Read Online Shadows of the Past by H.M. Ward, Stacey Mosteller - Free Book Online
Authors: H.M. Ward, Stacey Mosteller
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“Right and this sudden urge to run has nothing to do with me?”
“Nope.” I beam at him. “We’re all good, Ollie.” To show him how good we are, I lean in and kiss his cheek. “I better head home.”
He grabs my wrist and whirls me back to him. “Fine, but next Monday I’m taking you out for tea. You’re mine all day. No working.” His voice is deep and confident.
I stammer, trying to find the right words. “I, uh, this wasn’t part of the plan. I wasn’t supposed to work today.”
“I know.” He smiles. “It’s all right. Next Monday, meet me at my hotel. High tea at three, my treat.”
I stand there saying ‘uhhhhh’ too long. Oliver laughs lightly. “Run along. I don’t want your horrible boss to take it out on you.” He watches me and I swear he knows that I'm blowing him off.
“Okay, I’ll see you next week.” Why did I just say that? Damn, he looks nice. Stop it, Kayla!
Shoving thoughts of how nicely he fills out a pair of pants from my head, I turn the opposite direction to head for home. When I close the door, I find Emily standing in the kitchen making supper. Even the thought of her cooking terrifies me.
When she was growing up, her family always had household "help," including a maid, a cook, and a nanny. She never had to do anything for herself, including cooking. She's not any better at it now, even after six years of living on her own. Usually cooking dinner is something that falls to me--her version of making us dinner is calling for take away. Approaching the stove cautiously, I steel myself against the disaster awaiting me.
"Hullo," she says happily. "You’re just in time!"
She looks up at me from her stirring, and I blurt out. "I went to the Palace and sort of freaked out."
"YOU visited the Palace? As in Kensington Palace?" she asks in disbelief, mouth gaping.
"Yes, Kensington Palace. It's really nice, and thanks for skipping over the freaking out part."
She snorts. “You do that all the time. And ‘It’s really nice?’ Really? After years of living here, you finally take an interest in visiting the local landmarks and all you can say is ‘it's really nice?’ So, you were with Hot Guy again?"
“Maybe.”
“Getting tossed to the curb once wasn’t enough for you? There are lots of other guys in the city, believe me, I know.” Shaking her head, she turns her attention back to the pot she was stirring when I first came in. "Damn it all, now I've burnt it. Well, how 'bout Indian food?"
“Bring it. I want to stuff myself and fall asleep.”
She waves a finger in my face. “Not until Jenga!”
“You’re a little crazy, you know that, right?”
Emily grins. “Admit it, your life would be so boring without me.”
CHAPTER 13
By the time Monday arrives, I’m so nervous I almost bail on tea. I'm standing in my room, looking at the assortment of clothes in my closet and wishing I'd gone shopping. What does one wear to tea?
Should I wear a dress? Something fancier? My normal jeans and t-shirt? I'm not sure and hate not knowing.
"What are you doing, Kayla?"
I've never been so glad to hear Emily's voice as I am right now. "Trying to figure out what to wear to afternoon tea. What would you wear?" I can hear the panic in my voice and try to contain it.
"Whoa," Emily says with a smile. "Who are you and what have you done with my flatmate? YOU are worrying about what to wear?" I send her a death glare and turn back to fretting over my wardrobe, making her laugh. "Where are you going to tea?"
I shrug. "I have no idea. I'm meeting him at his hotel, but that's all I know."
"Oooh," Emily shrieks, clapping her hands together in glee. "I bet that means he's taking you to The Orangery!" I have no clue why she's excited. She looks at me expectantly, waiting for me to show the level of enthusiasm she has—which is about ninety-five on a scale of one to ten.
When I just look at her blankly, she sighs, shaking her head in disappointment at my
“Nope.” I beam at him. “We’re all good, Ollie.” To show him how good we are, I lean in and kiss his cheek. “I better head home.”
He grabs my wrist and whirls me back to him. “Fine, but next Monday I’m taking you out for tea. You’re mine all day. No working.” His voice is deep and confident.
I stammer, trying to find the right words. “I, uh, this wasn’t part of the plan. I wasn’t supposed to work today.”
“I know.” He smiles. “It’s all right. Next Monday, meet me at my hotel. High tea at three, my treat.”
I stand there saying ‘uhhhhh’ too long. Oliver laughs lightly. “Run along. I don’t want your horrible boss to take it out on you.” He watches me and I swear he knows that I'm blowing him off.
“Okay, I’ll see you next week.” Why did I just say that? Damn, he looks nice. Stop it, Kayla!
Shoving thoughts of how nicely he fills out a pair of pants from my head, I turn the opposite direction to head for home. When I close the door, I find Emily standing in the kitchen making supper. Even the thought of her cooking terrifies me.
When she was growing up, her family always had household "help," including a maid, a cook, and a nanny. She never had to do anything for herself, including cooking. She's not any better at it now, even after six years of living on her own. Usually cooking dinner is something that falls to me--her version of making us dinner is calling for take away. Approaching the stove cautiously, I steel myself against the disaster awaiting me.
"Hullo," she says happily. "You’re just in time!"
She looks up at me from her stirring, and I blurt out. "I went to the Palace and sort of freaked out."
"YOU visited the Palace? As in Kensington Palace?" she asks in disbelief, mouth gaping.
"Yes, Kensington Palace. It's really nice, and thanks for skipping over the freaking out part."
She snorts. “You do that all the time. And ‘It’s really nice?’ Really? After years of living here, you finally take an interest in visiting the local landmarks and all you can say is ‘it's really nice?’ So, you were with Hot Guy again?"
“Maybe.”
“Getting tossed to the curb once wasn’t enough for you? There are lots of other guys in the city, believe me, I know.” Shaking her head, she turns her attention back to the pot she was stirring when I first came in. "Damn it all, now I've burnt it. Well, how 'bout Indian food?"
“Bring it. I want to stuff myself and fall asleep.”
She waves a finger in my face. “Not until Jenga!”
“You’re a little crazy, you know that, right?”
Emily grins. “Admit it, your life would be so boring without me.”
CHAPTER 13
By the time Monday arrives, I’m so nervous I almost bail on tea. I'm standing in my room, looking at the assortment of clothes in my closet and wishing I'd gone shopping. What does one wear to tea?
Should I wear a dress? Something fancier? My normal jeans and t-shirt? I'm not sure and hate not knowing.
"What are you doing, Kayla?"
I've never been so glad to hear Emily's voice as I am right now. "Trying to figure out what to wear to afternoon tea. What would you wear?" I can hear the panic in my voice and try to contain it.
"Whoa," Emily says with a smile. "Who are you and what have you done with my flatmate? YOU are worrying about what to wear?" I send her a death glare and turn back to fretting over my wardrobe, making her laugh. "Where are you going to tea?"
I shrug. "I have no idea. I'm meeting him at his hotel, but that's all I know."
"Oooh," Emily shrieks, clapping her hands together in glee. "I bet that means he's taking you to The Orangery!" I have no clue why she's excited. She looks at me expectantly, waiting for me to show the level of enthusiasm she has—which is about ninety-five on a scale of one to ten.
When I just look at her blankly, she sighs, shaking her head in disappointment at my
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