Read Online The Sinister Touch by Jayne Ann Krentz - Free Book Online

research coffee machines before you went shopping for one. I should have gone with you. At least I could have kept you from buying some off-brand piece of junk.”
    “You’re wrong. It’s not off-brand; it’s imported.” She got up and reached hastily for her robe. There had been several mornings now when Zac had seen her rising naked from a tangled bed, but she still wasn’t accustomed to the way he watched her when she was running around nude. “And I did research coffee machines. But when I got to the display at the Bon, this one just stood out from all the rest. It was as if it had ‘Buy Me, Guinevere Jones’ written all over it. I couldn’t resist it. It’s beautiful.”
    “It’s a disaster.”
    “Details, details.” She finished tying the sash of the robe and smiled brilliantly. “Relax. It’ll have the coffee ready in a moment. I’m going to take a shower.”
    “Maybe we’ll have one mug of coffee out of that idiotic device by the time you’re dressed, but I wouldn’t count on it.” The phone rang in the kitchen, and Zac turned away to answer it.
    Guinevere traipsed after him. It was, after all, her phone, her apartment, and her kitchen. Zac had a way of assuming a lot of rights around the place on the mornings after he’d spent the preceding nights. She’d seen this syndrome previously. When she reached the kitchen, he was already speaking into the phone.
    “Okay, Gertie, I’ll take care of it right away. Thanks for the message.” He replaced the receiver and glanced at Gwen. “That was my new answering service.”
    Guinevere smiled contentedly. “I’m glad you took my advice and hired one. Answering machines don’t leave the best impression on clients. Much better to have a human answer your phone when you’re out. How did Gertie, or whatever her name is, know to call here?”
    “I left this number with her last night.” Zac busied himself with the toast that had just popped out of the toaster.
    “I see.” Guinevere considered the implications. Zac had obviously intended to spend the night when he’d arrived the previous evening. Well, she could hardly hold his rather arrogant assumption against him. After all, they were involved in an affair.
    “Want a bite of toast?”
    Guinevere nodded. “So who was the message from?”
    “Elizabeth Gallinger. She wants to see me first thing this morning.” Zac was taking great pains with the buttering process. “Breakfast meeting.”
    Guinevere gritted her teeth and forced herself to smile sweetly. “Oh, good. You won’t have to worry about getting coffee out of my new machine.
Liz
can buy you a cup.”
    With a certain air of defiance she glanced toward her kitchen window, but there was no view into Mason Adair’s apartment this morning. Zac had lowered the blinds.

Chapter Four
    Carla glanced up disapprovingly as Guinevere walked into the office that morning. “You’re late.” Then she added with great interest, “Did Zac spend the night?”
    “It occurs to me, sister dear, that your extensive interest in my social life is due to the fact that you’re bored. I don’t think you’ve got enough to do around here now that you’ve got all of Camelot’s files in order. Your skills as an executive secretary are being wasted.” Guinevere hung up her umbrella. It was a myth that Seattle residents never carried umbrellas, a myth perpetuated by the locals, who liked to pretend that they were indifferent to the misty rain that was a major factor in their environment. Hers hadn’t been the only umbrella out there on the street this morning, and there was no way those others could have belonged to tourists. It was only eight o’clock. Most self-respecting tourists were still in their motel rooms at this hour.
    Carla gave her sister a strange glance. “I thought you appreciated me getting your office organized.”
    Instantly Guinevere was sorry she’d made the comment. From the force of long-established habit she backed off, not