Read Online Razzmatazz-DDL by Patricia Burroughs - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Patricia Burroughs
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he added under his breath, “More’s the pity.”
“Alex?” she asked softly, grasping at straws, prolonging their parting a little longer. “The tape. We haven’t watched it.”
“I thought you didn’t want to see it.”
“It might be grounds for a lawsuit,” she countered hopefully. “I mean, isn’t there some kind of law against taking advantage of poor, drun—” She stumbled over the word, unable even to make her lips form its awful sound. Finally she settled for, “ Tipsy tourists?”
“I believe that’s the name of the game around here.” The corner of his mouth twitched. “So the lady has a devious mind.”
“No. Not devious.” She dipped a spoon into her mousse, avoiding his probing gaze. Did he realize that her only motive for viewing the tape was a chance to prolong their time together?
“If you’re ready, I’ll start the performance.”
“Ail I need is popcorn,” she grated. She placed the dessert on the lamp table beside her as he rose and flipped off the light switch. That blackness robbed her of her senses for a split second, then she was conscious of his weight settling onto the sofa beside her, his tangy fragrance and the flickering light of the television coming on, all hitting her at the same time.
Before she could catch her breath, she was assaulted by the music, by the image of someone masquerading as her walking slowly down the aisle on Chris Abbott’s courtly arm.
That person, that bride on the screen, was...radiant.
The groom took her hand and raised it lovingly to his lips for the briefest caress before they turned to face the minister. He was a different Alex. Maybe he even acted like Alex. But the emotion radiating from his eyes was so intense, so all-encompassing, so utterly entranced...she couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t swallow. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from the screen.
Various phrases from the minister’s lips were punctuated by that strange Kennie’s infectious laughter, by that other Alex’s quick peck on her cheek or soft caress of her slender neck, by Christopher Quincy Abbott’s enthusiastic “Hear! Hear!” Those three people acted as if they were witnessing a bona fide, if ebullient, wedding!
When the minister asked for the ring, the groom looked so crestfallen and the bride so disappointed that Chris wrenched the golden signet from his pinkie and offered it with a flourish. And now she felt guilty for having been so hard on him.
She watched the groom on the screen take her hand in his and press his lips against her palm. A tingling sensation spread up her finger as she watched the ring slide into place, on that other Kennie’s hand. And then the groom on the screen took that radiant, glowing bride in his arms. Kennie felt a strange, glowing warmth spread over her body as she saw the curly blond head fall backward, the darker head bend down. The two bodies pressed together in an embrace so rapturous that she got goose bumps just from watching it.
She wanted the tape to end so she could breathe again, yet she didn’t want it to end at all.
It ended.
The room was filled with gray, fuzzy light; Alex clicked the remote control and it went black. She couldn’t move. She wanted him to touch her. She wanted to feel him shift closer, closer, and take her into his arms and make her feel that way again. She was shocked and amazed, but she wanted it more than anything.
He didn’t move.
“Kennie....” His voice was silken seduction in the darkness.
“Yes?” she breathed.
“Do you believe in fate?”
CHAPTER FIVE
“I DON’T KNOW what I believe anymore,” Kennie whispered. “Fate?” she repeated.
Alex sat silently beside her.
She felt tears stinging her eyes, foolish, foolish tears. What was happening to her? She was practical, down-to-earth, not at all like that woman on the screen. The woman on the screen was a stranger.
And her desire to be that woman grew more overpowering as each heavy throb of her pulse sent her
“Alex?” she asked softly, grasping at straws, prolonging their parting a little longer. “The tape. We haven’t watched it.”
“I thought you didn’t want to see it.”
“It might be grounds for a lawsuit,” she countered hopefully. “I mean, isn’t there some kind of law against taking advantage of poor, drun—” She stumbled over the word, unable even to make her lips form its awful sound. Finally she settled for, “ Tipsy tourists?”
“I believe that’s the name of the game around here.” The corner of his mouth twitched. “So the lady has a devious mind.”
“No. Not devious.” She dipped a spoon into her mousse, avoiding his probing gaze. Did he realize that her only motive for viewing the tape was a chance to prolong their time together?
“If you’re ready, I’ll start the performance.”
“Ail I need is popcorn,” she grated. She placed the dessert on the lamp table beside her as he rose and flipped off the light switch. That blackness robbed her of her senses for a split second, then she was conscious of his weight settling onto the sofa beside her, his tangy fragrance and the flickering light of the television coming on, all hitting her at the same time.
Before she could catch her breath, she was assaulted by the music, by the image of someone masquerading as her walking slowly down the aisle on Chris Abbott’s courtly arm.
That person, that bride on the screen, was...radiant.
The groom took her hand and raised it lovingly to his lips for the briefest caress before they turned to face the minister. He was a different Alex. Maybe he even acted like Alex. But the emotion radiating from his eyes was so intense, so all-encompassing, so utterly entranced...she couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t swallow. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from the screen.
Various phrases from the minister’s lips were punctuated by that strange Kennie’s infectious laughter, by that other Alex’s quick peck on her cheek or soft caress of her slender neck, by Christopher Quincy Abbott’s enthusiastic “Hear! Hear!” Those three people acted as if they were witnessing a bona fide, if ebullient, wedding!
When the minister asked for the ring, the groom looked so crestfallen and the bride so disappointed that Chris wrenched the golden signet from his pinkie and offered it with a flourish. And now she felt guilty for having been so hard on him.
She watched the groom on the screen take her hand in his and press his lips against her palm. A tingling sensation spread up her finger as she watched the ring slide into place, on that other Kennie’s hand. And then the groom on the screen took that radiant, glowing bride in his arms. Kennie felt a strange, glowing warmth spread over her body as she saw the curly blond head fall backward, the darker head bend down. The two bodies pressed together in an embrace so rapturous that she got goose bumps just from watching it.
She wanted the tape to end so she could breathe again, yet she didn’t want it to end at all.
It ended.
The room was filled with gray, fuzzy light; Alex clicked the remote control and it went black. She couldn’t move. She wanted him to touch her. She wanted to feel him shift closer, closer, and take her into his arms and make her feel that way again. She was shocked and amazed, but she wanted it more than anything.
He didn’t move.
“Kennie....” His voice was silken seduction in the darkness.
“Yes?” she breathed.
“Do you believe in fate?”
CHAPTER FIVE
“I DON’T KNOW what I believe anymore,” Kennie whispered. “Fate?” she repeated.
Alex sat silently beside her.
She felt tears stinging her eyes, foolish, foolish tears. What was happening to her? She was practical, down-to-earth, not at all like that woman on the screen. The woman on the screen was a stranger.
And her desire to be that woman grew more overpowering as each heavy throb of her pulse sent her
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