Shades of Gray Read Free Page B

her his arm again, and she took it without a qualm, still mesmerized by the effect of his smile, and the rich, sexy sound of his voice.
    "How long have you lived in the city?" he asked.
    "All my life. What about you?"
    "I've been here only a few weeks."
    "Oh. Business or pleasure?"
    His gaze rested lightly on her face. "Definitely a pleasure now."
    He smiled again, and it washed over her like sunlight. "Are you on vacation?"
    "Vacation?" A slight frown furrowed his brow. "No. I am looking for… an old friend."
    "How long will you be here?"
    "As long as it takes me to find him."
    "How do you know he's here?"
    "I know."
    The tone of his voice, the sudden tensing of the arm beneath her hand, made her glad he wasn't looking for her. She had the distinct impression this wasn't going to be a happy reunion.
    "Tell me about yourself," he urged. "Do you like being a secretary?"
    "Yes. It's a good job, even if my boss can be a bit of an ogre at times. I get a three-week vacation and paid holidays. And I get my birthday off."
    "And when is that?"
    "February 26th. When's yours?"
    "November 20th."
    "A Scorpio, eh?"
    "You don't believe in all that nonsense, do you?" he asked, obviously amused. "It is, after all, the nineties."
    "Well," she said, laughing, "not really."
    "But you read your horoscope in the paper every day."
    "Well, not
every
day."
    "And you avoid black cats, and throw salt over your shoulder for good luck, and never walk under ladders."
    "Are you making fun of me?"
    "Of course not."
    He smiled at her again, that wonderfully
amazing
smile the likes of which she had never seen. And his eyes, he had the most beautiful eyes, deep and dark beneath short, thick, sooty lashes. He was quite the most attractive man she had ever met.
    For a time, they walked in silence. Marisa swung her umbrella in her free hand, listening to the sound of raindrops dripping from the leaves of the trees. She was surprised that the silence between them didn't make her uncomfortable, but it was an easy, companionable silence, as if they had known each other a lifetime instead of a few hours.
    "Well, this is it. Where I live. Thank you for walking me home."
    "It was my pleasure, Marisa Richards." He bowed over her hand and kissed it in a manner that could only be called grand. "May I call on you?"
    "Call on me?" She grinned at his use of such an old-world term. "Yes, I think I'd like that."
    "Tomorrow evening?"
    Tomorrow was Tuesday and she had no plans for the evening other than to curl up on the sofa to watch an old Gary Grant flick. "That would be fine."
    "What time would be convenient for you?"
    Marisa shrugged. "Is seven too early?"
    "No."
    His gaze moved over her, wrapping around her like a fine, silken web. "Until tomorrow evening,
cara mia."
    "You speak Italian?"
    "Si. And Russian and French. And even a little Greek."
    "I've always wanted to learn to speak a foreign language."
    "Perhaps I shall teach you."
    "I think I'd like that."
    "As would I.
Buono notte, cara."
    His voice moved over her, sending little shivers down her spine.
    "Good night, Grigori."
    He bowed, then turned and walked away, leaving her feeling suddenly cold and bereft.

Chapter Three
    Alexi Kristov lifted his head and sniffed the wind. Chiavari was here, in the city.
    He glanced up at the apartment where the woman lived. No one was home, but he knew Grigori had been here, in this very place, not long ago.
    The other was in the city, too.
    Kristov grinned wolfishly. All the players in one place, he mused.
    And only one of them would leave the city alive.

Chapter Four
    "You see," Grigori said, "there's nothing frightening about walking through the park in the evening."
    Dressed in a black turtleneck sweater and black jeans, he looked like a part of the night he loved, Marisa thought, dark and mysterious and a little dangerous.
    "Well, I must admit, it doesn't seem scary when you're with me."
    Grigori smiled down at her, pleased that she felt safe in his presence, wondering what