The Cinderella Obsession Read Free Page B

dust sprinkled across the sky. She started to shake her head and reach for the door handle, terrified of being alone with him on a night designed for romance.
    "Don’t worry, Amy. Everyone knows we’re out here. Including Kyle."
    Kyle? Why should Amy care if Kyle knew she’d come out here? Was that this man’s way of telling her she was safe with him? He led her through the garden to a lovely white gazebo. Under the silvery light of the moon, the heady scent of lilac s caressing her senses, he pulled her into his arms and gazed down at her. "Amy, this is what you told me you wanted. Are you still sure?"
    Silver moonlight cast his face in soft shadows. Mesmerized by his riveting blue eyes, she could only nod. Was he going to kiss her--or rather, Amy? She should protest. She must. But his body, strong against hers, felt so right, and a raging hunger tore through her, demanding that she let this happen. She’d never felt anything like this overwhelming need.
    She nodded and his lips captured hers in a sweet, gentle assault. Her hands slid up his chest and curled around his neck, feeling the soft locks of his hair brush against her fingers. His tongue tantalized the edges of her mouth and she parted her lips and slipped her tongue out to meet his. A growl started low in his throat and what had been a light kiss flared, turning white hot and fiercely passionate. She clung to him tightly, moving her lips on his in an answering declaration of need. The impact vibrated through her body, reflected in his.
    "Oh, God, Amy. You’ve never…." He pulled back and stared down at her intently. His fingers gently caressed her cheek. When she felt a slight tug on her mask, she jerked away, gasping.
    "You aren’t Amy, are you?"
    The tremors of passion turned to ripples of fear.
    "Who are you and why are you wearing Amy’s costume?"
    She pushed against his chest, trying to free herself from his embrace. One thought blazed in her mind, blinding her to everything else.
    She had to get away.
    "What’s wrong with you?" He grabbed her wrists tightly, preventing her escape. "Why are you so panicky? Have you done something wrong?"
    Good heavens, why did he think that? But her guilty conscience shouted that she had done something wrong. She’d crashed the party.
    "Let me see your face," he coaxed.
    He started to reach for her mask again but, with a burst of strength, she jerked her hands from his grasp, batting his other hand from her mask. He caught one wrist before she could flee.
    "My God, you’re afraid of me." He stilled her struggles with gentle hands, pulling her close to his body, sliding his arms around her. He brought his lips to hers in a gentle, giving kiss, then murmured against her lips, "I won’t hurt you. I don’t care why you’re in Amy’s costume or why you’re here uninvited." His lips caressed the length of her neck, nuzzled at the pulse point pounding wildly at the base. "Just come with me now." His persuasive words wrapped around her and squeezed away common sense. "We’ll go somewhere private and talk." He started to pull her across the moonlit garden, still holding her in the warmth of his embrace. "Give me a chance to get to know you."
    Her mind waged a losing battle against her traitorous body as her feet carried her along with him. Could she discuss this with him? Tell him who she was and why she was here? Would he laugh at the comical thought of a plain, working girl like herself entering his world for a night? Her common sense told her he’d find her plight wildly entertaining, but her highly sensitized body told her not to care, to go with him and accept the pleasure he could give her.
    "What the hell are you two doing?"
    Vanessa felt her companion tense, then mutter an expletive under his breath. Slowly, he pulled away from Vanessa without totally letting go. Kyle stood glaring fiercely at them.
    "Amy, how could you?"
    "Don’t you get it, Kyle? It’s over between you and Amy."
    Amy! Good heavens, Vanessa