Read Online True Colors by Jayne Ann Krentz - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jayne Ann Krentz
Tags: Contemporary Romance
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with Miss Isabel's little project, even though I'm not part of the fee, you can reach me at this number." She delved into her huge bag and handed him one of Miss Isabel's cards with the address and phone number of the house in Big Sur on it.
Cade was out of the car, reaching to take her arm before she could escape into the motel lobby. He took the card and shoved it into his pocket without looking at it. "We'll talk about the details of this in the morning. I'll pick you up for breakfast."
Wisely Jamie didn't argue. "What time?" she asked demurely.
"Is seven too early?" He was making an obvious attempt at recovering some semblance of politeness.
"No. Seven will be fine."
"Jamie, there's no need to run from me tonight," he said quietly as they came to the lobby door.
"I would prefer to keep our relationship on a businesslike footing, Cade. You shouldn't have any trouble with that. After all, you managed to court me for two months this past summer without once forgetting your real business in Santa Barbara. I have every confidence that you can keep your mind on your work."
He shook his head in wry disbelief. "You're determined to make both of us suffer before you admit the truth, aren't you?"
"What truth?"
His powerful hands moved soothingly on her upper arms as he faced her in the shadowy light. "That you're here because you need me."
"I've admitted Miss Isabel needs you, or thinks she does."
" You need me, Jamie. I know it must have been difficult for you to come back to me, honey. But it was inevitable. One way or another we were bound to be together again. I knew if I just gave you some time you would realize that what we shared this summer wasn't a casual affair."
"It seemed quite casual to me," she remarked with forced brightness. It was infuriating to know that he'd been right in many ways. When he'd made no effort to contact her during the past six weeks, Jamie had known she couldn't stay away from him.
His temper flared briefly. "If it had been really casual, I would have taken you to bed the first night I took you out to dinner! It would have been easy enough to do. You were ready to fall into my hands from the moment we met. Maybe that was where I made my mistake. If I hadn't been so concerned with doing things properly, I wouldn't be standing here tonight having this ridiculous argument in front of a motel."
"Sleeping with me for two solid months and then letting me find out you'd been using me to trap Hadley wouldn't have endeared you to me any more than did sleeping with me for one night and letting me find out the truth. What I can't figure out is why you still think you can have your cake and eat it, too. If you need Miss Isabel's job, then do the work. You'll be paid. But don't think you can pull the same stunt you did this summer. A check for services rendered is all you'll be receiving. For the last time, Cade, I am not part of the deal." Whirling, Jamie slipped through the sliding glass doors and into the motel lobby. She was gone in an instant, disappearing up the staircase to her room on the second floor1.
The night clerk watched her go and then glanced curiously at Cade standing outside in the darkness. For an instant the clerk's eyes met Cade's in an ancient male expression of commiseration and then he shrugged and went back to the magazine he'd been reading. Cade could almost read the other man's mind. Win a few, lose a few .
Except that he hadn't lost yet, Cade told himself forcefully as he stalked back to the Mazda. And after waiting this long, he sure as hell didn't intend to lose at all. Things had gotten a little rocky at times this evening, and the night hadn't concluded quite the way he'd planned, but progress had been made. She was here and she had accepted a dinner invitation. Afterward she had almost let herself be persuaded back into his bed. He'd come so close to having it all again. It had been a near thing. If he'd just kept his mouth shut at the appropriate moment, she
Cade was out of the car, reaching to take her arm before she could escape into the motel lobby. He took the card and shoved it into his pocket without looking at it. "We'll talk about the details of this in the morning. I'll pick you up for breakfast."
Wisely Jamie didn't argue. "What time?" she asked demurely.
"Is seven too early?" He was making an obvious attempt at recovering some semblance of politeness.
"No. Seven will be fine."
"Jamie, there's no need to run from me tonight," he said quietly as they came to the lobby door.
"I would prefer to keep our relationship on a businesslike footing, Cade. You shouldn't have any trouble with that. After all, you managed to court me for two months this past summer without once forgetting your real business in Santa Barbara. I have every confidence that you can keep your mind on your work."
He shook his head in wry disbelief. "You're determined to make both of us suffer before you admit the truth, aren't you?"
"What truth?"
His powerful hands moved soothingly on her upper arms as he faced her in the shadowy light. "That you're here because you need me."
"I've admitted Miss Isabel needs you, or thinks she does."
" You need me, Jamie. I know it must have been difficult for you to come back to me, honey. But it was inevitable. One way or another we were bound to be together again. I knew if I just gave you some time you would realize that what we shared this summer wasn't a casual affair."
"It seemed quite casual to me," she remarked with forced brightness. It was infuriating to know that he'd been right in many ways. When he'd made no effort to contact her during the past six weeks, Jamie had known she couldn't stay away from him.
His temper flared briefly. "If it had been really casual, I would have taken you to bed the first night I took you out to dinner! It would have been easy enough to do. You were ready to fall into my hands from the moment we met. Maybe that was where I made my mistake. If I hadn't been so concerned with doing things properly, I wouldn't be standing here tonight having this ridiculous argument in front of a motel."
"Sleeping with me for two solid months and then letting me find out you'd been using me to trap Hadley wouldn't have endeared you to me any more than did sleeping with me for one night and letting me find out the truth. What I can't figure out is why you still think you can have your cake and eat it, too. If you need Miss Isabel's job, then do the work. You'll be paid. But don't think you can pull the same stunt you did this summer. A check for services rendered is all you'll be receiving. For the last time, Cade, I am not part of the deal." Whirling, Jamie slipped through the sliding glass doors and into the motel lobby. She was gone in an instant, disappearing up the staircase to her room on the second floor1.
The night clerk watched her go and then glanced curiously at Cade standing outside in the darkness. For an instant the clerk's eyes met Cade's in an ancient male expression of commiseration and then he shrugged and went back to the magazine he'd been reading. Cade could almost read the other man's mind. Win a few, lose a few .
Except that he hadn't lost yet, Cade told himself forcefully as he stalked back to the Mazda. And after waiting this long, he sure as hell didn't intend to lose at all. Things had gotten a little rocky at times this evening, and the night hadn't concluded quite the way he'd planned, but progress had been made. She was here and she had accepted a dinner invitation. Afterward she had almost let herself be persuaded back into his bed. He'd come so close to having it all again. It had been a near thing. If he'd just kept his mouth shut at the appropriate moment, she
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