Whose Bride Is She Anyway Read Free Page A

popped up … the head that eventually led to those tight buns.
    A ruffle of shaggy blond hair fell over his forehead, streaked from the sun, thick and shiny. His blue eyes locked with Tara’s and his mouth was slightly ajar. A bead of water trickled down lips that were firm, but full. “Um, I’m sorry, I was hogging wasn’t I?” His deep voice was like a waterfall of chocolate, trickling down over Tara in a cascade of shivers. She stared back at him, simply because words failed to produce much more than a cave man-like grunt under her breath.
    He grinned, a flash of perfectly aligned white teeth and stood up. Fully erect, he was … well fully erect… Tall and solid, thickly muscled, but not plastic like she’d seen so much of since she’d come to California for this audition. Tara blinked and took a long, slow breath. “It’s okay—ta…”she cleared her throat again because she sounded like an armadillo in mating season. “Take your time. I—well, I—can wait. I mean they’re only on number two-hundred, so I have loads of time. Really, drink all you want. It’s okay, you look thirsty and I don’t blame you. I mean it’s hot here, right? The sun is…”
    “No, I’m done, you go ahead,” he interrupted, backing away from the fountain and offering her his spot with his hand. His
big hand
… He looked confused and who could blame him? She was running off at the mouth, something she did often when she was nervous.
    Tara forgot she was thirsty, forgot everything but this big man’s chest, staring her in the face. “Th—tanks,”
Oh, God
… “I mean,
th
ank you. ” Accent on the letters t-h.
    Jesus!
    He smiled back at her, but continued to stand his ground, unmoving, unblinking. His blue eyes just wouldn’t let go of hers. Was he an actor? Was this eye contact thing like a technique you were supposed to practice on complete strangers? Cuz it was workin’.
    She was
not
bending over in front of this man to drink from the fountain. He would see her ass.
    And?
    What the hell was wrong with her? Who cared if he saw her ass? As asses went, hers would pass. She wasn’t sure what it was passing, some silent test she’d made up in her head, but nonetheless, it would fare all right. She stomped over to the fountain and pushed the button to make the water come out. Nothing … she pushed again … still nothing.
    “Here, let me help. You have to push slowly if you want a steady stream. ”
    Magically the water sprayed up and out and Tara took small sips, quickly, standing back up and using her thumb to wipe the excess water from the side of her lips. “Tank…”
argh!
“
Th
ank you, ” she said slowly, avoiding his gaze.
    “My pleasure,” his scratchy grumble pierced the quiet of the hall.
    Finally raising her eyes, they appraised one another
    Then, silence and nothing but the pounding of her heart in her ears, yet they continued to stare at one another, his eyes holding hers until someone yelled in their direction.
    “August!” A thin man came running down the hall, waving his hands and heading in their direction. “August, I told you—you have to use the fountain in Hall
B
.”
    August?
What kind of name was August? He
was
an actor, Tara decided. They all had names that were far fetched and hid something awful, like their real names. His was probably Bubba or Cletus.
    August wasn’t apologetic as he looked over his shoulder one last time at Tara, his eyes lingering for a moment on her face before he turned to the thin man. “If you’re going to keep us holed up in there like that the least you can do is give us water. How was I supposed to know where Hall B was? I just found the water. I didn’t care what hall it was in. ”
    The man put his hand on August’s back and directed him back down the hall as he spoke in a rush. “I know, I know. I’m sorry, we’re on overload here and I should have been more careful…” Their voices faded as they took the turn at the end of the corridor.
    He