Read Online Unnatural Relations (Lust and Lies Series, Book 1) by Marilyn Campbell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Marilyn Campbell
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a little deeper in her heart. "You said Decker went to see you. Why?"
"Yeah. What an asshole. He heard about how you and I had hit it off—he winked when he said that—and told me I should talk to you to convince you that you should forget Howard. He even offered to pay me my Christmas bonus early if I could and, I quote, redirect your attentions to me and get you to sign that agreement. He's the one who gave me your address. As soon as I could this morning, I borrowed Pop's truck and drove down here to talk to you in person."
"Well, whatever got you here, I am glad you came. I guess I knew the truth, deep down inside, but I needed someone else, someone I could trust, to say it out loud." She straightened her spine and took another deep cleansing breath. "I'll be okay. Maybe not today or tomorrow but soon. Just out of curiosity, how did Decker figure you could convince me to sign the agreement?"
Russ laughed. "I asked him the same thing. He said he'd heard that women find me rather charming. He suggested I come here on the pretense of being sympathetic. Then while I'm consoling you over your loss of Howard, I get into your pants. How am I doing so far?"
She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm. You did the sympathy and consoling parts very well. But I think you're going to look kind of silly in my pants. Most of them are nothing more than little scraps of lace and satin."
It took him a second to get her joke, but when he did, he rewarded her with a tight hug. "God, I wish I'd met you before Howard." He released her, stood up and straightened the creases down the front of his jeans. "Okay, since I can't get into your pants, how about if we go see a movie or something?"
She pretended not to notice the bulge his actions failed to hide. "I'd like that very much." Just before they left, she did the one thing she'd been putting off for days. She removed the diamond ring from her finger and put it in her dresser drawer with Decker's envelope.
They went to a mindless comedy that featured men being idiots and followed it up with an Italian dinner, during which Russ did his best to keep a smile on Barbara's face. Unfortunately, one of his methods was to encourage her to drink more Chianti than she normally would. At first it gave her a good case of the giggles, but then it backfired. Depression set in before they left the restaurant, and she cried most of the way home. Then the minute they entered her apartment, she got horribly sick.
Claiming full responsibility for her condition, Russ stayed and took care of her most of the night, helping her in and out of the bathroom, placing cold compresses on her head and assuring her that the walls weren't really moving. At some point she did fall asleep, only to awaken with a wretched headache and an excess of embarrassment.
As she dragged herself out of bed, she noted that Russ was asleep on the trundle bed normally hidden beneath hers. A sheet covered the lower part of his body, but his chest was bare. Glancing down at herself, she saw a cotton nightshirt with nothing underneath and was disturbed that she had no memory of changing her clothes.
She scolded herself for jumping to the worst conclusion possible after Russ had been so nice to her. Nothing sexual had happened. She would have remembered that, even if she couldn't explain how she got her nightshirt on.
She desperately needed aspirin and coffee and though she tried to be quiet, she awakened Russ.
He sat up and stretched. "Hey, babe, how do you feel?"
"Like I fell off a building onto my head. What would you like first, the embarrassed apology or the vow of undying gratitude?"
"I'll settle for a cup of whatever you're having, but make it to go, okay? I promised Pop I'd have his truck back last night. I'm not sure how much help I'll be today, but I have to make an appearance."
"Now I feel even worse. At least promise that if you ever need somebody to keep you from drowning in a toilet bowl, you'll call me."
"I promise,"
"Yeah. What an asshole. He heard about how you and I had hit it off—he winked when he said that—and told me I should talk to you to convince you that you should forget Howard. He even offered to pay me my Christmas bonus early if I could and, I quote, redirect your attentions to me and get you to sign that agreement. He's the one who gave me your address. As soon as I could this morning, I borrowed Pop's truck and drove down here to talk to you in person."
"Well, whatever got you here, I am glad you came. I guess I knew the truth, deep down inside, but I needed someone else, someone I could trust, to say it out loud." She straightened her spine and took another deep cleansing breath. "I'll be okay. Maybe not today or tomorrow but soon. Just out of curiosity, how did Decker figure you could convince me to sign the agreement?"
Russ laughed. "I asked him the same thing. He said he'd heard that women find me rather charming. He suggested I come here on the pretense of being sympathetic. Then while I'm consoling you over your loss of Howard, I get into your pants. How am I doing so far?"
She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm. You did the sympathy and consoling parts very well. But I think you're going to look kind of silly in my pants. Most of them are nothing more than little scraps of lace and satin."
It took him a second to get her joke, but when he did, he rewarded her with a tight hug. "God, I wish I'd met you before Howard." He released her, stood up and straightened the creases down the front of his jeans. "Okay, since I can't get into your pants, how about if we go see a movie or something?"
She pretended not to notice the bulge his actions failed to hide. "I'd like that very much." Just before they left, she did the one thing she'd been putting off for days. She removed the diamond ring from her finger and put it in her dresser drawer with Decker's envelope.
They went to a mindless comedy that featured men being idiots and followed it up with an Italian dinner, during which Russ did his best to keep a smile on Barbara's face. Unfortunately, one of his methods was to encourage her to drink more Chianti than she normally would. At first it gave her a good case of the giggles, but then it backfired. Depression set in before they left the restaurant, and she cried most of the way home. Then the minute they entered her apartment, she got horribly sick.
Claiming full responsibility for her condition, Russ stayed and took care of her most of the night, helping her in and out of the bathroom, placing cold compresses on her head and assuring her that the walls weren't really moving. At some point she did fall asleep, only to awaken with a wretched headache and an excess of embarrassment.
As she dragged herself out of bed, she noted that Russ was asleep on the trundle bed normally hidden beneath hers. A sheet covered the lower part of his body, but his chest was bare. Glancing down at herself, she saw a cotton nightshirt with nothing underneath and was disturbed that she had no memory of changing her clothes.
She scolded herself for jumping to the worst conclusion possible after Russ had been so nice to her. Nothing sexual had happened. She would have remembered that, even if she couldn't explain how she got her nightshirt on.
She desperately needed aspirin and coffee and though she tried to be quiet, she awakened Russ.
He sat up and stretched. "Hey, babe, how do you feel?"
"Like I fell off a building onto my head. What would you like first, the embarrassed apology or the vow of undying gratitude?"
"I'll settle for a cup of whatever you're having, but make it to go, okay? I promised Pop I'd have his truck back last night. I'm not sure how much help I'll be today, but I have to make an appearance."
"Now I feel even worse. At least promise that if you ever need somebody to keep you from drowning in a toilet bowl, you'll call me."
"I promise,"
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