mind. She could see him as he'd been at times that afternoon when her answers had not quite satisfied him. He had pushed back his chair impatiently and prowled—prowled, exactly like the lions she had gone to see at the zoo in Philadelphia as a little girl—back and forth, as if trying to wear out the carpet. She had felt breathless and strangely excited by his powerful, masculine, overtly sexy look. Even now, hours later, the memory brought a shallowness to her breathing, a tight ache to the pit of her stomach.
In self-disgust Anne pulled open the bathroom door and hurried along the hall to her bedroom. Quickly, but carefully, she dressed and applied a light makeup, all the while telling herself that Jud Cammeron meant nothing to her. He was a force to be reckoned with, but that was all.
Really? chided a small, amused voice at the very edge of her consciousness. Then why does the mere thought of going down those stairs and entering the living room set your heart thumping into your throat? Swallowing painfully, Anne hesitated, her hand pausing in the act of opening her door. Because, she told that tiny voice, because I'm afraid of him. He is a dangerous adversary who holds my brothers 'futures in the palms of his strong, capable hands. Without warning, he could close those hands into a tight fist and crush all their hopes and plans.
And possibly your spirit as well? the small unrepentant voice asked slyly.
As if fleeing a demon, Anne tore out of the room and down the stairs, forcing herself to slow down as she reached the entrance to the living room.
Andrew was there, and yet the first person her eyes went to was Jud. Good Lord, he was devastating in close-fitting brown corduroys and a tan linen shirt. The clothes, combined with his hair and skin coloring, lent an all-over tawny appearance. A tawny gold man, Anne thought crazily, fighting to control the jumbled sensations eating away at her poise.
"There you are, darling." Andrew's voice, as he came across the room to her, helped restore some of her equilibrium. "I was beginning to think you must have fallen asleep." His tone was light, teasing and as he bent to kiss her he added softly, "I've missed you. Was it very bad? And what's the story with Jud? Your mother seems almost afraid of him."
Anne managed a strained smile and whispered, "I'll explain later, when we're alone. I missed you too."
Thankful for the support of Andrew's hand at her waist, Anne moved into the room, a shaft of dismay sliding through her as her eyes encountered Jud's secretary. The red hair that had been drawn back neatly into a twist at the back of her head during the day had been set free to become a loose, glowing flame around her beautiful face. The tall, sleek body was encased in a hot-pink sheath that gave proof to all of her perfect figure.
With the urge to turn and run crawling up her spine, Anne was amazed at the cool composure of her voice as she acknowledged Jud's formal introduction.
"In my haste to get started this morning I'm afraid I forgot to introduce you two," Jud lied smoothly. Then his voice seemed, to Anne's ears, to change to a warm caress as he drew Lorna toward her. "Lorna, I'd like you to meet my"— he paused—"stepsister, Anne Moore, Anne, my secretary, Lorna Havers."
Cool fingers touched Anne's equally cool ones as Lorna murmured throatily, "I'm pleased to meet you, at last, Miss Moore."
Anne barely had time to reply, "Call me Anne, please, Lorna," when Jud informed, "I have already introduced Lorna to Andrew and your mother, Anne." His voice went hard before he added, "The twins haven't put in an appearance as yet."
He couldn't have said anything more calculated to inject steel into her spine if he had tried. Anne opened her mouth to fly to her brothers' defense, when they strolled into the room, completely unaware of the tension within. As a single unit they stopped dead in their tracks, eyes widening as they caught sight of Lorna.
A
In self-disgust Anne pulled open the bathroom door and hurried along the hall to her bedroom. Quickly, but carefully, she dressed and applied a light makeup, all the while telling herself that Jud Cammeron meant nothing to her. He was a force to be reckoned with, but that was all.
Really? chided a small, amused voice at the very edge of her consciousness. Then why does the mere thought of going down those stairs and entering the living room set your heart thumping into your throat? Swallowing painfully, Anne hesitated, her hand pausing in the act of opening her door. Because, she told that tiny voice, because I'm afraid of him. He is a dangerous adversary who holds my brothers 'futures in the palms of his strong, capable hands. Without warning, he could close those hands into a tight fist and crush all their hopes and plans.
And possibly your spirit as well? the small unrepentant voice asked slyly.
As if fleeing a demon, Anne tore out of the room and down the stairs, forcing herself to slow down as she reached the entrance to the living room.
Andrew was there, and yet the first person her eyes went to was Jud. Good Lord, he was devastating in close-fitting brown corduroys and a tan linen shirt. The clothes, combined with his hair and skin coloring, lent an all-over tawny appearance. A tawny gold man, Anne thought crazily, fighting to control the jumbled sensations eating away at her poise.
"There you are, darling." Andrew's voice, as he came across the room to her, helped restore some of her equilibrium. "I was beginning to think you must have fallen asleep." His tone was light, teasing and as he bent to kiss her he added softly, "I've missed you. Was it very bad? And what's the story with Jud? Your mother seems almost afraid of him."
Anne managed a strained smile and whispered, "I'll explain later, when we're alone. I missed you too."
Thankful for the support of Andrew's hand at her waist, Anne moved into the room, a shaft of dismay sliding through her as her eyes encountered Jud's secretary. The red hair that had been drawn back neatly into a twist at the back of her head during the day had been set free to become a loose, glowing flame around her beautiful face. The tall, sleek body was encased in a hot-pink sheath that gave proof to all of her perfect figure.
With the urge to turn and run crawling up her spine, Anne was amazed at the cool composure of her voice as she acknowledged Jud's formal introduction.
"In my haste to get started this morning I'm afraid I forgot to introduce you two," Jud lied smoothly. Then his voice seemed, to Anne's ears, to change to a warm caress as he drew Lorna toward her. "Lorna, I'd like you to meet my"— he paused—"stepsister, Anne Moore, Anne, my secretary, Lorna Havers."
Cool fingers touched Anne's equally cool ones as Lorna murmured throatily, "I'm pleased to meet you, at last, Miss Moore."
Anne barely had time to reply, "Call me Anne, please, Lorna," when Jud informed, "I have already introduced Lorna to Andrew and your mother, Anne." His voice went hard before he added, "The twins haven't put in an appearance as yet."
He couldn't have said anything more calculated to inject steel into her spine if he had tried. Anne opened her mouth to fly to her brothers' defense, when they strolled into the room, completely unaware of the tension within. As a single unit they stopped dead in their tracks, eyes widening as they caught sight of Lorna.
A
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