Starlight Read Free Page B

something wrong?” Rand questioned.
    “My wicked past is about to catch up with me. Dad’s revenge is here.” Karen haddated Clayton only once and spent the entire evening fighting off his sexual advances. She hadn’t told her father for fear of offending the Forsyths; now she recognized her error.
    “Karen, baby, it’s good to see you. I see you’ve been waiting for me. Let’s dance.”
    Karen’s mind whirled, searching for a plausible excuse to refuse as she stood.
    Suddenly, Rand rose beside Karen, his imposing frame dwarfing Clayton’s. “Excuse me,” he said stiffly, “but you’ll have to wait your turn. This dance is mine.”
    In his eagerness to corner Karen, Clayton hadn’t noticed her formidable companion. His smug expression instantly turned to that of a deprived child.
    Karen’s mood lightened immediately. Placing her hand in Rand’s, she led the way to the dance floor. With a devilish gleam, she turned back and smiled cheerfully. “Ta-ta, Clayton.”
    Rand took the lead, guiding her firmly but cautiously through the array of dancers. The dance floor was unfamiliar territory, but his movements were made skillfully and with confidence. He held her lightly, and a warmth flowed through her.
    “How are we doing?” he questioned.
    “Fine,” she assured him. “You don’t like to dance, do you?” He so obviously didn’t, Karen wondered what had made him offer.
    “Let’s just say I have an easy enough time making a fool of myself without doing it purposely.”
    Impulsively, Karen raised her head and gently laid her lips against the rough line of his jaw. “Thank you,” she whispered softly.
    He drew her slightly closer, and her mind whirled in a confused mixture of emotions. Surely she hadn’t imbibed that much champagne. A glass or two, three at the most. Why should this one man affect her like this?
    “I didn’t want to let you go,” he whispered into her hair, as if admitting to a fault, his voice low and husky.
    “I didn’t want to go, either.” She sighed and rested her head against the velvety texture of his suit jacket.
    His fingers spread across the small of her back, molding her slender figure against him. The beat of his heart sounded in her ear, telling her he was as affected by their closeness as she. Slowly, his hand stroked the back of her neck, his fingers entwining with her hair.
    It wasn’t necessary to talk. Karen hummed the melody as the musicians played, but the tune was inaudible compared to the glorious song her heart was singing.Somehow she’d always known it would be like this. Matthew had claimed he met Madeline and decided to marry her all in the space of one day’s time. Karen had secretly scoffed. Choosing a life partner wasn’t something one did after only a few hours’ acquaintance. Now Karen realized her father had spoken the truth. Just as he had known, she knew now. She didn’t love Rand; not yet. That would come later. But Karen had never been more certain of anything in her life. It was crazy, unorthodox.
    “You’re smiling, aren’t you?” Rand asked after some time.
    Karen had a difficult time finding her voice or thinking coherently. When she did answer, her voice was weak and low. “Yes, I am. How … how did you know?”
    “I just do. I can feel it.”
    Karen didn’t want to talk, afraid words would diminish the wonder of this enchanted evening. Instead, she surrendered to the tide of contentment that engulfed them both.
    He squeezed her, and his strong hand cut into her waist, arching her even closer, as if he feared letting her go. “This is insane.” His lips touched the crown of her hair, his breath stirring her short curls. But he didn’t loosen his hold, nor did he give an indication of wanting to let her go.
    Evan interrupted them with the news that Matthew was ready to leave. “He’s waiting for you at the front entrance,” Evan told Karen.
    Reluctantly, Karen withdrew from Rand’s arms.
    “Dad and I rode together,”