The Love Twin. Patty Salier

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СКАЧАТЬ cheeks are flaming red!” Becky heard Charlotte Swanson say as she hurried in to take a spot on the floor mat beside her. “I hope these exercises aren’t that strenuous.”

      Becky wanted to die of embarrassment. His sensual gaze had turned her on so much that even Charlotte had noticed. She forced her attention off him, but her skin felt feverish at the thought that he was still looking at her.

      She tried to focus on talking to Charlotte as she exercised. Charlotte, who was in her mid-forties, owned a successful advertising agency in Los Angeles. The agency where Becky hoped and prayed she could get a great job for her identical twin sister, Pam. Becky had been separated from her identical twin since birth, and for twenty-four long years, she didn’t even know she had a twin. More than anything, she wanted her sister to move from New York to live with her and become a family in Los Angeles.

      “Do you think you might have a job opening for Pam?” Becky nervously asked.

      “Becky, does your sister want one or two file cabinets in her office?” Charlotte replied.

      Becky suddenly felt like she was dreaming. “Oh, Charlotte!” she burst out, excitedly. “Do you really have a job for Pam?”

      “One of my account executives will be leaving the agency in four weeks,” Charlotte continued as she exercised. “I’ll know more details when I return to the office.”

      Becky’s mind was spinning with joy. “I appreciate your help so much! If there’s anything I can do for you—like give you two free months of hairstyling at your home—let me know.”

      “Becky, I’m the one who owes you,” Charlotte responded. “You make me look beautiful every week when I visit you at the Nouveau Hair Salon, even on days when I feel awful. Can you drop by my office in the next hour or so to discuss the job for your sister?”

      Becky couldn’t contain her glee. “I’ll be there!” Becky wasn’t going to let anything keep her and her identical twin apart ever again.

      In the midst of her exhilaration, her gaze drifted back to the pool area. Her heart pumped wildly as she spotted him again. He was smiling and warmly shaking hands with Joe Demme, the aquatics director. As he talked, he glanced over at her. His luminous eyes lingered on her for a long moment.

      She suddenly became aware that her legs were spread wide apart in the bun squeeze, and she was rhythmically lifting her body up and down in an erotic motion on the floor. Her nipples hardened under her leotard. A tingly, pleasurable sensation she’d never felt before radiated between her thighs.

      Stunned and embarrassed by her sensual response, Becky looked away from him and jumped up to the standing position for the next exercise. Her cheeks flamed. The skin under her neck-high leotard burned with perspiration.

      As she raised her arms to the music beat, she nervously glanced around the exercise room to see if anyone had noticed how turned on she was. What was going on with her? It wasn’t like her to be fantasizing about a man she’d never seen before in her entire life.

      

      

      Near the indoor pool area, Jarrid Browning was unable to take his eyes off her. It couldn’t be Becky! he silently told himself. Had she recognized him, too?

      His heart hammered against his ribs. He hadn’t seen her in seven years. Memories of being close to her flashed through his head. Memories he’d long forgotten.

      He watched her black leotard-clad body move smoothly, sensually, to the beat of the music. His gaze lingered on her abundant breasts as they bounced under the tight leotard.

      For a moment Jarrid forgot what had happened between them seven years ago. He forgot that he was completely over her. And he felt a tug at his heart for Becky that was stronger than he remembered.

      

      Becky barely recalled cooling down with the class. Her hand was trembling as she grabbed her towel. Unable to stop herself, she glanced at the pool area, remembering those warm brown eyes of his linked to hers for those few eternal moments. But now he was gone.

      She glanced around the gym searching for him, and then she stopped, stunned at herself. She’d never chased after a man before. She’d always been shy with men, even with her ex-boyfriend. Darryl Burton. She often wondered if that was one of the qualities about her that had caused Darryl to turn away from her.

      Realizing she would be late for her appointment with Charlotte, Becky hurried toward the women’s locker room near the pool area to take a quick shower.

      Rushing alongside the deep end of the pool, she mentally flashed on the sparkling eyes of the guy who’d been staring at her and wondered who he was. She was so caught up in her fantasy about him that she barely heard someone call out to watch for the slippery pool tiles.

      Suddenly Becky’s feet slipped out from under her, and she plunged into the cool deep pool water. She felt herself sink, sink, sink under the depths of the chlorine blue.

      Deafening, gurgly, bubbling sounds filled her ears. A raging fear of drowning paralyzed her. Panicking, she struggled to hold her breath, but her mouth burst open. Water gushed into her lungs.

      All at once, a pair of strong hands grabbed her waist and pulled her up, up, until loud voices hit her ears.

      There was blackness all around as she felt her motionless body being gently laid down on wet tiles. She felt her leotard being torn from around her neck to try to help her breathe. Fingers were on her throat and there was a hand on her chest feeling for her heartbeat. Then warm lips covered her mouth.

      Fresh oxygen filled her lungs. Her eyes slowly opened. His mouth was pressed against hers, breathing air into her. His strong hand lay gently on her chest, just above her breasts, making sure her heart was working.

      It was him!

      In her barely conscious state, Becky felt her body burn fire hot from his lips and touch.

      Just then she heard the relieved voice of the aquatics director saying, “Jarrid, her eyes are opening! She’s breathing!”

      Jarrid. Jarrid. His name ran hypnotically through her mind over and over.

      When she felt Jarrid’s mouth release from hers and his warm hand lift off her chest, she wanted to cry out for more of his electrical touch.

      “Becky, are you okay?” Jarrid’s deep voice whispered her name with great concern, like he knew her, like she was someone who meant everything to him.

      Before she could speak, she started coughing up water. She felt Jarrid’s firm hands steady on her back to help her sit up. As Becky tried to rise to her feet, a rush of dizziness filled her head. Jarrid grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her close so she could lean on him.

      “I’ve got you, Becky,” he whispered, as though he really cared.

      She realized that her cheek was against his bare, muscled chest. She could feel the wiry brown hairs on his skin near her lips, evoking a powerful erotic reaction in her.

      Embarrassed, Becky quickly sobered up. Her equilibrium returned. She gently slipped out of his strong arms, feeling her face burning with shame. She prayed he didn’t notice how turned on she was in his presence.

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