All That Glitters. Diana Palmer

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ the thin fabric. “No. But you should be afraid that I might force you,” she whispered back outrageously.

      He met her smile with one of his own. “I’m impressed. You’re a better judge of character than I gave you credit for.” He bent again and nibbled softly at her upper lip. “Open your mouth a little,” he whispered, inhaling sharply when she complied. “That’s it.”

      His lips came down again, caressing lightly. She could feel him smile as she did what he asked, rippling from the sensuality in the movement of his mouth, in the deep rumble of his voice.

      A lean hand at her waist moved her lightly so that her body brushed against his while he teased her lips. She shivered and the deep, soft laughter became husky.

      “You’re...dangerous,” she accused.

      “Yes. I am.” He pulled her close and cupped her head in his hand while his mouth stopped teasing and became intensely serious.

      She shook inside with a heat she’d never known. Her legs trembled where they came into contact with his. She heard his breath sigh out against her cheek and felt the firm movements of his mouth with shocked wonder at its expertness.

      Her hand crushed his lapel while she tried to control her own body and found that she was too weak. She let him part her lips and moaned when she felt the tip of his tongue tracing just inside her lower lip. The provocation was unbearable. Her mouth opened, hungry for something it had never known, never before wanted, intensely aware of the throbbing ache he’d aroused in her.

      And at that moment, when she was ready to plead for more, he jerked his head up and looked into her half-closed, dazed eyes. He didn’t say a word. He didn’t have to. She was an open book, and all the sexual pages were blank.

      He forced himself to let her go very gently. He held her arms until she seemed steady on her feet.

      “I’ll say good night,” he said softly.

      She looked at him helplessly. It took precious seconds to pull her dreaming mind back into place. “It was a lovely party,” she said in an unfamiliar husky tone. “Thank you for inviting me, and for the ride home. And especially for the new job.”

      “My pleasure.” He let her go, smiling with faint self-mockery at his own stupidity. He had no right to play games with her. His first impression, of stifled innocence, had been right on the money. She’d had a bad experience with men, but she didn’t need any sexual healing from him. He’d stepped out of line.

      “Good night,” she said.

      “Good night. I’ll be in touch, about the show.”

      “Of course. Thank you.”

      He shrugged and went back down the steps to his car, taking them two at a time. He didn’t look back as he drove off, but Ivory watched him all the way out of sight.

      “He’s probably a millionaire,” she reminded herself on the way up. “He drives a Jaguar and owns several companies. He’s almost forty and he has lots of girlfriends. So don’t lose your head.”

      “You’re talking to yourself again, Ivory,” Mr. Johnson called from his open doorway as she went past.

      She poked her head in, smiling as she watched his hands work skillfully on a wooden bird. “Very nice, Mr. Johnson. What’s that one for?”

      “My granddaughter. It’s for Christmas.”

      “She’ll love it.”

      He chuckled. “Yes, she will. Have a good time tonight?”

      “It was very nice.”

      “I love your dress, Ivory,” Mrs. Johnson called as she joined her husband with her knitting in her hand. “Did you make it?”

      “Yes. Thank you.”

      “You’ll be famous one day, my dear,” the elderly lady said with a smile. “I hope you’ll still come and see us then.”

      “You know I will.” She called them a cheerful good-night and went on to her apartment. She felt as if her feet didn’t even touch the floor, despite her own misgivings at letting a man who was practically a stranger kiss her. It hadn’t seemed that way, and she’d enjoyed kissing him very much. But apparently, judging from his reaction, he could take or leave her. It was probably a routine thing for him, kissing women. She had to stop thinking about that. She had a design to improve, and the first real chance of her career. She wasn’t going to waste it, or be sidetracked, even by a very attractive man like Curry Kells.

      Miss Raines was venomous when she heard that Mr. Kells had added Ivory’s design to the collection. She was even more venomous about Ivory being taken off repairs. They’d never make the schedule now. She shouldn’t have mentioned the girl to Curry Kells. She’d inadvertently called attention to Ivory, which had been the very thing she’d tried to prevent.

      Several people had remarked that Mr. Kells took Ivory home from the party and didn’t come back for a couple of hours. No wonder the girl had been given a chance, she thought viciously. Ivory had seduced the boss and turned his head. Now she was reaping the benefits. But that design wasn’t going to get her anywhere. Miss Raines knew good style when she saw it, and that dress would be the laughingstock of the company. Mr. Kells owned the company, but he was no fashion expert. His protégé was going to fall flat on her face, and Miss Raines could hardly wait to see it.

      She wasn’t openly hostile, however. She’d even smiled when she congratulated Ivory on her promotion to junior designer.

      “She smiles like a barracuda,” Dee remarked coldly. “You watch her. She isn’t happy about this. I’ll bet she’s boiling inside. You don’t know much about company politics, but I’ll tell you, people can be underhanded in this business. Some of them will do anything to keep their jobs or prevent other people from promotion.”

      “Miss Raines isn’t spiteful,” Ivory protested.

      “Her job isn’t on the line—yet. If you’re ever in the position of competing with her, look out. You’ve got fresh and original ideas, and most of hers came out of Chanel back in the sixties. Chanel moved easily into the contemporary market, but Virginia Raines wouldn’t know modern fashion if it bit her on the nose. You watch your back, so that she doesn’t put a knife in it.”

      “I’ll watch,” Ivory promised, smiling. “But I think you’re wrong.”

      “I hope I am,” Dee said fervently. “But be careful, just the same.”

      “How was your late date last night?” Ivory asked, to change the subject.

      Dee chuckled. “Well, it was a start. I like him, I really do. He’s a Midwestern farm boy who came to the big city for a chance and found one doing commercials. With that face and body, I’m not one bit surprised that he was discovered so quickly. I have contacts, too, so maybe I can help his career along.”

      Just for an instant, Ivory wondered if Dee’s escort might have had that in mind. She decided that she was much too suspicious of people and went back to work.

      * * *

      TERESA KELLS HAD large black eyes, salt-and-pepper СКАЧАТЬ