Red Shoes and A Diary. Mia Zachary

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СКАЧАТЬ card key out of her tote bag and held it up for him to see. “I have suite number 809.”

      “Nope. It’s upside-down.” His warm fingers curled over her wrist, then turned her hand until the card faced the opposite way. “You have room number 608. 809 is mine.”

      Well, that explained the underwear. Not wanting to believe the awkwardness of the situation, she drew her brows together in confusion. “But this key fits the lock to that suite.”

      “Then I’ll take a rain check on seeing you wear those red, lacy panties.” He winked at her, his arrogant reply tempered by a dash of charm and a seductive smile.

      The breath hitched in her throat and her mouth suddenly went dry. The cold sting of rain hit Elise’s bare skin as his hot body lowered onto hers… Swallowing hard, Meghan concentrated on the problem at hand. Adopting a brisk manner, she shrugged the tote bag into place on her shoulder. “Let’s go check with the front desk, shall we?”

      They joined the group of irritated guests already at the hotel’s reservation desk. The manager apologized to everyone for the apparent malfunction of the key coder. The computer had failed to change the access numbers upon checkout and several rooms were double assigned before the mistake was discovered.

      Fifteen minutes later, Meghan stood in the open doorway of suite 809 with Nick and a security guard. She couldn’t believe this. “Are you certain this is necessary, Mr. Brooks?”

      “You asked me that four times, ma’am. And for the fifth time, I’m tellin’ you it’s hotel policy not to let no one into another room unescorted.”

      Nick tried to reason with the man. “She’s not going to steal anything. Most of the things in there are hers anyway.”

      “Hotel policy—”

      “She’s not unescorted. I’m standing right here. You don’t have to make her feel like a criminal.” He turned to let his eyes roam over her figure. “Besides, if she does try anything, I’m pretty sure I can take her.”

      Oh, he could take her all right. And she wouldn’t resist at all. Temptation dared her to grab the resort bathrobe and bolt just for the chance to wrestle against his long, lean body.

      The security guard finally gave in, apparently having taken all the grief he was going to. “Fine, sir. Don’t come yellin’ for me if you got stuff missing.”

      When the door closed behind them, Meghan found herself alone with the sexiest man on the face of the earth. Alone with the sexiest man and her own raging hormones. She had to clear her throat before she could speak. “Thank you. I was beginning to think he planned to frisk me.”

      “Allow me.” He wiggled his brows and placed one hand on the wall behind her head. “Are you concealing anything? Stolen pillow mints? Pilfered matchbooks?”

      His eyes challenged her while his other hand reached out. She held his stare with effort when he stroked his fingertips down her bare arm. Butterflies trembled in her stomach and she gasped softly when he lowered his head.

      Omigod. He’s going to kiss me.

      She flattened a palm against his chest to stop him. Heat radiated through the bright fabric and her pulse accelerated to match the beating of his heart. Then the sensual light went out of his eyes, replaced by something akin to confusion.

      Did he think she was a tease? She wanted to play fast and loose this week, she really did. Just not quite so soon. If she let him keep advancing, they might end up doing it right here on the floor. Hmm. Actually… No, not yet.

      Nick looked down at her hand, then back into her eyes. The intimacy of the touch unsettled her and she snatched her fingers away. Uptight. Inexperienced. Embarrassed.

      “The only contraband I have is the soap and the herbal shampoo.” Ducking under his extended arm, she darted toward the bedroom to repack.

      “Speaking of things that ought to be illegal…”

      Hearing the smoky familiarity in his tone, she turned back in time to see him come out of the living room. Her brows furrowed in curiosity, then shot up in alarm. Would the humiliation of this day never end?

      “Guess you’ll be needing these back.” Nick held out one sculpted arm, dangling her bra and panties from his hand. He casually stroked his thumb over her intimate wear.

      His fingers grazed the edge of Elise’s panties, tickling the sensitive skin along her inner thigh, before sliding inside… Meghan blinked, tried to refocus. The corner of Nick’s mouth quirked and the look in his eyes was pure mischief, as if he suspected her reaction and dared her to come closer to the source.

      Okay. She could do this. Lifting her chin, she threw back her shoulders and walked toward him. He skimmed his fingers across her palm when he returned her lingerie. Another hot current passed between them.

      A rush of anxiety immediately followed.

      What was she doing flirting with a guy like Nick? He could have any woman he wanted. So what mental disorder made her think he’d waste time on her? Loneliness and longing twisted her heart, overwhelmed her. She was boring, she was frigid—she was doing it again.

      Meghan slammed the self-doubt aside, concentrated instead on her mission. The plan was to find an attractive man and then entice him into spending the next week indulging in decadent pleasures. Well, she’d found a guy and he was perfect. Nick was everything she imagined the fantasy lover in her diary to be. His dangerously compelling gaze made her yearn for wild excitement and erotic adventure.

      Ask him.

      She cleared her throat and prepared to inject a sensuous note into her voice. Then she hesitated, not yet braced for rejection, unwilling to make herself vulnerable. No matter how much she wanted to live out her fantasies, things were moving too fast. She should at least make sure he wasn’t an ax murderer before she tried to take him to bed.

      Meghan flicked her gaze away and slid the garments out of his hand. She couldn’t bear to meet his eye and see his reaction to her failed attempt at seduction. “Thank you very much.”

      “My pleasure.” His rich voice held more than a hint of innuendo. “You know, you didn’t strike me as the red lace type.”

      She pressed her lips together and shoved her glasses back onto her nose. Maybe she wasn’t a Sex Goddess yet, but Elise sure was. Red lace underwear and enough attitude to bring any man to his knees. Including Nick.

      “You don’t know me well enough to decide what type I am.” Her voice quavered despite her effort to sound confident. She turned on her heel and went into the bedroom. After dropping her tote bag, she hauled open the nearest suitcase and shoved the lingerie inside.

      Old heartache welled up inside her, fueled by memories of shyness and humiliation, fanned by self-doubt and fear. She never seemed to fit in anywhere, not even in her own skin.

      ALEX WATCHED the fire die out, watched Meghan pull into herself. He was more intrigued than ever. The lady was a walking contradiction. Those journal entries were hot enough to ignite the pages. But now she acted like she wanted to be invisible.

      How in the hell could this be the same woman?

      Leaning one hip СКАЧАТЬ