Read Online To Love a Stranger by Adrianne Byrd - Free Book Online Page A

to get up close and personal.”
    â€œI—”
    â€œI can’t see how anyone could forget a house like this,” a woman’s low husky voice filtered into the dining room seconds before a curvaceous woman wrapped tightly in hooker spandex appeared in the doorway.
    Her familiar face teased Madeline’s memory and before she had a chance to figure out where she’d seen the girl before the shifty eyed private investigator burst onto the scene. He wrapped his arm around the woman’s curvy waist in silent possession. His arm candy looked none too pleased with him or at seeing Madeline.
    â€œSpeaking of bad breeding,” Cecelia said icily.
    â€œI see you’re still here,” Madeline said with disdain dripping from her voice.
    â€œUntil the check is written.” Shaw winked, and then added, “I’m more surprised to see you here. That was quite a performance last night. Very Dynasty-esque.”
    Madeline clamped her jaw tight until the urge to sock the P.I. in the face passed. It was going to be a long night, she thought.
    Cecelia stepped forward to fill the room’s sudden silence. “I take it then that you are the man who found this Russell look-alike?”
    â€œHe’s the genuine article.” Shaw dropped his arm from his spandex goddess. “I stake my reputation on it.”
    Cecelia’s eyebrows soared to the middle of her forehead. “Well, excuse me if that doesn’t exactly cause me to sleep better at night.”
    Tiffani and Christopher glided into the dining room next. While Christopher wore a smile to rival the sun, Tiffani looked bored.
    â€œHello, everyone,” Christopher greeted as his eyes scanned the room. “I see that our guest of honor hasn’t arrived yet.” His gaze settled on Madeline. “Given how chummy you two were this afternoon I thought you would do the honors of escorting him down to dinner.”
    Shaw was off the hook and Christopher now replaced the punching bag in her mind.
    â€œAgain, my apologies for interrupting your afternoon delight.”
    â€œWhat?” Her mother and the spandex queen gasped.
    â€œWhat’s it to you?” Shaw questioned his date.
    â€œNothing,” the woman answered. “I’m surprised is all.”
    â€œNothing happened,” Madeline lied.
    Suddenly, Russell’s smooth baritone floated into the room. “I thought something happened,” he said.
    Everyone whipped around and made a collective gasp at the polished GQ ghost of Russell Stone. He stepped through the archway, eyes locked on Madeline.
    Everyone, except his wife, crowded around him in approval of his transformation.
    Everything about him was exactly the same…except for the eyes. Still a rich sable, but the soul within was damaged. For the first time Madeline wondered what the past six years has been like for him. To be lost. To not know who you were.
    Russell smiled.
    Madeline smiled back.
    Madeline assessed in his low-cropped hair, his creamy milk-chocolate skin, his broad, but lean physique and finally came to terms with the truth—Russell Stone was back. Brick-by-brick, the walls of her defenses crumpled to the ground. And in that moment, Madeline realized she’d never been more scared in her life.

Chapter 9
    A chivalrous Russell pulled out his wife’s chair at the dinner table and then smiled at her in a way that made her skin tingle.
    â€œYou look lovely this evening,” he said quietly by her ear. The sound of his deep voice sent a tingle to each of the nerve endings along her spine.
    â€œYou clean up pretty good yourself.” Madeline managed to say.
    â€œI was trying to impress you,” he said with an adorable crooked grin.
    â€œMission accomplished.” She couldn’t bring herself to admit she missed the scruffy beard and mustache.
    Russell winked and then walked to the other side of the table.
    Caught blushing like a silly teenager