Dancer in the Shadows Read Free Page A

where the buttons were still undone.
    "If you feel the same way later, I'll take you home then," he chuckled. "Or we'll just wait until after breakfast."
    As the bald truth of his statement hit her, Valerie pulled away abruptly, trying to hide her burning face. She felt burning shame at her abandoned response. Sean's face creased in puzzlement at her stiff withdrawal, his eyes narrowed in speculation.
    "Val, are you a virgin?" he asked bluntly, bending his head slightly to study her face.
    "That's a pretty stupid question to ask a girl in this day and age." She laughed shakily, still refusing to look at him. A taste of bitterness was in her mouth. "I admit I may not be considered experienced enough for someone as sophisticated as yourself, but if you don't mind being patient with someone who's still in the learning stage..."
    "Shut up!" Sean's hands gripped her shoulders roughly, shaking her none too gently, until tears rolled down her cheeks. She choked back a sob at the look of black fury on his face. "Don't you realize that if we had kept on, it would have been easy for me to make love to you whether you wanted me to or not? I'm not a saint, and I've slept with my share of women. But it didn't mean that I loved them, only that I made love to them," he stated crudely. "I am very much a hypocrite about the woman I will marry. I don't want to wonder how many men she's been with before me. I want to be the one to initiate her into the passions of lovemaking. You have a very precious gift. Don't abuse it or throw it away. Save it for that special man one day."
    Sean's bruising grip loosened as he noticed the damp streaks on her cheeks and her trembling lips. Uttering an oath under his breath, he brushed his fingertips lightly across her face and brought the salty wetness to his lips. He groaned softly, wrapping his arms around her body, bringing her back against his chest.
    "Sean?" Her low voice questioned his sudden tenderness.
    "Ssh!" His hand stroked her hair lightly. A low chuckle rumbled deeply in his chest. "I haven't kissed a girl in a parking lot since high school. You make me feel old, infant."
    "You're not old," Valerie protested drowsily, content with his arms around her.
    "I think I'd better take you home while I still have some common sense left," he said ruefully, putting her reluctantly from him.
    As Sean drove out of the parking lot and headed for the main road, Valerie sat back in the seat, still feeling the spell he had wrapped around her, as warm as the coat. She closed her eyes, happy to have her hand warmly enclosed in his.
    "Val"—a low voice drifted through her sleep-drugged mind—"you're home."
    Her face turned in the direction of the voice as light kisses were rained over her face, teasing the corner of her mouth before settling fully on her slightly parted lips.
    "Come to Sutro Park with me tomorrow," he murmured against her mouth, his breath mingling with hers.
    "Can you bear to spend the day with a mere infant?" she teased.
    Sean's reply was a drugging kiss, forcing her to respond. He was trembling when he finally released her. "What mere infant?" he muttered hoarsely, nuzzling her throat. "You're a witch. A witch capable of casting crazy spells over me."
    Sean released her, then got out of the car and walked around the front to open her door. His dark, craggy features appeared unearthly in the ghostly moonlight. But she felt no fear of him.
    When Valerie reached the front door, Sean's hand encircled her wrist, drawing her back toward him. "I'll pick you up at nine," he murmured, his fingers caressing the soft inner skin. "Right now, I suggest you go inside before I change my mind and carry you off to my place, where I doubt we would talk very much." His kiss brushed lightly across her lips with a promise of more to come. She slipped off his jacket and handed it to him. He grinned, his teeth flashing white in his bronzed face as he gently pushed her inside. "Tomorrow," he said softly.
    She stood in