Losing Control Read Free Page A

could tell that.
    She found herself feeling a bit
envious of Taury Trahern. It would be great fun renovating a treasured old
house; especially one that had meant so much to her family.
    She gathered her courage, decided to
walk around the side yard, to get a better look at the shape of the house.
    “It’s kind of late for sight seeing,
isn’t it?” a male voice asked. Fawn nearly hopped out of her skin. She turned,
saw a dark figure coming towards her; a figure with bright blond hair.

 
    THREE
     
    As he came closer Fawn squinted,
trying to see his face, but it was too shadowy in the pathway.
    “I’m sorry,” she stuttered. “I didn’t
mean to trespass. I took a walk and was just going back home.”
    “Oh, you’re Connie’s granddaughter?”
    “Yes. I didn’t realize you knew her.”
    “Sure. I used to see her and Emmy on
the beach when I was a kid. Sometimes I’d walk with them. My sister did, too.
They were a couple of classy ladies.”
    “You’re right, they were.”
    His voice was nice, smooth and rather
sensuous. She thought of her earlier fantasy, and her heart caught in her
throat. Thank goodness he couldn’t see her!
    “Would you like to come in for a
minute? I’m restless tonight, tried to sleep but I guess I’ve got too much on
my mind.”
    “Me, too. I thought I’d be able to sleep
really well by the sea. I always did before.” She hesitated about his offer,
but her curiosity got the better of her. She had to see his face, or burst!
“I’ll come in, but I can’t stay long. It is really late.”
    He nodded, pointed her towards the
back entry, which was accessed through a lovely screened-in porch. They entered
the kitchen; he switched on a light and turned towards her.
    You’d think she was looking at a
movie star the way her heart jumped. He was utterly beautiful – soft, deep set
blue eyes, a lean, slightly pointy nose, a strong, dimpled chin, and his mouth
– well, it was full enough to nibble on but not so big that it could swallow
her, even though she kind of wished it would. That tight feeling in her insides
started again.
    “You okay?”
    “Yes, I guess I’m more tired than I
thought. I’d better get on home.”
    “Can’t you stay for a second or two?
I’d like to take a good look at you.”
    “What?”
    “I mean I’ve been wondering what you
looked like, close up. I’ve seen you up there on the patio a few times before,
when Connie was alive. You got my curiosity going.”
    “Well, I’m nothing much to see; just
an ordinary woman.”
    “Oh, I’ll have to disagree with you.
I don’t think you’re ordinary at all.”
    Fawn lowered her gaze, thinking how
idiotic it was for her to be embarrassed in the presence of a boy her own age.
That’s all he was, really, though his appearance denied it. He looked far older
than twenty two.
    “You don’t know me.”
    “Yet,” he added, smiling.
    Fawn laughed nervously. “I’d better
be going. It was nice to meet you.”
    “But … we didn’t even introduce
ourselves.” He held out a muscular, suntanned hand. “I’m Taury Trahern. Short for Taurus. My mother is a real astrology freak.”
    Fawn took his hand; the tightening
inside her increased. She slipped her hand away.
    “I’m Fawn Hamilton .”
    “That’s right. I remember Connie
telling me your name once. It’s a pretty name, about as unusual as mine.”
    “Yes, I had a devil of a time in
school with it. Kids can be so mean.”
    “True. But where I went to school my
name was average. Celebrity kids get stuck with the worst names. It’s no wonder
they grow up damaged. Of course, they all gave me the nickname ‘Candyman’
because my family runs the Trahern Candy Company.”
    “Candyman? That could be cute, or scary.
Remember the horror movies?”
    “Sure. I’ve seen just about every
horror flick out there. I got to say I prefer the old ones, like The
Haunting , where they let your imagination scare you. The unknown is more
frightening than anything