what she had to say where everyone could hear!
She stormed up to the door and jammed her forefinger on the doorbell before she could change her mind. A chaotic jumble of angry words tumbled on her lips. As the door swung open she struggled to compose herself, determined not to come across in some way that Thorne Taylor could derisively dismiss as feminine hysterics.
"Yes?"
Juli stared, the angry words caught in her throat. The young woman who stood in the doorway was a few years older than Juli and obviously not a maid or hired help. She had sleek, dark hair pulled back from an oval face, expressive dark eyes, flawless skin tanned to a shade that was more golden than brown, and sculptured lips. She wore a white terry-cloth beach jacket that only partially concealed a slim but full-breasted figure in a striking, one-piece black bathing suit that plunged below her nipped waistline. The tiniest hint of a frown touched the woman's smooth forehead, and Juli realized in embarrassment that she was standing there gawking foolishly.
"I— May I see Mr. Taylor, please?" Juli asked awkwardly.
"I'm sorry, but he isn't here right now," the young woman said coolly.
"Will he be returning soon?" In a rush, Juli added, "Or perhaps I could catch him at his office later." In the face of this woman's cool, assured beauty, Juli suddenly felt sweaty and disheveled.
"Both the plant and office are closed today. If you're looking for employment, you'll have to see the personnel office on Monday." The woman's voice was polite, but there was a hint of condescension in it. Unhappily, Juli realized she probably looked as if she needed a job.
"Well, I… I'll just catch Mr. Taylor some other time, then," Juli said. Lamely, she added, "I'm not looking for work."
"May I tell him who called?" the woman inquired. She lifted an elegantly arched eyebrow questioningly, her dark eyes both curious and appraising. "Was he expecting you?"
"Ho, no, he wasn't expecting me." Juli started backing toward the walkway. She didn't intend to ask the question that was on the tip of her tongue, but the words just burst out. "Who… who are you?"
The sculptured lips curved into a self-possessed smile and the dark eyes widened. "Why, I'm Mrs. Taylor, of course."
Juli just turned and fled, crawling behind the wheel of her little car and turning the key with a damp, tremulous hand. Thorne was married! Why hadn't he told her? Her face burned as she suddenly remembered those strange, unfamiliar feelings he had aroused in her as she lay in bed at night, tossing and turning as she remembered the devilish glint of his eyes and that smoldering virility she had never sensed in any man before. How dare he let her think—
A car was coming under the arched entrance as she careened down the driveway. A silver Porsche. They met just inside the gates. She felt a moment of pure panic, a desire simply to stomp the gas pedal to the floor and flee, to deny even to herself that she had ever had those wild thoughts about a man who was not only despicable in his business dealings, but who was also
married
.
Then a cold determination to do what she had come for swept over her. She was not going to let him get away unscathed with cheating Aunt Kate. She was aware that something new was added to her anger now, but she refused to acknowledge even to herself that the unexpected news that Thorne was married had anything to do with her intensified desire to lash out at him.
She braked and eyed him coolly. The windows of both cars were open. He was so close she could have reached out and touched him—or slapped him, she thought grimly, almost aching to feel the sting of her palm against that lean, hard cheekbone. He smiled, a brilliant flash against sun-darkened features.
"I didn't know you were coming or I'd have made it a point to be here. I don't like to miss a visit from a beautiful young lady."
The warm words and flashing smile caught Juli off guard and she had to steel herself not to
She stormed up to the door and jammed her forefinger on the doorbell before she could change her mind. A chaotic jumble of angry words tumbled on her lips. As the door swung open she struggled to compose herself, determined not to come across in some way that Thorne Taylor could derisively dismiss as feminine hysterics.
"Yes?"
Juli stared, the angry words caught in her throat. The young woman who stood in the doorway was a few years older than Juli and obviously not a maid or hired help. She had sleek, dark hair pulled back from an oval face, expressive dark eyes, flawless skin tanned to a shade that was more golden than brown, and sculptured lips. She wore a white terry-cloth beach jacket that only partially concealed a slim but full-breasted figure in a striking, one-piece black bathing suit that plunged below her nipped waistline. The tiniest hint of a frown touched the woman's smooth forehead, and Juli realized in embarrassment that she was standing there gawking foolishly.
"I— May I see Mr. Taylor, please?" Juli asked awkwardly.
"I'm sorry, but he isn't here right now," the young woman said coolly.
"Will he be returning soon?" In a rush, Juli added, "Or perhaps I could catch him at his office later." In the face of this woman's cool, assured beauty, Juli suddenly felt sweaty and disheveled.
"Both the plant and office are closed today. If you're looking for employment, you'll have to see the personnel office on Monday." The woman's voice was polite, but there was a hint of condescension in it. Unhappily, Juli realized she probably looked as if she needed a job.
"Well, I… I'll just catch Mr. Taylor some other time, then," Juli said. Lamely, she added, "I'm not looking for work."
"May I tell him who called?" the woman inquired. She lifted an elegantly arched eyebrow questioningly, her dark eyes both curious and appraising. "Was he expecting you?"
"Ho, no, he wasn't expecting me." Juli started backing toward the walkway. She didn't intend to ask the question that was on the tip of her tongue, but the words just burst out. "Who… who are you?"
The sculptured lips curved into a self-possessed smile and the dark eyes widened. "Why, I'm Mrs. Taylor, of course."
Juli just turned and fled, crawling behind the wheel of her little car and turning the key with a damp, tremulous hand. Thorne was married! Why hadn't he told her? Her face burned as she suddenly remembered those strange, unfamiliar feelings he had aroused in her as she lay in bed at night, tossing and turning as she remembered the devilish glint of his eyes and that smoldering virility she had never sensed in any man before. How dare he let her think—
A car was coming under the arched entrance as she careened down the driveway. A silver Porsche. They met just inside the gates. She felt a moment of pure panic, a desire simply to stomp the gas pedal to the floor and flee, to deny even to herself that she had ever had those wild thoughts about a man who was not only despicable in his business dealings, but who was also
married
.
Then a cold determination to do what she had come for swept over her. She was not going to let him get away unscathed with cheating Aunt Kate. She was aware that something new was added to her anger now, but she refused to acknowledge even to herself that the unexpected news that Thorne was married had anything to do with her intensified desire to lash out at him.
She braked and eyed him coolly. The windows of both cars were open. He was so close she could have reached out and touched him—or slapped him, she thought grimly, almost aching to feel the sting of her palm against that lean, hard cheekbone. He smiled, a brilliant flash against sun-darkened features.
"I didn't know you were coming or I'd have made it a point to be here. I don't like to miss a visit from a beautiful young lady."
The warm words and flashing smile caught Juli off guard and she had to steel herself not to
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