Read Online Silver Falls by Anne Stuart - Free Book Online Page A

bitch—”
    He caught her arm as she charged him, spinning her around until it was trapped behind her back. Their bodies were pressed together for a long, endless moment as they looked at each other, the tension crackling between the two of them.
    Rachel didn’t move. His grip on her arm was like iron, his body was warm and hard against hers, and she could feel his heart beating, fast. Her own heart was racing—with fury, she told herself. His grip loosened on her arm, releasing her, but she didn’t move, and neither did he.
    Why now, she thought. Why, after all this time, did this man have to show up now? Why couldn’t she have met him five years ago and gotten him out of her system then, when she was free to do so? Why did he have to appear now, with a hidden agenda, and she couldn’t decide whether she wanted to shove him away or move closer, so closethat they could practically melt together, so close that she could close her eyes and their breathing would be perfectly in sync, so close her eyes and his mouth would cover hers and she’d kiss him back and realize it wasn’t worth the trouble, it never was.
    But why did it have to be now that she was un-characteristically tempted?
    She stepped back, and he let her go without any show of reluctance. “Does my brother know you’re not happy?”
    â€œI’m perfectly happy in my marriage,” she said, ignoring the debacle in her bed last night.
    â€œAre you?” He looked past her, his eyes narrowing for a moment, and then suddenly he moved closer. “I could change your mind…”
    David walked into the kitchen, just as Caleb reached for her, and she waited for his explosion.
    None came. “What are you doing here, Caleb?” David said, sounding only slightly distracted.
    Caleb’s smile was easy, just barely taunting. “It’s been a long time. I wanted to see what you were up to.”
    â€œWhat do you mean by that?”
    â€œYou’ve got a new family. A lovely new daughter. It’s only logical that I’d want to meet her and get to know her mother better. Why, I bet Rachel doesn’t know anything about our childhood. Icould tell her stories that would probably shock the hell out of her.”
    â€œNo, thank you,” Rachel said, moving to stand by her husband. “I know all I need to know about David, and I don’t really need to know anything at all about you.”
    â€œDon’t be rude, Rachel,” David admonished. “You’ll find that Caleb likes to stir things up whenever he can. He likes to play the bad boy, but in the end he’s really quite harmless.”
    â€œAm I, David?” Caleb’s smile was far from reassuring. “You might be surprised.”
    Whatever had happened to upset David seemed well past, and he looked at his brother with fond benevolence. “I’ve known you for thirty-five years, Caleb. I doubt you could surprise me anymore.” He leaned over and kissed Rachel on the cheek. “We’re going over to my father’s for dinner, sweetheart. That way you don’t have to cook.”
    Shit, that was all she needed. Another interminable evening with Stephen Henry. “Sorry, can’t do it. It’s a school night and Sophie’s got a lot of work to do. You’ll have to take my apologies.”
    â€œFather will be so disappointed. You know how fond he is of Sophie,” David said.
    â€œSorry, but rules are rules. Sophie can’t go out on school nights, even for family reunions.” Shecould see David was about to protest, and she forestalled him. “Last night was different—part of her school credit is from tutoring other students.”
    â€œThat’s all right, Rachel,” Caleb said. “The fatted calf can wait until the weekend. The prodigal son has no intention of going anywhere soon.”
    â€œWhat about your job?” David said.
    â€œLeave of absence.