Read Online Smashwords version Sweet Surrender by Georgette St. Clair - Free Book Online
Authors: Georgette St. Clair
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in. “You can’t see me
like this…you just can’t! Who is that man with you? I don’t want anybody to see
me like this! Get out, everyone get out, get OUT!” In the hallway, security guards had arrived and were hustling the
two angry men onto separate elevators.
Penelope made gagging sounds. “I’m going to throw up!”
Poppy frantically looked around the room for a container, and
grabbed the small plastic trash can by her sister’s bed, handing it to her.
Penelope hunched over it, heaving. “Get…out!” she gasped. Rafe turned to Poppy. “Clearly, your sister is too upset to talk,”
he said, placing his hand on her shoulder. The look on his face was far
too sincere; he was up to something. He turned to Penelope. “I look forward to meeting you some other
time,” he said, and then quickly rushed Poppy out of the room and down the hall
towards the elevator. “You gave up awfully easy,” she said suspiciously. He smiled cryptically and shook his head. “You’ll see.”
Chapter Eleven
Rafe led Poppy down to the cafeteria where he bought them both
dinner, which was served on plastic trays. They carried their trays over to
formica tables, bathed with the glare of fluorescent lights.
A surly
janitor pushed a mop across the floor near them, sending clouds of
disinfectant-scented air wafting their way.
Poppy
pushed at the mysterious brown meat on her tray, looking at it apprehensively.
“Do you happen to know what they do with people who die here and never get
claimed? Because I’m just saying, this doesn’t look like beef, doesn’t look
like chicken…”
“Best not
to think about these things. Next time, order the pasta,” Rafe grinned,
scooping up a forkful of mushy noodles and chewing them.
Poppy
pushed her tray away from her, then looked up at Rafe. “You know, I just
realized you know all about me, and I don’t know much about you at all. Why
did you leave the police force?”
He set
his fork down, his face suddenly serious. “My father was a sheriff’s captain.
He was shot to death pursuing a suspect. My mother begged me to quit the force
afterwards, right before she died of a heart attack. That was a year ago.”
Poppy
gasped, a wave of sorrow washing over her. “I’m sorry, Rafe! I shouldn’t have
asked.”
His
answering smile was tinged with regret. “It’s all right. I’m proud of both my
parents; I just don’t bring it up in casual conversation.”
“What do
you do now, for work?”
She saw
the faintest flicker in his gaze, then he looked down and loaded more pasta on
his fork. “My uncle owns an international security company. I work for him.”
It seemed
like a subject he didn’t really want to get into, which was odd, because he
struck her as a person who was passionate and opinionated about life in
general. Like the kind of person who’d love to talk about his job. But maybe
he didn’t enjoy his new job that much; he probably just did it out of a sense
of obligation to his late mother.
He
glanced down at his pasta. “Okay, it’s been long enough. Unless you want more
mystery meat.”
Poppy
shuddered.
“No, I’m
fine, thanks.”
“Let’s go
then. I think your sister’s had enough time to recover.”
“Are you
sure? She seemed really upset…” Poppy hesitated, but Rafe was already up and
moving, heading towards the stairwell which led up to Penelope’s floor.
They
climbed four flights, with Rafe leading the way and Poppy trailing behind,
admiring how his jeans hugged his muscled thighs and firm, round butt cheeks.
When they
reached the top flight, they stopped, and Rafe turned to face Poppy. He wasn’t
even breathing hard; Poppy was, but it was only partly from the climb.
She
wanted him to grab her again and press his body against hers, to claim her
mouth again with a hot kiss. Did he feel the same way about her? Or was she
being a fool thinking that he really wanted her?
He slid a
finger under her chin, gently, oh so gently, and
like this…you just can’t! Who is that man with you? I don’t want anybody to see
me like this! Get out, everyone get out, get OUT!” In the hallway, security guards had arrived and were hustling the
two angry men onto separate elevators.
Penelope made gagging sounds. “I’m going to throw up!”
Poppy frantically looked around the room for a container, and
grabbed the small plastic trash can by her sister’s bed, handing it to her.
Penelope hunched over it, heaving. “Get…out!” she gasped. Rafe turned to Poppy. “Clearly, your sister is too upset to talk,”
he said, placing his hand on her shoulder. The look on his face was far
too sincere; he was up to something. He turned to Penelope. “I look forward to meeting you some other
time,” he said, and then quickly rushed Poppy out of the room and down the hall
towards the elevator. “You gave up awfully easy,” she said suspiciously. He smiled cryptically and shook his head. “You’ll see.”
Chapter Eleven
Rafe led Poppy down to the cafeteria where he bought them both
dinner, which was served on plastic trays. They carried their trays over to
formica tables, bathed with the glare of fluorescent lights.
A surly
janitor pushed a mop across the floor near them, sending clouds of
disinfectant-scented air wafting their way.
Poppy
pushed at the mysterious brown meat on her tray, looking at it apprehensively.
“Do you happen to know what they do with people who die here and never get
claimed? Because I’m just saying, this doesn’t look like beef, doesn’t look
like chicken…”
“Best not
to think about these things. Next time, order the pasta,” Rafe grinned,
scooping up a forkful of mushy noodles and chewing them.
Poppy
pushed her tray away from her, then looked up at Rafe. “You know, I just
realized you know all about me, and I don’t know much about you at all. Why
did you leave the police force?”
He set
his fork down, his face suddenly serious. “My father was a sheriff’s captain.
He was shot to death pursuing a suspect. My mother begged me to quit the force
afterwards, right before she died of a heart attack. That was a year ago.”
Poppy
gasped, a wave of sorrow washing over her. “I’m sorry, Rafe! I shouldn’t have
asked.”
His
answering smile was tinged with regret. “It’s all right. I’m proud of both my
parents; I just don’t bring it up in casual conversation.”
“What do
you do now, for work?”
She saw
the faintest flicker in his gaze, then he looked down and loaded more pasta on
his fork. “My uncle owns an international security company. I work for him.”
It seemed
like a subject he didn’t really want to get into, which was odd, because he
struck her as a person who was passionate and opinionated about life in
general. Like the kind of person who’d love to talk about his job. But maybe
he didn’t enjoy his new job that much; he probably just did it out of a sense
of obligation to his late mother.
He
glanced down at his pasta. “Okay, it’s been long enough. Unless you want more
mystery meat.”
Poppy
shuddered.
“No, I’m
fine, thanks.”
“Let’s go
then. I think your sister’s had enough time to recover.”
“Are you
sure? She seemed really upset…” Poppy hesitated, but Rafe was already up and
moving, heading towards the stairwell which led up to Penelope’s floor.
They
climbed four flights, with Rafe leading the way and Poppy trailing behind,
admiring how his jeans hugged his muscled thighs and firm, round butt cheeks.
When they
reached the top flight, they stopped, and Rafe turned to face Poppy. He wasn’t
even breathing hard; Poppy was, but it was only partly from the climb.
She
wanted him to grab her again and press his body against hers, to claim her
mouth again with a hot kiss. Did he feel the same way about her? Or was she
being a fool thinking that he really wanted her?
He slid a
finger under her chin, gently, oh so gently, and
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