought we were developing a warm, trusting relationship where we were open and honest with each other."
"Yes, that's the way I'd describe it. It's been rather nice,
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