Passion Tempted (Masquerade Part II) Read Free

meeting. It seemed recently that his investment business consumed as much time as his acting career. He hated leaving Heather. She’d seemed emotionally okay when he left but he couldn’t be sure. His heart warmed, thinking of coming in her arms.
    They kissed goodbye, long and passionately. Heather had watched until Ryan’s Escalade was out of sight, not sure when she’d see him again. He’d promised to call.
    She took a long, hot shower, still subdued with the effects of her wild, erotic sex with Ryan. She dreamily reflected on it and became aroused. She was his and she knew it. No other man had ever made her feel the way he did. He seemed to know her body and knew precisely how to please her. She wasn’t going to give that up.
    Once she dried off, she threw on her paint ing clothes and hustled down to her studio. She wanted to make significant progress on Ryan’s painting, especially now. Her brush flew on the canvas, the passion for the painting fueled with her erotic thoughts of Ryan.
    Yet, something still nagged at her. The memories of sex with Ryan washed over her body as if they were a part of her. The distraction was welcome. It felt so good after the many months it had taken her to recover from her broken heart. She feared she was heading toward another one, not yet strong enough to deal with it.
    Christina plagued her thoughts. She recognized jealousy mixed with her erotic memories. Ryan had dated Christina Levain , after all. He must have been attracted to her, maybe still was. Christina was labeled “The Most Beautiful Woman” in a recent entertainment mag azine . Heather wasn’t sure it was right to replace Christina as Ryan’s lover. And, s he didn’t know if that’s all she was. They hadn’t talked about more.
    It was evident that Heather was drawn to him, any resistance melting in his presence. She was so angry, partly at herself for blindly falling into Ryan’s arms at the least provocation. Whether it could last was uncertain.
    She was a painter, an artist, but not a celebrity. In Ryan’s world, everything’s larger than life. Privacy is not part of the package. The article about the rumored engagement was evidence of that.
    That’s what bothered her. How did the tabloids get that idea? True, they exaggerate. But rarely do they make up stories out of thin air. There was more to the story. She’d have to get to the bottom of it.
    Her avid work left her thirsty. She went upstairs, making her way to the kitchen. On the hardwood floor, in front of the door was a small yellow envelope. She not ed her name, Heather Lawson, written in perfect script across the back. There was no return address.
    Inside, the note was brief , yet potent. It read:  “Stay away from Ryan.” Signed simply, “Christina.”
    She couldn’t imagine what prompted such a reaction. She and Ryan weren’t in the columns. For all anyone knew, they hadn’t even met. Not only did Christina know , she had Heather’s home address.
    Heather already knew she couldn’t continue this way. She didn’t want her name splashed about in connection with the Ryan and Christina relationship. She cringed to think. Who would hire her to paint after her name was dragged through the mud. And that was the least of it – emotionally, she didn’t think she’d survive it. She fell into a nearby chair, covering her face with her hands.
    An hour must have passed before she was able to follow through on what she knew she had to do. Her hand shook as she inked out a short note:
    “Dear Ryan, I won’t pretend to hide how I feel about you. I’ve been all too clear about that already. But due to the circumstances, I feel it’s best to decline the commission for your painting. I’ve become too emotionally involved. I’ll provide a list of other competent artists. I’m sure you will find someone suitable. Personally, I cannot find it in my heart to regret being with you. But I know I don’t fit in your world. I’ll never be good for your