Shadows of the Past Read Free

bury my face in my hands. “Emily, stop.”
    “Good to know.” Hot guy pulls his tie back and glances at me. “This one should come with a wick warning.”
    I laugh. I can’t help it. “That’s on her other shirt.”
    Emily frowns. “Fine, go off together and have hot, hairy sex. See if I care.”
    “Hairy?” We both say in unison and look at Emily, then each other. She leans back in her seat and looks over at the bar.  
    “If you end up dead under a bridge, it’s not my fault. I warned you.”
    I put my hand to the side of my mouth and say in a loud whisper, “Is she talking to you?”
    “I thought she was addressing you. Unless you have something dangly to tell me about, of the hairy variety—”
    My jaw drops. “No!”
    “Well, you mentioned a wick once already. I wouldn’t want to get you home and find that you really DO have one under that dress.”
    Emily laughs. “Straight people are weird. If you’re not into her, I can take her home tonight instead.” Emily winks at me.
    I want to punch her, but instead I squirm in my seat. To my surprise, hot guy takes my hand, helps me up, and hands me my purse before addressing Emily.  
    “As much fun as it is chatting with you, Emily, I need to take your friend.” He cuts off like he was going to say more, but didn’t.
    “Uh,” I babble, “that meant something else since you didn’t finish the sentence.”
    “I think you caught my meaning.”  
    He looks down at me, intense once again. The sensations shooting through my body originate at the point of contact. His touch is electric and all consuming to the point that I shiver.  
    “Here, take my coat.” Before I can protest, he has it wrapped around my shoulders. Damn, it smells good—like him. He presses his hand to my back and guides us to the door. Emily’s laughter rings out from behind me.  
    “Remember to use protection,” she shouts across the pub. A few male voices snigger. Before I fully realize what happened, we’re outside.
    “Your friend is very, unique.”
    Rubbing my arms, I look up and down the street. “That’s one word for it.” Hot Guy turns me toward him.
    “I like you. I want to see where this goes. Come with me.” His confidence is contagious, and I find myself nodding, even though my mind is screaming for me to run the other way.
    A sleek black Bentley pulls up to the curb, interrupting my thoughts. I glance at him. “Who are you?”
    “No names tonight, American Girl. We both know that’s not what we want.”
    I press my lips together and look up at him. Hot Guy opens my door and waits. Part of me wants to run—the attraction to this guy is too strong—but the other part of me knows I can’t go home. Heart racing, I reach for his outstretched hand and slip into the car.

CHAPTER 3

    As soon as the car pulls away from the curb, Hot Guy pulls me under his arm. His lips brush against my ear when he speaks.  
    “Have you and Emily been intimate?”
    “No!” I pull away. “I’m not gay. Why do people keep asking me that?” Oops. I said too much. I stare at the seat in order to avoid his gaze.
    “Interesting.”  
    “No, I’m not. It’s not interesting at all. I’m plain, normal, and totally uninteresting.”
    He’s smiling again. That look makes my chest tighten and my skin flush. He lifts his hand to my cheek and brushes the back of his fingers over my smooth skin. “You are anything but uninteresting.” The touch makes me shiver, but I try to hide it. The result has me sitting ramrod straight.
    He touches my arm and slips the jacket away, letting it fall to the floorboard. I wait, heart pumping, wondering what he’s going to do. The way he lets his eyes linger and the way he moves his hands makes me want to lean into him and get lost in his lips.
    Hot Guy lifts his finger and touches my shoulder lightly. The soft touch is amazingly sensual as he glides his hand down my arm, tracing the curve of my shoulder all the way down to my wrist. When