Concha see me come in. Sheâd love to take that to Patrick.â
âThat old witch!â Vashti shuddered, rising. âAlways padding around, watching me with those damned flat black eyes! Iâve tried to get rid of her but Patrick wonât hear of it.â
âIf she sees us, Iâll get rid of her. Permanently.â
âJudd, you sound so dangerous,â Vashti teased. Her eyes deepened. Her expensive perfume floated up from between her breasts as soft arms closed around him. She filled him with the surfeited distaste he felt after a long night with her, though she knew all the tricks and, under his disgust, the familiar hot urgency was starting to build. Caressing his face and throat, she laughed softly. âYouâre as macho as any Mexican.â
âIt wouldnât be funny if Patrick threw you out and disowned me.â
âHe wouldnât, even if he guessed,â she said complacently.
Judd drew away, stared at her through narrowed eyes. She seemed suddenly old. Well-preserved, but used-up beside Tracyâs freshness. Heâd been a fool to get mixed up with her but sheâd been convenient, lushly inviting, and heâd thought her experienced enough to handle it as mutual gratification. He hadnât expected her growing possessiveness, the way she was trying to turn it into some kind of grand passion. Even less had he expected to feel compunction, a kind of shame, when she flirted with him in front of his blind father. Contemptuously, he swung away from her, thrusting his hands into his pockets.
âBlind and paralyzed, Patrickâs still a hell of a lot more man than you deserve. If he knew, heâd take care of us.â
âJudd! Youâre in a vile mood.â
âWhat do you want?â
She was silent. âIâve got things to do,â he said, turning. âIf itâs skipped your mind, weâll talk later.â
She stepped in front of him, jaw hardening. âIâd like to know why youâre taking such an interest in little cousin Tracy.â
âIâm not married,â he said brutally. âI can show an interest where I damn well please.â
She choked. Her eyes glowed like brimstone. âIf you think you can just use me andâandââ
âYes?â he mocked, rocking back on his heels and crossing his arms.
When she swallowed and clenched her hands, strangling back whatever stupidities she wanted to hurl at him, he said in a bored tone, âI didnât seduce you, Vashti. I donât owe you a thing. If you want to finish us fast, just throw fits or threaten me.â
She flinched as if heâd hit her, then smiled with obvious effort, putting her hand placatingly on his.
âLetâs not quarrel, darling. I was only going to show Tracy around the place myself if you were offering out of hospitality or cousinly duty.â
âConsidering how you hate the place, Iâd never ask you to make that sacrifice,â he said sardonically. âThanks, but I expect that little tour to be fun.â
At Vashtiâs stricken look, his instinct not to unnecessarily make an enemy led him to say more gently, âTracyâs got influence with Patrick. Itâs worth some trouble to get her on my side.â
The thought of Tracy touched off a wave of desire that transferred obligingly to Vashtiâs warm, full body. Grasping her robe, he started to husk it off.
Her eyes lifted; she understood.
Stepping back with a slight laugh, she said, âSorry, dear. Iâve got a beastly headache. Maybe later.â
âIf youâre smart, youâll take it when you can get it.â
That beautiful mask-like face congealed.
âEnjoy your headache,â he said with a savage grin and let himself out. It was like escaping from the scented lair of a treacherous, fawning animal. But there was nothing she could do to him. He had what she wanted, not the other way
Francesca Simon
Simon Kewin
P. J. Parrish
Caroline B. Cooney
Mary Ting
Sebastian Gregory
Danelle Harmon
Philip Short
Lily R. Mason
Tawny Weber